Evening star., 1926-06-06

gigantic mushroom rooted in the pit
of his stomach. From the first instant,
long before he dared admit II to him
self, his mind had connected Val Scott
with Harry Myrick's mysterious fight.
People didn't pay $4,000 for q days
joy-fying! That was certain.
His impulse was to get up and leave,
but he saw Maisie slide a newspaper
across the counter to a passing wait
ress and nod toward him. He took the
paper and glanced at the black stream
er headline across the front page:
"vAL SCOTT ESCAPES"
His eyes ran down the story. picking
out sentences, phrases, here and there:
sc. Most notorious millionaire
unknown means before dawn this
morning Countrywide alarm
sent out complete tnvestiga-
ton ordered by the governor i.
roads guarded by local and State pO-
lice with orders to stop all cars :"
"It's a terrible thing that man is
out" Maisie's voice broke in. He
probably bribed the guards. He's
! worth three or four million, you see.
Back in a second" She went as a
rescue party to small and dumb
waitress who was complicating four
orders hopeleSsly. Red continued to
read a story of cruelty, blackmail and
murder that wound up with:
"In 1916 Warden Connolly allowed
the prisoners in the lifers' block to
have a dog, a renegade Airedale, sent
up for chicken stealing. Scott was
found one day by a. guard torturing
the dog. When the facts became
known the other lifers threatened to
hn ft.ct nrf,,
nifty, and it was necessary to remove
him to another section of the prison
and give him special exercise periods
so that he would not come in contact
with other prisoners. Since then not
one of the thousands of crooks and
degenerates housed in States prison
has associated with Val Scott. He
| was, in reality. retired within the
prison and condemned as an outcast
by his fellow unfortunates."
r ED laid the paper down and arose.
"Going so soon, Red?" asked
N1aisie.
"Yeh. got to-to do some work on
the bus" he explained. See you
later"
whats the trouble?" demanded
Maisie, her eyes searching his face.
I mo trouble" he answered gruf1y.
Tired, guess"
"Out on a party last night" Her
voice was humorously accusing, and
his eyes faltered when they attempted
to meet her straight. cool gaze.
He smiled. wanly. "A little party
he admitted falsely. Nothing much. "
Ware of parties. old boy. They
don't mix with your business. You'll
have a crack-up one of these days"
He laughed uneasily.
Take me to the movies tonight
asked Maizie. ~ won't be too tired"
"You bet l will. So long"
He had gone nearly a block before
he felt a hand tugging at his arm. 1t
was the girls brother, Tommy.
Somebody wants you on the tele-
phone, Red" he painted. 'Maisie sent
me to catch you"
For a momenta he stood stock.still,
then broke into a run back to the
Best.ever. 1t was Harry Myrick on
the other end of the line.
Red, I'm up near a place called
Meridian with a busted stick" he said.
Load one aboard and beat it for all
you're worth. I'm about ) miles nor
nor'east of Meridian. Keep we'll over
to the east an make it low. Y'under-
stand. It1l take you hours. I'll
have a smudge going. Get me?'
"Yeh' His eyes shifted, and he
saw that Maisie was standing nearby.
BE right with you. "Good-by." He
hung up.
Harry having his troubles?" she
asked.
Busted his propeller" he explained
land wants another one. I'll be back
before evening"
He went to the barn, where they
had stored their spare equipment, Sc
lected a new propeller. and stood for
a moment thoughtfully. Then he
picked up two parachute packs and
hitched the harness over his shoulder
Dooley, their pup, was eating his
one square a day, selecting morsels
of meat with a certain degree of fas
tidiousness. but when he saw Red
Luke emerge from the barn. equipped
| for flying, he bolted down the rest OF
| his meal, his belly quivering, his eyes
| on his master. He fell in at Reds
heels, as though to say. Naturally
| you won't leave me behind" Dooley
| had an unostentatious way of invit
! ing himself. :
Together they made their way tc
| the field, where Red started warming
| up the engine of the smaller plane
He attached the new propeller to the
| fuselage, binding it tightly and secur
| ing it forward SO that it could not
| work down the taper and foul his
controls. Next he strapped the para
chute in the passengers cockpit. Doc
| ley had been standing by in silent
tail-wagging excitement: he jumped
| as soon as Red arched his back into