Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-24

THE entire crew, including Gretchen and
- Everett, assembled on the porch and on
the lawn of the farmhouse for supper half an
hour later. Ma Wilson served great quantities
Of baked beans, cornbread, potatoes and coffee
Army stuff, only better" Kelly grinned at
Everett. Eat plenty. Then Wen turn in for
six or seven hours and hit the road at o'clock.
They won't be looking for us then"
After the meal the men drifted away to
sleep somewhere, anywhere, until the hour for
moving. Some Of them Sprawled out on the
ground right there. Others sought the shelter
Of the hollow square.
subdued commotion arose at the other end
Of the veranda. Suddenly Everett heard Kelly's
voice, hoarse with excitement. Look what's
coming down the road!" 4
Just outside the farm gate and coming In
were two armored cars, the kind that banks use
were bank cars, in fact-compact black, rivet-
studded little Merrimacs, slotted for machine
guns.
The men of Kelly's gang did not wait for
orders Those who were not already inside
tun1bled into the improvised stockade. Chuck
Hagen made 1t on the run.
Everett started to follow but turned back
when he saw Gretchen
Somebody fired shot. It fattened against
. nearby car.
"Dropi" said Everett.
He took the girl by the hand and started
crawling away. She followed until they reached
the big battered car parked In the rear of the
house As he led his patrol of one out of the
line Of direct fire, he heard the machine guns
open up with the rat-a-tat that had once been
so familiar to his ears. IntersperSed with that
sound was the heavy thud of big-caliber au-
tomatoes.
They entered the car. Gretchen lay on the
floor as ordered and he started the motor by
pressing the pedal with his hand before getting
into the drivers seat. +"t
There was only one way out that he knew
Of and he took the bold course Of making for
the main gate, which was now in back Of the
armored cars. They could not turn In time to
block him.
But outside he encountered unexpected diff
ficulties in the shape Of two automobiles and
wavered as II to cross the narrow road, but he
swerved into the motor cycle, knocking it and
its rider somewhere into the middle of the
Chinese calendar. Several shots were fired.
but he was not aware Of being hit
He pulled back into the road and opened the
throttle.
What an assortment Of speed there was un-
der that hoodi The car jumped and swayed
over the ruts, but it held the road at exactly
60 miles an hour. Behind them two lights
swung into the dusk, and the faint sound Of
an open exhaust indicated that there was an
other fast car in the country and it was after
them.
In five minutes the paved highway was in
sight. Everett turned right, and the Speedome-
ter began to mount-70, rs, 80, Sup to 93l
Nothing could catch them at that pace. But
the trouble was that there was nowhere to 60
except in a straight line, and they would be
stopped sooner or later either by the law or
traffic jam somewhere. t.'s
Gretchen crawled over the back of the seat.
sid rather sit here" she explained above the
roar Of the wind. Thanks for the buggy ride"
No use to let her know that the danger was
not over. Where do you want to go, miss?"
he asked, with the assumed calm Of a hveried
chauffeur
Grand Rapids. please" she answered, In
character.