Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-16

TWENTY SIXTH INSTALLMENT.
7 WAS aching to rush for the ONCE,
through the glass doors OF which /
could see Bretzgel, the manager of
i the hotel, standing with an auto
matte in his hand, but it seemed
! to me that the situation here was too
| dangerous to leave. One OF the clerks
| had just been shot through the
| shoulder, and three or four of the
marauders were perilouSly near. l took
| the place OF the wounded man. but
action of any sort was difficult. as only
few yards behind the raiders was q
screening phalanx OF guests, struggling
| to escape. All the time the marauders
| were creeping closer. and one OF them,
| half-feinting at the next desk. made q
sudden leap forward at mine. He
slipped however. upon the smooth sur
| face, and I sent him smashing to the
floor. The man who had been preparing
to take his place thought better OF it and
took shelter behind pillar, from which
he fired wicked, but ineffective, shot
at me.
There was a moments lull I crept
| to the Office door Mr. BretZgel. on guard
with half a dozen of the stafI, drew the
bolts and let me in.
You had word from Mr.. Hews that
was coming?" said to Bretzgel.
Bretzgel nodded Where did all this
riffraff come FROM" he gasped. And
| where are the police?"
"Joseph's gang from the East End. u
| / told him briefly. The police are
after them. 300 strong. They'll be here
any minute What about the safe?"
| I was let into the secrets of the room
The ordinary safe stood there,
| portentous, to all appearances unas-
I hAN
ever, lifted rug, pressed button and
disclosed a small vault.
mo time for receipts" he said
Drop your treasure in. We know all
about It,"
| I laid the Buddha among rolls OF
notes and cases of jeNelry and stood up
! Suddenly felt the urge of battle upon
! me.
Got any cartridges. sir. for number
! four automatic?" l asked.
Bretzgel gave me pocketful OF clips.
| Better STAY here" he advised. we
shall probably need you badly enough.
| You won't" I assured him. Il know
something about this gang. They're plan
| ming to make off by the embankment
and it's my belief that they're edging
| that way already. Your fellows at the
desks are holding their own. and you'll
! have the place full of police soon. I'm
| for the restaurant
They let me out of the Office, and
| crept into the hall and made run for
the front stairs. A large number oil
guests were being driven from the en-
| bankment entrance. and some OF them
we're making some show OF resistance
| One man in particular was fighting
! furiousiy to cover the retreat OF small
| group OF women Two of the raiders he
| shot deliberately.
! l shouted encours cement and started
! across the room. The man who had
| been fighting so CALAMITY swung round
| toward me. His face and shirt-front were
blood stained, his collar and tie were
| hanging loose. The automatic in MS
hand was smoking. He was standing q
little away from the others, gasping for
| breath. 1 recognized him-recognized
| him with the greatest thrill of surprise
| I had ever felt The man who was
fighting the raiders so CALAMITY was
Mr.. x!
The fighting had surged to another
| part of the room before had recovered
sufficiently from my surprise to emoarE
upon any definite course OF action.
| little affair closer at hand, during the
| course of which l received nasty
! scratch on the cheek, occupied my at.
| tention for several minutes. When
| was free to look around again. saw
that Mr.. X. was still in the thick OF
the fighting. and on the outskirts, also
| presenting a bold front, was Mr.. Leo
! pold. 1 watched them for severa
| moments.
| Suddenly I understood the whole
business. Mr.. x. was going from table
to table, wherever the women were wear
ing the most wonderful jewelry. and nj.
men followed his lead. When he usee
| Ii,
whom he had fired went rolling TO thu
ground, but. in less than minute, III
was I'D again. I watched Leopold. HI
was playing the same game-always
seeming to be encouraging the oe'
tenders, always seeming to be facing
the marauders. .,
/ I began to move now slowly towards
the section of the room where he wa!
engaged, A minor fracas detained mi
a few moments, and then braced my
self for what seemed to me might b'
the adventure of the evening. slippes
fresh cartridges into my gun and facet
| Mr.. x. He had grown more audaclous
for half the lamps seemed to have peer
! overturned, and pandemonium relgnee
| everywhere saw him point to taoi'
| where q woman and two elderly mer
were seated. I even heard him whispel
in the ear of one of the raiders:
Down the front Of her dress
| slinters. Make sure of them"
Then he flung himself into the fra!
with apparent fury. The woman
shrieking, fell back in her chair. TIT
man who had attacked her held her To-
a moment by the throat. while he rip
ned open her dress and drew out
handful of magnificent diamonds. He
two escorts were powerless; the ont
who had attempted resistance had beer
knocked down by another raider WHIT
had been waiting to convey the Jewell
to his bag. Mr. K. plunged heroically in
| fired his gun at short range. ant
the man with the diamonds II
his hand reeled over and lay for
moment quite still, while the companion
snatched at the gems and darted OF
with them, the woman's shrieks ring
ing out. / went up to the raider WIFI
lay on the ground and kicked him. HI
opened his eyes in surprise. and swunl
around to find myself face to face will
Mr.. x.
"WelI met, my young friend" h
Knocked. And now?"
And now this" I answered, anc
let fly for his face, only to find mysel
almost overbalanced, as he slipped
nimbly on one side with all agility Of q
lightweight prize fighter.
He laughed derisively.