davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1928-12-09

of the automatics, made a telephone
call.
He spoke to his friend and partner,
Abe Scharlin. who, If Taylor was
wealthy, was far wealthier. Two fair
girls, two lovely darlings, Taylor said
he had them in tow. Wouldn't Schar-
lin Join him up for a glamorous eve
ming? He would. An appointment
was made for corner on Riverside
drive.
At the meeting place Scharlin stood
waiting A car drove up. A gun
poked into Scharlin's side and a second
captive joined the first. A pillowcase
was thrown over the head of each. The
car went speeding for several hours.
Then, with the pillowcases still over
their heads, Scharlin and Taylor were
led into a house. There they were
kept continually hooded, like half-uni-
formed Ku Kluxers. They had no idea
where they were, save from the fact
thaO they had ridden so long. During
the night they heard dogs bark and in
the morning chickens cackled. They
surmised they were in the co.ntry.
Scharlin was made to write letter
to his family. in which he stated that
he was held for $400 900 and Taylor for
$4,000. If the $470,000 were not forth
coming the men would be killed, and If
any complaint were made to the police
their deaths would be sealed at once,
this latter in phrases of poignant warn
ing and entreaty.
The Scharlin family set about trying
to raise the money. They were wealthy,
but $470,000 is lot to get together in
Evening star., 1928-12-09
How Man With Twisted Eye Was Shot While Two Waited

Down the street was a motor cycle
cop. / went to him
I'm going to pinch those two guys"
I told him. "One of them is a crack
shot-1 know that And I guess the
other one is. too. Keep in touch, and
If I give you hail you come gallop-
ing up"
I planted myself on a stoop a little
way from where the two criminals
stood talking. They came on a few
steps. They almost brushed me.
Put 'em up!" called abruptly
Burman turned with an incredible
swiftness and drew his automatic.
With an instructive gesture I snatched
the weapon from his hand and stuck
1t in Marcus stomach. The man with
the twisted eye was fumbling for his
gun.
Put 'em up!" And Marcus hands
went slowly up. yelled for the motor
cycle cop.
In a flash my last moment seemed
at hand. Burman grabbed my pistol
hand. We clinched. Marcus yanked
his gun out to kill me. swung Bur-
man around, using him as shield.
Marcus could not fire. I saw his face
over Burman's shoulder. 1t was conn
ing nearer. The hideous, diseased eve
glared at me like something ghoulish
and unearthly Marcus reached his
automatic over Burman's shoulder to
shoot me.
a SHOT crashed. The man with the
twisted eye crumpled. shot dead
Ine motor cycle policeman, pistol in
nand, had come running at my shout.
He was just behind Marcus as Marcus
was about to kill me. The muzzle of
MS revolver foot or two from Mar
Gus back, he blazed away wrenched
free from Burman and slugged him
with the heavy automatic. He went
down with blood streaming from his
| forehead.
The man with the twisted eve was
dead and Burman prisoner. Burn1an
refused to talk. And still we did not
know where the lair was and could do
notnlng to rescue Scharlin and Taylor.
| Our only hope was that the mob would
see the news spread in the evening
papers. become afraid that Burma1
would squeal, and let the two men 60,
Scharlin and Taylor, hooded in their
plllowcases, sat glum and despondent
The front door banged open-a yell:
Marcus is bumped off and Burman
is pinched-here it is in the paper"
A babel of frightened talk and then
an authoritative pronouncement.
We've got to get rid of these guys"
Scharlin and Taylor resigned them
selves to death. At the command Of
their captors they held their heads
down and gazed fixedly at the floor.
The pillowcases were removed Still
with bent heads they were led out
of the house and to car.
Gazing at the floor Of the car.
Scharlin and Taylor were ridden on
and on. 1t was dark when the car
stopped. They were ordered out. They
stood at the roadside like penitents
upon whom some sin weighs so heavily
that they dare not meet the eyes Of
other men. AS they studied the ground
they beard the motor purr. and the
car drove away, leaving them alone.
The mob had acted out of fear Of
a squeal. but there was no squeal. Bur-
man kept his peace. He was wanted for
crimes in various parts of the country,
but there was not enough evidence to
convict him in the kidnapping case. Just
to make sure, he was given IL years
for assaulting an oficer-his attempt
to kill me.
Evening star., 1928-12-09

