Evening star., 1927-04-03
The Phantom Turns a SomersauIt.

Lieut.. Culligore of the police
The Phantom Turns a SOmersault.
T5 looked hard at Culligore
Some faces were like an oper
book to him and this was one
Il Il of them. The lieutenant was
no mans fool. Behind the
mask of dullness and stolidity were
shrewdness and Quickness Of wit, and
he knew that the man before him
would not permit private inclinations
to swerve him from his duty. GULL
gore was as dangerous an adversary
as he had ever faced. But there was
still another quality behind the mask
and ii was this that gave the Phan
tom his cue.
Quickly he looked about him. The
way to the basement door was barred
by the lieutenant, but the stairway
leading to the laboratory was unob
structed. With an appearance of ut
most unconcern the Phantom turned
away and started to ascend the steps.
Stop commanded Culligore, fol
lowing the retreating mans move
ments with his pistol. "Ill pop you
II you take another step"
The Phantom stopped. turned and
grinned. oh, no you won't" he
Cant you see that I've got you
covered"
But you won't shoot. 1t takes a
particular kind of nerve to kill a de-
fenseless man in cold blood. and you
haven't got it. Good-by."
He took another step, but a short
and peremptory Halt brought him
to a stop. There was something In
the lieutenant's tone that gave him
pause. He turned and looked down.
You've sized me up just about
right" admitted Culligore. 'T can't
kill man who hasn't got a chance
for his life. But IL you move another
step, you'll get a slug of lead in your
leg. If you think I'm bluffing, just
try"
The Phantom hesitated. The words
and the tone left no room for doubt as
TO the speakers earnestness, and
even a slight flesh wound would
hamper the Phantom's movements
and frustrate his plans. He came
down the few steps he had covered
and stood on the basement floor.
"All right. Culligore. You win this
time, but don't think for a minute
that I'll let you carry this joke much
farther. I have very strenuous OBJ
5ections 20 being arrested at this par
ticuiar time. Mind IL / smoke a
cigarette7"
ST do" the lieutenant said dryly. II
have heard about your cute little
ways, and I'm not taking any
chances. You don't play any Of your
tricks on me. Mr.. Phantom"
"You surely don't think that I'll
permit you to drag me off to a cell?''
How are you going to help your.
self?'
why, man, it can't be done! It's
been tried before. you know. And
Just now / am very busy man and
can't afford to waste time. Besides.
what charge do you propose to arrest
me on? Not the murder Of Gage and
Mrs. Trippe?"
There are other charges waiting
for you in court. You've been having
a gay time for a good many years,
but this is the end of it. You've done
some very fancy wriggling in the
past, but yoa can't wriggle out of
this
Perhaps not" A great gloom
seemed suddenly TO fall over the
Phantom. 1T looks as though you
had rae. Culligore. A man can I fight
the whole New York police force
single-handed. All you have to do is
to blow yeur whistle and"
Whistle be hanged. I'm not going
to give you the satisfaction Of saving
that it took regiment TO get yoL /
mean to arrest you alono. just to
prove thst you're not as smart as
some people think"
Ttae Phantom glowed inwa diy. His
adroif and subtle appeal TO the lieu
tenants pride had produced the de-.
sired effect. Culligore felt 50 sure OF
his advantage that he would not sum.
mon help, and this was an important
point in the PhantVm's favor Yet
he knew the situation was critical
enough. On former occasions he had
gambled reckiessly with death, often
winning through sheer fearlessne ,e
and audacity, but much more than
his life was at stake no.. He looked
in vain for a loophole in the situa.
ton. All he could do for the present
was TO spar for time.
see" he murmured. THE
achievement of taking the Phantom
single handed would put gorgeous
Feather in your cap. But look here
Culligore. Fame is a fine thing, but
you can't eat it and it won't buy
clothes. Isn't IL just as important to
|. md the murderer of Mrs Trippe
and Cage"
"I'll attend TO that too" The lieu
tenant inserted hand in his pocket
HAlO ufSW oNt q DdlT OI ndn0cuTTS.
"Out with your hands, Phantom"
The Phantom promptly put his
hands in the pockets of his trousers
why be in such a rush Cuiligore:
You know / can't get away from you
so long as you keep me covered Lets
discuss things a bit. You don't think
] committed those murders?"
Not exactly" said the detective
thoughtfully, the steel links dangling
from his hand. Whatever else yoI
may be, ] don't think you're a mur
derer.'
And that shows that you hav.
more gray matter than some Of youl
colleagues"
Thanks" dryly: but you'd bettei
save the compliments. haven
quite made UP my mind about IN,
murders Vet. II you didn't commit
them, there are lot OF things tha
Nill have 10 be explained. Tn,
threatening letter for instance"
Forged
And Cages dying statement"
Pinto lied. or else Gage was mis-
taken
Think So" The f.icutena up
per lip brushed tho Tip ~ nis nose
IT'S queer thing that nothing hu
The Maltese cross WAS taken
That was onif r. detail ~ tn
frame up Listen 'ulllgors Isn't {
your idea that tho two murders wei
committed by one and the same per
. conf"
"a lsohs tha, wsy hu' s
Well then happen 10 knov