Evening star., 1927-04-05

sure that Lunn and himself were not
being followed.
The man with the scar took few
steps down the street, then stopped
and whirled round.
whats the idea?" he demanded,
brusquely. why did you walk in
there and try to pass yourself off as
Tomhnie Granger"
"Not so loud, Lunn." The Phantom
glanced about him quickly. For the
moment the block happened to be de-
serted. Lunn was standing with his
back to the dark doorway of the fac
tory building which adjoined the coffee
| house, There was q menacing ScoWl
| in his face and his right hand was
lowering over one Of his pockets.
Again the Phantom darted a quick
glance up and down the street. The
only person in sight was the lonely
| figure leaning against the stack of
grocery boxes on the farther corner.
single step from his post.
I'm listening" said Lunn. whats
the answer"
This is your answer" With one
hand the Phantom pinioned Lunn's'
arm; with the other he jerked his
pistol from his pocket and pushed 1t
against the others waist, showing him
into the shelter of the doorway. Lunn,
startled by the swift maneuver, gave
a throaty squeal.
BE quietp' commanded the Phan-
tom. 'I have a few things to say to
you, and / don't want any Interrupt
tions. 1 happen to know that you're
member of the Dukes gang. Your
crowd is after me, tooth and nail, and
the reason you were so willing to
take a walk with me was that you
hoped to catch me off my guard and
hand me over to your chief. You're
fool, Lunn. Cleverer men than you
have tried that and failed. Feel
that?"
He jammed the pistol harder against
the others waist, and a yawp of ter
ror proved that he had read Lunn s
character accurately. The big man,
who would have been a dangerous
adversary IL he had gained the upper
hand, was covering.
Now, Lunn," said the Phantom,
sharply, "a few quick answers may
prolong your life by a good many
years. Did you ever hear of young
lady named Miss Hardwick?"
THE name sounds kind Of familiar"
Don't STALL Miss Hardwick was
KIDNAPPED by members of the Dukes
gang"
"Yes-es." Lunn gulped. Il
think she was"
You know she was. Don't you?"
The question was emphasized with a
little extra pressure on the pistol.
1--WE been told the lady was kid
naped, but that's all know. / didn't
have anything to do with that Job"
The Phantom regarded him sharply,
but his face was indistinct in the
gloom. "Who did?'
Il don't know: never heard"
Where was she taken?"
II can't tell you that, either. Say
there's no use poking a hole through
me with that gat. I can't tell what |
don't know"
The Phantom was inclined to be- !
lieve him. Evidently Granger had |
estimated Lunn's store of inside infor- |
nation regarding the gangs activities.
There's one thing you can tell me, |
and you had better speak quickly |
Where does this precious gang hang
out? Where is its headquarters"
Lunn did not answer. He was /
breathing stertorously, and he uttered /
a groan or grunt whenever the pres
sure on the pistol was increased.
"Out with it"' The Phantom cast /
an uneasy glance behind him as he
spoke, but no one was in sight. ''YouII |
never get out Of here alive unless you
tell"
The big fellow trembled. "I've
sworn to keep my mouth shut"
well, I guess it wouldn't be the
first time you have violated an oath.
Where Is the placer"
'Will you let me go if I tell you?"
An affirmative answer was on the
Phantom's tongue, but he held it
back. NO, Lunn, you are not going
to get off quite so easily. You might
give me a fictitious address, and / /
until too late. You will have to take
me there, and l shan't let you got
until I have satisfied myself that it.
is the right place"
Lunn groaned, and the Phantom =,
looked obviously along the street. The
words were no sooner out of his mouth
than a sense of diffidence assailed him.
To march an unwilling and treach-
erous guide through the streets would
be hard and perilous task even at
that late hour. Then an idea came to
him. He would signal Granger and
instruct him to find q taxi cab. I,
He turned slightly and looked out
Of the doorway. waving his hand at
the solitary figure on the corner. In
the next moment a. short exclau.atio !
Of surprise fell from his lips. A big
black car was gliding down the street,
its pace as it drew nearer.
The Phantom. still pressing the pistol
I1rnly against Lunn's body, saw that
It was a limousine. and he was at II
loss to understand what car Of that tc
type was doing in such a. Squalid i
Now It. was crawling /
along very slowly. swervfng close to In
he curb as it came within Q few feet Ii