Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-29

'I'll say it is. Well, the cop won't
do any talking for quite long stretch.
and when he comes to things will
be kind of hazy in his coco. You'd
better come along with me and make
your spiel to the big chief. Your
have to do some tall explaining. and
unless YOU can square yourself. you
may wish the cop had got YOU"
There was an ugly smirk on the
mans lips and he spoke the last
words as if gioating over the ordeal
in store for the other
The Phantom shrugged his shout
ders. Il can explain things to the
big chief. What worries me is the
bracelet on my wrist"
I'm get the key out of the cops
pocket announced the little man.
The Phantom gazed after him as
he left the room. A little while ago
he had told himself that only stroke
Of magic could save him, and the
Weazened creatures appearance at
the crucial moment seemed almost
miraculous. Yet he looked a trifie
dubious.
TN coming out of the fire." he
mumbled, but ! haven't the least
idea what the frying pan will be like
The little rat may be hard to shake
and Pinto will spoil my alibi as soon
as he comes out of oblivion"
The small man returned and tossed
a metallic object at the Phantom's
feet, then stood aside with pistol lev
eled, while the handouts were being
unlocked. His sharp eyes followed
every move the Phantom made, but
evidently there was not the faintest
suspicion in his mind as to the
identity of the man with whom he
was dealing. In all likelihood he
knew Granger but slightly and had
never seen much of him
There" exclaimed the Phantom as
the line around his wrist parted.
Pinto will be the most surprised cop
In creation when he walks in here
and finds the bird flown. I'm dying
| for a smoke"
tie rose to his feet and struck the
match CHANGING narrowly at the
other as he lighted his cigarette.
There was a look of habitual alert
ness in the little mans glittering
eyes and the pistol in his hand more
than equalized his physical disad-
vantage.
Look here, Granger" he said in
harsh wheezy tones, Il don't quite
know how to size you up. but you
and the chief are going to have
chat directly. I'm putting my gat
| inside my pocket-like this. I'll have
my finger on the trigger all the time,
so you'd better watch your step.
We're off. =
He motioned the Phantom to start
With a hard pull on his cigarette, the
Phantom drew in all the smoke his
mouth could hold, strolled forward
with an easy swagger, and, turning
abruptly on the little man. blew
cloud of smoke into his face.
The victim gasped, sputtered and
choked. then was seized with an at
tack of sneezing that racked his sides
and convulsed his entire body.
Spasm after spasm shook the puny
figure until the little man was quite
exhausted. Covering his nose and
mouth. the Phantom stepped behind
him and snatched the pistol from his
pocket
THE sneezing powder worked even
better than the last time I tried it."
he observed with a chuckle.
"Ker-choooo" was the others ex-
plosive comment. "Ker-chooooo."
Slowly the acid fumes drifted
toward the ceiling. The little man.
with tears streaming from his red
lidded eyes. lurched toward one of the
rows of packed cases and leaned
against it. The smoke was scatter
ing, but repeated fits of sneeZing were
still jolting his frame.
The Phantom smothered the cigar
cite under his heel. A simple trick
had turned the situation in his favor,
but now he faced another problem.
How to dispose of the little man and
Pinto was a poser. The former did
not worry him, for he had bungled
his job miserably, and silence and
discretion were highly esteemed Vir-
tues in the Dukes organization.
1t was different with Pinto. The
policeman had seen through the Phan-
toms disguise. Immediately upon re-
covering consciousness he would re-
port that the Phantom was masquer-
aiding as Thomas Granger, and that
would be the end of the ruse. The
personality he had borrowed would no
longer protect the Phantom, and he
would once more be hunted man and
obliged to watch his step at every
turn.