Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-29
The Gray Phantom's Romance
A sfonishing Adventures Of an Unusual Hero.
Copyright by Corp

Quickly he tried several of his
| sharp pointed tools if4 the locks of
/ the handouts, but the mechanism
was proof against manipulation. and
he soon gave up the attempt. Next
he picked out a small, tine-toothed
saw. but he realized he would only
he wasting time if he tried to cut
through the chilled steel of which
the links were made. IT might be
done if he had hours at his command
A step sounded in the hall. One
more hone remained From his case
! he took a small capsule. pointed at
! one end and scarcely longer than
pin II contained q cOmbuStibte pow
der. and the Phantom had carried
il with him for just such an emer-
! gency as this. Now he took one OF
| Changers cigarettes from his pocket
! inserted the capsule at one end, and
! put the cigarette in his mouth. Then
| he returned the case to his pocket
and, just as the door came open
was making an elaborate pretense of
! hunting for a match.
/ He looked up with an air of un
| concern--and in the next instant the
| cigarette dropped from his gaping
/ lips. He had expected Pinto to walk
| in with one or more of his colleagues
| but instead he saw the dwarfish crea
! ture who had handed him the paper
| bearing the Dukes emblem.
| For a few moments the little man
! remained in the doorway, sweeping
i the room with a quick, nervous
glance. then closed the door and came
/ forward. Mechanically the Phantom
/ restored the cigarette to his lips
while staring at the queer intruder
! The electric light lent a yellow tinge
| to his shriveled face--a face SO
| gloomy and sour that it gave the
impression of never having been lit
up by a grin. He drew a pistol
| from his pocket az he approached the
Phantom.
Wen. Granger. you sure got into
a mess" he observed, speaking in
wheezy.. drawing voice.
$50 it seems, agreed the Phantom
his mind working quickly Got a
match?"
The weazened individual handed
him one. but the Phantom seemed in
no hurry to light his cigarette,
Il kinda thought you'd get yourself
in bad, the way you carried on" CON
tinued the little man, gazing indiffer-
emily at the body. Didn't you savvy
the note | slipped your"
"It was plain enough"
But you paid no more attention
than if it had been an invitation to
dog fight"
II didn't think there was any great
rush. said the Phantom cautiously.
Il thought tomorrow would be time
enough
Time enough? He. he. Well.
you're a queer one, Granger. Guess
you don't know the big chief the way
do When he sends for you it
means he wants you right away. He's
already kinda leery about you and
but that's your funeral. Hope for
your sake you can square yourself
with him. It's lucky thing / turned
back and got on your trail after slip.
ping you the note
The Phantom, wondering what had
happened to the policeman. looked
uneasily at the door Where's
Pinto" he asked after a pause,
1.-The cop?" Oh fixed him.
Handed him one from the rear as he
was starting down the stairs, and he
never knew what struck him. Just
gave a grunt and went down like
a bag of cement You see, I'd been
standing at the door trying to get
the hang of the gabfest between you
and him. | couldn't hear much
only a word now and then--but
when the door opens and the cop
walks out ] know there's trouble
and SO I hand him one on the bean.
Say, how much is that cop wise TOT"
''Eh?" The Phantom stared for an
instant, uncertain how he should
play his role, but he quickly grasped
the. threads of the situation. "Oh.
Pinto is away off on his lunches.
Hasn't the least idea I'm one of your
gang, but thinks ! am dragging a
red herring across the Phantom's
trail. Rich-what?"
The other chuckled mirthlessly.