heard the motor Could Stan be out
of gas, or had he. unable to see the
beacon, taken the plane outside of
town to crash? Then the motor roared
| again-very close now, and Johnny mo-
toned Mr.. Mullen and man with him
to stand far back from the smooth
stretch of field
Suddenly the plane appeared, gliding
| slowly out of the fog, very low. 1t
passed oversize blazing hangar, almost
scorching its wings. The rubber tires
Of its little wheels gently found the
dirt and Stan brought it to bounding
stop.
"Yay!" yelled Johnny as he ran
toward the plane, the others after him.
! Stan climbed from the pit and pulled
! his goggles from a tired, strained face.
Great work. Johnny" he said You
| didn't do 1t a minute too soon. I dom t
think there's quart of gas left in the
tank"
Mr.. Mullen was wringing his sons
hand. when I could hear your motor
and knew you couldn't land, thought
it was all over!" he cried.
1T might have been, if it had not
been for Johnny" Stan grinned. He
reached into the rear pit and lifted out
the two little chests. And here's your
money Are we in time?"
You are" said Mr.. Mullen. 1--WE
can just about make the bank by 81
And 1 can just about make school
if run for it," cried Johnny.
"What?" gasped Stan. You aren't
going to try to go to school after a
night like this?"
Got tot" answered Johnny 81 have
an exam"
Forget It'll" snapped Stan. "I'll see
Mr. Hartley and fix it up. What you
want now is breakfast and then sleep
And so do it. I think l can sleep for
month straight"
At that moment Mrs Decker ap-
peared from the farmhouse and the
matter of breakfast was taken care OF
Immediately. AS they entered the
kitchen Johnny saw his father and two
Evening star., 1928-12-09

other men trying to extinguish the
fire in the half-built hangar.
Il surely hated to burn up our
hangar but it had to be-" said Johnny.
Yes" said Stan. And I have an
idea that Dad and his bank will sec
that we get a new one, and one that
you won't have to build yourself"
Stan was right about that. The cash
which Johnny and Stan had obtained
on their all-night flight saved the day
for the financial institution. When its
doors opened that morning crowd
of worried depositors was clamoring
for funds But when they received
them at the tellers' windows without
delay or question the panic soon wore.
itself out. BY noon they were return
ing and sheepishly redepositing the
money that they had been so eager to
get that morning and the day before.
And the bank was properly grateful.
The little flying field has real hangar
now and beacon all its own. And, as
Johnny had predicted, and still insists,
It's "iust about the classiest little air
port in any town of this size. any
wherel"
The End.
Evening star., 1928-12-09

downward. Johnny could hear the roar
of the planes motor as it circled above
him, but the fog kept him from seeing
it. If he could only get to the hangar
and light fire before Stan ran out of
gas!
There was safety in his slow descent,
but he couldn't help wishing that he
would fall more rapidly. It seemed to
be taking him hours to reach the earth
and every second was burning up STAINS
supply of gas. Then suddenly the mist
thinned and he saw the ground close
below him. Anxiously he peered about
to get his bearings. Ah there was the
road to town, and he could see his home
a few hundred yards away There had
been little wind and he had not drifted
far.
He was fumbling at the harness of
his chute while he was still many feet
from the earth At last he landed in
a field and the big circle of white silk
fluttered and collapsed. jerking him.
self loose he. vaulted a fence to the
road and ran as fast as his legs, stiff
ened by hours in the plane, would carry
him.
He could still hear STAINS motor. He
was evidently coming lower, waiting for
his first opportunity to pierce the fog
banks and land Johnny running at
top speed, reached the gate to the
Decker farm and rushed past the house.
An automobile was standing there
and he saw Mr.. Mullen. The banker
uttered a cry of alarm when he saw
the boy.
STAINS up there!" cried Johnny,
racing toward the little flying field
"Foo-cap't oct down took the
'chute. He's almost out of gas. Got
to light beacon for him"
Mr.. Mullen evidently grasped the sit
uation and he raced after Johnny
Reaching the shed where the plane was
kept Johnny picked up can of gaso-
line and hurried along the smooth
stretch of pasture toward the half-com-
pleted hangar. In one corner OF 1t lay
pile Of sllavings and small wood. He
dashed part of the can Of gasoline on
Evening star., 1928-12-09

