Evening star., 1927-11-18
The 1ll-Wind.

TtlE. last week in August brought
the worst Cyclonic storm in the
history of the city. The clouds
i that began to gather about
dusk broke in fine fury "a
the evening bus from Center Cross ar
rived on the edge ut town.
Some little cyclone. muttered Gus
Lane and speeded for the nearest
parking garage. Hail ana ram had
started with as much violence as the
wind, and the passengers in the bus
(;us was driving we're an glad to get
under shelter out Of the storm az h+
was. 1t was dangerous tn he on the
street in any manner. riding or walk
ins.
Gus began to worry about Cora NC
Carthy. She was working that eve
nin2 In the glass-box OF an office at tho
service station. "and the darn pia'r
was so small it might blow away.
Crazy stunt. Cora working nights!
Just because he took the evening run
three times a week for man VINO
wanted to- he OF. He was in town
and off duty by q O'clock. but she had
to set up whine about being lone
some, and 2 was too late for him tn
come around IL she had wanted to
he with him every evening why hadn't
she married him on his straight
salary? He'd never have given a
thought to extra work. hut she insisted
that they must have Ave hundred To
pay down on A bungalow home-and
it was up to him tn get 1t.
I'VE don't pay all our hard earned
dough In rent, honey boy" she had
always argued when he tried to per
suade her to chuck her job and start
housekeeping for him on a hundred
per.
IF there were only some way to get
that 500 without working extra eve.
nings. He didn't like having Cora
around the station at night time. II
was no place for girl. There was a
garage workshop attached, and the
wOrkmen were regular bOOze artists.
The president. OF the company had
put up a sign; $500 reward for any ma n
caught bootlegSins to an employe.
Gee. didn't he wish he could spot the
bootleggers! The new bus dispatcher
was making him bit uneasy. too. lie
had begun to fear that he was trying
to attract Cora. Several times he had
heard her say that the dispatcher had
| asked to take her home In his new
hivver. He was a regular style chap.
with close cropped hair and hand.
some brOnzed beauty that might prove
taking with any girl. He had his eye
on that guy, DOnnon was his name.
and he was always blowing of his
spiel. He had told Finn to watch him,
also. If he heard of his getting fresh
with Cora that brOnZed beauty was
going to he spoiled. -:
Finn was the policeman on the sta
ton beat, but he couldn't protect Cora
from the storm. and that was the
greatest worry Gus had at the mo.
ment. The big, silent, strons-faced
man grew more and more miserable
as signs and awnings began to whirl
through the air and trees lost Their
limbs or crashed to the ground like
the swapping OF twiss.
1t was hurricane while 1t lasted
hut in an hour the wind had spent
itself and only the rain continued In
steady downpOur. with accompany.
i1.S peals Of thunder and lightning.
Gus backed his bus out OF the subur'
ban garage at the earliest possible mo.
ment. and made for the city proper
and the station in particular at no
moderate rate Of speed. The streets
| were strewn with debris that told oil
the violence of the wind, and Gus be-
came more and more anxious to be
ssured that the glass box OF au OF
fee was still standing in its accus'
toned place with no damage done to
it.
Here and there he noticed windows
blown out and i'm from several roofs
torn OF.
WHY did Cora have to he so can
taierous and take on that extra work
evenings? Hadn't he done everything
| he could tn hurry and make that 0't
| she wanted for payment on a buns;,
low? Right away he had taken t.
eating in dairy lunchrooms and al
hot dog counters instead OF cafeterias
and he had exchanged his good. big
| comfortable sleeping quarters for
hall bedroom. All that the savings
might 80 TO fatten the hank account
growing into $500. Now II one OF
those glass sides Of that box Office
had blown i'm and Cora was all cut
up. He couldn't hear the thought
calmly. For every second lost to let A
passenger Uut of the bus he Speeded
up a little to make up for the delay.
Why were some people always out
Of luck. he mused. II only he could
get the drop on the bOotiegger who
hauled In liquor To the garage mon
But whan a smart detective and Finn
had failed tn spot him there was n
use his wishing that windfall like
that would come tn him. He would
have to patiently plug away at extra
runs and skinp along on next to moth
ing until he made the little pile that
would gain COra's consent to a wed.
ding
Gus blew out his breath in a mighty
sigh and slowed down the bus to let
out another passenger. That was the
last one but two, and they were both
men that would ride into the station;
he had brought them in from Center
Cross before.
Guiding his bu< carefully through
the wet streets, he turned the first
corner OF the downtown district. This
section had once been a residential one
and the houses were mostly OF three.
stories with basement opening onto
the sidewalk Many of these were
now occupied by chea p shops and fruit
sta nds. and above the trade places
were dilapida ted rooms for rent. In
front OF one OF these houses about the