Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-21

She stood at the window one day, q
shabby fiure in rusty black dress and
| down-at-the-he shoes. The sound OF
a deep siren had brought her there.
| THAT teller in seven wants tea, Lila
don't stand incoming"
| Thus Mum" who came into the
room. had caught the girl at her favor
/ lite occupation
Yes. auntie"
| Lila Smith few to the kitchen. That
raSping voice terrified her-had always
terrified her She wished sometimes
for another kind of life; had vague
idea that she knew just what that life
was like. It had trees In it, and great
/ spaces, like Greenwich Park. and peo-
! pie who were most defsrential. More
often than not, she vas dreaming OF
this when she was watching the ships.
| She was dreaming now. as she poured
the tea and sent the slatternly maid
into No. Z with the cup and the slabs of
bread and butter.
The little square window In the stuffy
| kitchen was open, and suddenly she saw
man looking In at her from the
wharf-a tall man, with tanned, at
| tractive face He was bare headed, and
his brown hair had curl in 1t.
| Good morning, Princess"
Good morning Mr.. Wade!"
She was a little breathleSs. He was
the one being in the world who had
this effect upon her. 1t was not be-
cause she was frightened, though she
was aware of his profession, nor yet
because of the furtive character of these
rare meetings.
He had a tremendous significance
for her, but the reason for his impor-
lance was confusingly obscure.
Why do they call you Busy Mr..
She asked the question on impulse
and was frightened before the worS
were out.
Because I am busy, Princess" he
said gravely. IT am so busy that am
an offense in the eyes Of all loafers,
Industry is my weakness" :
He paused and looked at her oddly.
| She heard NUNS" heavy step and
drew back a pace as the old woman
came scowling into the room.
"Hullo, Mr.. Wade-got nothing bet
ter to do than keep my gel gossiping?'
She sent Lila from the room and
slammed the door.
Don't come here questioning chill
dren. Be man and knock at the front
door,"
"You haven't got front door," said
Mr. Wade, reproachfully. And why Sc
angry, child? came in the friendliest
spirit to interview Golly-"
He's on the wharf-an' don't call me
'cllildp' snapped the woman Savagely.
Mr.. Wade, whose weakness was the
employment of endearing epithets
shrugged.
81 60" he said simply.
Golly was chopping wood and as the
detective approached he put down his
Ratchet.
whisky? What do know about
whisky? Yes, know Sniffy. A loafer
that / wouldn't have in this club. A low
man with low companions"
81 don't believe it, said Mr.. WADE
Heard anything about the india rub
Der men lately?"
Mr.. Oaks made gesture of patient
WEAKNESS.
81 don't know no more about the
mia rubber men than what the news
papers talk about We got the police;
we pay UNI rates n taxes, we feed
un-"
And well fed they are" agreed John
| Wade. IT never see fat policeman
without thinking of you, Golly."
With a nod he went back to the po-
| lice launch.
Three nights later, in company with 9
police sergeant, he was speeding toward
the Embankment. He had received IN
structions 10 report at Scotland Yard
and he was perfectly sure Of the reason
| for that call-the india rubber men
For the past week they had become
something Of nuisance. He had ad-
vanced theory regarding them and the
summons had followed.
These marauders we're called the
| india rubber men, because they wore
rubber gas masks and rubber gloves and
rubber shoes. Each man, when seen
carried an automatic in his belt, and
| three dangling cylinders, which the ex-
perts described as gas bombs. These
were probably their principal armament
! They had been seen the night they
cleared out Golly and Moore, the BOND
street jewelers.: and that week end wher
they opened the vault of the Northern
and Southern Bank and injured the
Waterman so badly that he died. The
reason for his death was apparent-ir
his hand was portion of a gas mask
torn from one of the robbers He ha6
seen the face of one of the band ano
had been killed
ST shouldn't be surprised" said the
sergeant. bringing the launch little
nearer the Enbankment's edge. "if tbs
Wrapping lot were in this india rubber
business. That gang wouldn't think
/ twice"
/ Wade, looking ahead, had seen fg.
ure leaning over the parapet of the EN-
bankment. In another second it hAt
disappeared and he saw a bit of white
where it had fallen into the water.
l THE stenrernar1 had seen IL fno rflae
little boat shuddered as the engines
went astern.
ION your right, sir. I. You'll reach
him with your hands"
Reaching down, John Wade grippet
an up-flung arm and dragged the whim
pering thing into the boat 1t was /
womarl--a gray-haired woman, who's,
face was thin and lined, and In who's
eyes burned an unearthly fire.
"You mustn't have IL must taxi
1t with mel" she gasped.