back he would not. be at one telephone
long enough to be caught. The elab-
oration of precaution measured the i'm
portance of the message transmitted.
The burden was that this was the final
day of grace. If the $470,000 were not
delivered by O'Clock the prisoners
would be taken for ride.
Then Marcus headed uptown. On
Central Park West he doubled back in
his tracks several times, trying to pick
out anybody who might be following
him. At Sixty-seventh street figure
was waiting. 1t was Burman. Down
the street was DAILY failing his man.
The two crooks went into Central Park
and sat on the grass and talked.
X *K X
TT was mid-afternoon. The hour for
the deaths was drawing near. We
were afraid that neither Marcus nor
Burman would go to the lair, but would
give orders over the telephone for the
slaughter of the prisoners. In this emer-
gent situation we needed instructions.
Daily went to phone Inspector Coughlin.
He was scarcely gone when Marcus
and Burman started out of the park
Evening star., 1928-12-09
COMANCHO'S STORIES

snakes find hole in the ground and
work themselves down through cracks
and crevices until they are below the
frost line, where they coil up and go
to sleep until Spring, without eating or
drinking and with only an occasional
heart beat to prove that they are alive.
The turtles sometimes crawl out on
the bank in the Fall and dig them
selves in" for the Winter, choosing a
place where the soil Is sandy or loose
enough for them to dig in it with their
claws. Then by queer rotary padding
combination of scratching and body
motion they manage to cut the dirt
out from under themselves and work it
up over their backs. In this manner
they sink straight down into the earth
to a point below the reach of frost
and there they stay until warm Spring
weather brings them up again. normal
and ready to carry on as usual until
the next Autumn. "a ~.
Just as often, thetsturtles burrow
themselves in by digging straight down
Evening star., 1928-12-09

You've got to use lodges in this shad-
owing business. You've got to outguess
them. We figured that the two crooks
we're on their way to telephone.
Daily was at one nearby station, where
he would keep his eyes open if they
appeared. Walsh hit out for another to
wait for them there. stayed with Mar
Gus and Burman, giving them long
tail. They did go to a telephone, but
not to either of those we had surmised.
The upslot was that both DAILY and
Walsh lost the trail and was left alone
shadowing two men.
The telephone call was to the Schar-
Inns heard part of it. Marcus said
they wouldn't hear from him again
last call for dinner. Two hours were
left in which to deliver the S470,O00-
then they might as well make arrange
ments with the undertaken
With Burman he walked up Central
Park West Then on corner they
stood talking earnestly. When men
stop like that it means they are going
to separate. I could follow only one
of them and would have to let the
other CO. That was the break.
Evening star., 1928-12-09
The Kitchenette
BY AUNT HELEN.

This week I'll tell you about some
thing to drink instead Of something 70
eat-a recipe for making your choco-
late milk shakes at home. The sirup
described also makes q fine dip for
using on ice cream, either hot or cold.
Have you sent me your favorite
recipe yet? I'll be glad to print it with
your name II it's unusually good. Write
to Aunt Helen, Room $40. 440 South
Dearborn street, Chicago, Ill.
CHOCOLATE MILK SHAKE.
To make the sirup, stir over direct
heat one-half cup cocoa and one cup
cold water until smooth. Stir in two
cups sugar and dash Of salt until
dissolved. Boil three minutes. Flavor
with two teaspoons vanilla. Pour at
once into glass jar and keep tightly
sealed in ice chest.
For two milk shakes put two to three
tablespoons of the sirup. cracked ice
and one and three -fourths cups Of milk
In shaker. Shake well and serve at
once A quart jar may be used as .
shaker.
Evening star., 1928-12-09

If you have ever been in the country
for any length of time during the first
warm spell of Spring weather you have
probably heard the frogs singing" and
possibly you have seen a rather slow
and sluggish snake crawling about
where the sun could reach him, or
coiled up and basking in some warm
corner.
And week or so later you may have
seen turtle in pond or river, perch
ed on log in the sun or sprawled on
the mud at the edge of the water,
where a few frantic scrambles would
allow him to submerge and paddle
away. Did you ever wonder where these
creatures pass the Winter?
All three of them hibernate all
Winter and come out Of their sleep
early in the Spring, apparently none
the worse for the six months lack of
food. air and water. They all use food
in the Summer and, like everything
that lives, they must have their share
of air and water. Yet in the Fall the
Evening star., 1928-12-09
Riddles.

