New Britain herald., 1929-04-23

around. They were now in a sec ton of small, unprosperous fac i tories and deserted, ramshackle ! buildings, with now and then a | wooden dwelling jammed between them. overcome by the progress of industry.
 lover there" Lefty said. indicat- ing a post-Colonial house that stood on corner. Its wide veranda sagged 1 at one corner and parts of the or nate woodwork that a generous minded builder had bestowed upon it were missing.
 The front door bore name in weather-beaten paint, of color to match the dreary dun of the house itself. Stephen just could make it ou. "J B.s Place. Whatever was meant by place, he told himself, be- ginning to dislike the idea of stop ping there.
 But the car practically belonged to Lefty. he reasoned. He remem- bered, too. a sale that had been lost at the last moment because of some small matter that had displeased the buyer. Lefty might get sore if he couldn't show the car to his | friend, and refuse to take it. Ste phen decided not to run the risk Of offending him.
 way and stopped before the rick ety front steps. Lefty sprang out at once.
 Lock Ter up and come in," he said authoritatively. stephen reached for his keys and locked the transmission gear. then followed Lefty into J. B.'s Place. He suspected that it was a speak. easy.
 Lefty was at the soft drink bar asking for J. E. The bartender | jerked thumb toward the back of the house and muttered some thing too low for stephen to hear
 Lefty turned and motioned Ste | phen to follow him. They went through a grimy hall to a rear room where they found the proprietor entertaining a few friends in pri- yate.
 stephen was introduced to him without formality. the mans ini- tials appearing 10 serve as his full :. name.
 Have a drink?" he was asked and stephen said he would have beer.
 The day had turned unexpectedly warm. The light topcoat Stephen ha q donned when he left the office was uncomfortable indoora He took it off before seating himself at a ta- ble with Lefty and J. E. and threw it over a nearby chair.
 And in pocket of it he had thrust the keys to the car Two others in that room knew this as well as he. In word and a ges- ture Lefty had imparted the in- formation 10 the bartender as soon as he'd entered the place.
 A quick glance when the bar tender came for their order. a sly movement with his foot, and the chair. with Stephens coat, had been pushed aside. almost out of his sight.
 There was delay after that and Lefty began to tell J. B. about his new car. praising it to the sky.
 Let's have look at it." the other said.
 Sure" Lefty agreed. fin a min- utes. Here's Gunsha Dhin." l They still fingered over their glasses when, a few minutes later an electric player piano suddenly emitted a ralcous burst of sound It filled the air with deafening clamor, drowning out conversation. though Lefty went right on talk ing. his voice raised to a high pitch The noise got on Stephens nerves. He looked in the direction whence 1t came. deliberating q de- scent upon the instrument with in- tent to demoliSh it.
 Lefty saw with satisfaction that his mind was, for the moment at least. taken off the car at the curb. Another thing he had seen with even greater satisfaction "a small hapening that had escaped ste- 1 phen's notice.
 With a swift. sure motion of one hand. while with the other he placed glasses on the table. the bar tender had managed 10 extract the keys from the pocket of Stephens l S.,x- l. pocket of his own jacket.
 After that he had lost no time in quitting the room, and when