Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-11

Then he crossed the floor, pushed the
Russian woman out of her chair and
took her place. He sat down and
leaned across the table A waiter
placed a glass before him and he half
filled it with brandy
You would appear, my friend" Vic
tor Porle said calmly, Ito be unduly dis
turbed. Surely little affair like to-
nights is nothing unusual to a person
of your experience"
| You gotta remember that this ain't
Piccadiliy," Freddy growled The cops
! nave kept mighty shy of us up to now.
but If they did come there'd be hell 20
pa. l couldn't keep my boys quiet if
L wanted to. Thered be murder and
plenty of it,
you We're always a white-livered
skunk" Victor Porle observed calmly.
Freddy leaped suddenly to his feet.
HIS teeth were showing: hideous, un.
even and fang-like teeth. There was
murder in his eyes.
Say 1t again. he cried. "You-."
Victor Porle looked at him without
speech. The words seemed to die away
upon. the mans lips. Not so, however
the hate. and of that Solomon Graunt
took troubled note.
What have you to fear tonight"
Victor Porle demanded. I'VE have clan
ned what the law calls an abduction
but mark you, not criminal abduction
It is father who takes off his own
daughter. What has the law to say
tonlght'S little episode might almost he
carried cut in the face Of all the police
In London"
Who knows that she's your daugll-
ter?" the man growled.
Il never Ee," Victor Porle declared
i have never found it pays. The girl
Is my daughter"
with her?"
There ives glimmer of that smile
on Victor Porles lips which had cost
him once his scar and another time
very nearly his life.
That" he rejoined, lis no ones busi-
ness but my own. Yet, If YOU have
qualms of conscience. let me assure YOU
that IN a way the scheme I am engaged
on has its elements of equity. AS the
mother was" he added. with a sudden
strange and ugly seriousness, so shall
the daughter be- That I have sworn:
that is what shall happen"
Freddy finished his brandy and rose
unsteady to his feet.
You talk too fine for me-" he
srumbled. You've got me beat"
What about the line-up?" Solomon
Graunt demanded.
You can trust Len for that" was
Freddy's reply. Hes a bloody artist
when there's no fighting. Our first
! two are playing picQuet at the second
table near the door. They take the
girl. The man opposite. Bill Leavey.
| the heavyweight. is to tackle the man.
| Outside Len is waiting in the first car
and his partner in the second with the
gunner If they're followed. The launch
has been against Blackfriar's Bridge
for half an hour already. The whole
thing will go like bloody clockwcrk-if
ever it starts
Victor Porle's glance was like fash
Of lightning.
What do you mean-tf 1t ever
starts?"
There was a seconds portentous
silence. Freddy appeared to be on the
point OF a fierce rejoinder. Suddenly
the drama seemed to die out of the
moment. He shrugged his shoulders in
normal fashion.
How do know that the guys will
turn up?" he demanded. If they do.
we're ready"
Victor Porle knocked the ash from
long black cigar he was smoking. His
fingers were white and his nails
polished. His linen was. as usual above
reproach. He was wearing q blue serge
suit instead of his ordinary dinner
clothes. His tie was carefully arranged
and not hair of his head was out of
place.
"They will come" he said calmly. st
think that they are on their way now"
Then guess we're near where
things begin to happen. 1 got to have
word with the Hoskins crowd I'd
better put en- wise to this being
faxed alarm or therell be some shoot
ing without call for it."
He moved of, walking steadily
enough and with an almost painful
precision Solomon Graunt watched
MN. Sowing. and afberward leaned
forward toward his partner.
IF were of suspicious nature" he
said softly, II should be inclined to
distrust our friend Freddy"
You think he's out to double-cro
us?" Victor Porle demanded with q
frown.
IF there was any way in which he
could possibly gain by It." the other
reflected. that Is Just what I should
be afraid of. On the other hand, there
isn't a penny to be made out OF the
business unless he runs straight"
Victor Porle leaned even further
across the table. He looked around him
furtively and moistened his lips before
he spoke.
''You don't suppose" he whispered,
that he could ever have found out
who 1t was who gave rhe show away
to the cops In New York;"
Solomon Graunt shook his head
firmly
mot possible. my dear Victor" he
declared. There was only one man
who knew. the deputy chief commits
sioner himself. and was he likely to
split to such carrion as Freddy? Why,
he wouldn't have touched him with a
pair of tongs!"
Things have leaked out in odd
ways" Victor Porle muttered. Still.
We had to do it, 1t was fair deal
with the commissioner. The truth
about Freddy's cellar or no more boot
Logging for us We should have been
down and out again If the commits !
sioner had kept to his threat and con-
fiscated that Florida shipment"
1T was one of our closest shaves, Vic
tor" his partner recalled, taking gulp |
of his brandy. "They got Freddy's |
brother and sent him to the chair. That |
made the commissioner our friend for |
life. No. Freddy can't have that on us.
It's the foul life he leads. He never did
lOOk InOTe ttIdIi IidIA a Ah1IluIA UCAAB.
He turned and bsckoned the Russian
woman. who had been towering visit
fully in the background. to her place.
Whats the matter with Freddy to-
night?" he demanded holding her wrist
and looking into her eyes.
Blind drunk" she answered.
There's nothing else I can think of.
What is to happen here is a small
thing. if you speak the truth, yet he
Is acting like scared man, as though
he'll were the other side of midnight"
Drink to a man who cannot stand
It." Victor Porle observed. pouring out
more brandy, lis without doubt
curse"
The woman watched him in wonder
mingled with sort of shuddering ad-