You'll have to keep your wits about
you If you expect to be successful with
this weeks crop Of riddles. And don't
peek at the answers!
/. What is it everybody wishes for
and then tries to get rid Of?
2 What has four legs and one foot?
g. Which side of dog has the most
hair on 1t?
4. It's not my brother, It's not my
sister, yet it's a child of my mother
and father. Who is It?
5. A man married seven wives. and
yet was not merried. How come?
AnSwcrS.
/. A good appetite. 2. A bed. 8. The
outside. 4. Me. Of course. 5. He was
. preacher.
Evening star., 1928-12-09

looked good Either or both, we were
sure, would lead the way to the haunt.
The two men talked for few min
utes and then started off together. They
went to Marcus house and both re-
manned in for the rest of the night.
In the morning Marcus emerged
alone. He had his heavy, black mus
tache shaved off.
"There1l be something doing"
said to Walsh in vague anticipation.
The shaving off of the mustache seemed
a measure of disguise, as if the man
wanted to change his semblance at
time of crisis. Walsh and I tailed Mar
Gus and left another man, DAILY by
name, to pick up Burman when he came
out.
Marcus went over to New York ana
at the corner of Twenty-third street
and Sixth avenue executed a single
maneuver There you will find two cigar
stores and a drug store, each on
corner. Marcus made the round of
the three, using the telephone in each
case. The calls were to the Scharlin
family. He had his say in piecemeal.
His idea was that if call were traced
Evening star., 1928-12-09
STEPPED into the telephone bootf

T STEPPED into the telephone booth
to call police headquarters. MY
nickel went rattling down, and the
i bell gave its usual-ping. Outside
on Fourteenth street trucks, motor
cars and pedestrians Streamed by. On
the sidewalk could see my three COM
panions warming themselves III bright
sunlight of early May-ny partner
Walsh and two other detectives we had
picked up on our round.
Your brother is o. e." heard a
mans voice say in booth next to
mine. Get the money and turn it
over as l told you" This in
tone of guarded expression.
Number, please" The familiar
metallic singsong came through the re-
ceiver at my ear.
Instinctively 1 suppressed the tell
tale Spring 3100 which was on my lips
washington Heights 2756." 1 substi-
tuted an imaginary call.
You know you can raise the money
tlle voice from the other booth asserted
with something likes menace. Your
brother has lot of property in Chi
cago, and you can get the dough
You've got to-"
"Hellol" a husky baritone through
my receiver.
THAT YOU. Mabel?" I might have
been A husband phoning his wife.
I've got your brothers Elks card.
the voice from the other booth went
on precisely. I'm tearing it in two and
mailing one-half to you. The man
you're to hand over the money to Will
have the other half"
mo. this is not Mabel" indignation
through my receiver.
The talk in the adjoining booth was
done. I caught the flash OF a figure
passing the door Of my booth. After
a discreet moment 1 stepped out. My
man was standing at the cigar counter,
8 hulking big fellow. He had volum-
inous black mustache. and one of his
ewes was malformed and askew. Some
infection seemed to have burned and
twisted it. A villainous eye set in
villainous face He was ADDRESSING an
envelope. Then he took from his
pocket a card, tore it in two and in
closed one-half He left the store,
went to a mail box on the corner, and
dropped the envelope in it.
This guys up to some kind OF
crooked graft" I was talking to my
gang. Lets look into the racket and
see what's on his mind" We agreed
that Walsh and I should tail him,
while the other two detectives got the
envelope from the mail box and mves-
tigated at the address it gave.
The man with the twisted eye walked
west ON Fourteenth street and turned
into one of those peep shows combined
with a shooting gallery. I sauntered in
after him. He picked up one of the
small rifles and began to shoot as fast
as he could pump. l watched fascinat
ed. A Reflective is always interested in
the craftsmanship of crooks. The man
Evening star., 1928-12-09
New
TwoW DomdtoD De- nd Wins e o Second

negotiable form. They were afraid to
call in the police. They were baff1ed
and terrorized.
They got a succession of telephone
calls from one of the gang of kid
napers, threats of dark menace
against the lives of the prisoners. 1t
was specified how the money was to
be paid A certain we'll known under
world character, big gambler and
manager of prize fights, was to receive
it. The matching of the halves of
Scharlins Elks card would vouch for
Identification 1t was this part of
the telephone communications that
had CHANGED to overhear The plan of
getting the money to the kidnapers
was neat and well covered. With the
underworld chieftain as kind of third
party we would have no evidence that
would stand in court against him. If
we arrested him he would not talk, and
the prisoners would probably be taken
out to some secluded place and knocked
off.
X X X y
s'THEY'RE Slick" I said to Walsh,
but we hold the ace of trumps."
The ace was the man with the twist
ed eye. We had no thought of arrest
ing him right there. Probably he woulc
not talk, and the gang would kill the
prisoners But by keeping him under
surveillance we could catch him con-
tacting with his pals, follow the trail
to the lair where Scharlin and Taylor
were held, Jump in, rescue them and
grab the mob.
Marcus might have been the most
staid of stodgy citizens. Regular as
clockwork he went out in the morning.
returned home before dark, and passed
his evenings at home alone. During
the day he wandered around New York
" with Walsh and after him - and
patronized the telephone booths. He
called only the Scharlin family, talked
with them half dozen times day,
frightening them with savage menaces
against the captives. I contrived again
and again to be in an adjoining booth,
where l could hear what he said. He
was full of misgivings and used every
dodge to find out whether he was be-
ing followed. We had to exert our eX-
pert best to avoid exciting suspicion in
him - shadowing is subtle art He
met nobody and. save for telephoning
the Scharlins. was perfectly solitary.
1t was clear that he had arranged not.
to contact with his mob until some set
time, which guessed would be critical
time. He wanted to take no chance
that any one perhaps failing him might
pick up the trail to the kidnapers' lair.
After four days of this the unexpect-
ed happened. Marcus left his house
after dark at about o'clock. He made
long trip to Fifty-fifth street and
Fourteenth avenue, Brooklyn, and there
on the corner tall, powerful man
was waiting, whose name we later
learned was Dave Burman. The man
with the twisted eye had finally made
a meet. We had no doubt that Bur-
man was member of the gang. The
place of the encounter, in a remote
part of Brooklyn, was singular. had
a suspicion that the lair was some
where in this district and that Burman
had come from it to meet Marcus. That
Evening star., 1928-12-09
OUT OF THE FOG
A Story of Adventure in the Air
BY w. BOYCE MORGAN

these. then threw the rest on the wall
above it,
He could still hear the roar of the
planes motor as match was touched
to the soaked shavings. They splutter-
ed and burst into blaze. Hungry
tongues of fame licked at the fluid on
the walls of the hangar. In few mo-
ments it was seething mass of fire,
sending out light and dissipating the
fog in the flood of hot air which it
sent upward.
Johnny, still gasping for breath,
glued his eyes on the gray mist above
the field. 1t seemed thinner than 1t
had seemed from above. 1t was full
daylight now, but it was a gray day.
He gasped with alarm. He no longer
Evening star., 1928-12-09

In the bottom of pond or stream, for
they hibernate in mud just as easily
as in sand, and they do not breathe.
eat or drink from the time they dig
in until they dig out in the Spring.
Yet they seem to be bothered not at all
by the lack of food, air and water.
although they need plenty of all these
when they are awake during the
Summer.
The frogs dig down into the mud be-
meath water SO deep that it does not
freeze, and come out in the Spring
very soon after the frost is gone. All
of these reptiles, and the alligators.
lizards, toads and the rest of the family
go through this Information each year.
and man does not yet know how 1t is
possible for them to live during this
period. See if you can figure this
mystery out!
Evening star., 1928-12-09

Stan Mullen. assistant cashier of the Sc
curity Savings Bank, Of which his father
uses part of the Decker farm as his flying
field. Johnny. Decker is his friend and as
sistant and is building hangar for the
bank in Halesburg, the Security Savings
suffers an alarming run by depositors who
Stan flies to a city bank to get cash to
meet the emergency. They make the trip
counter bad fogs. Finally they know they
are over Halesburg. but cannot locate their
flying field. the only safe landing place in
the Vicinity. Their gas supply is almost
exhausted. and Johnny. with a bold plan to
help Stan make a landing, leaps from the
plane into the fog with his parachute.
INSTALLMENT v.
AS the chute carried him gently