Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1930-03-08
The Dark Knight
By WILLIAM SMITH

fool;shly, and allowed himself to be
guided toward the dance floor. AS
she passed Rod her eyes held look
of contempt. Coward" they seemed
to say. Rod dropped his head.
Wave on wave of the throbbing
music filled the room. Rod felt a
sudden disgust with the whole affair.
He left the table to push his way
ruthlessly through the thick crowd
on his way to the checkroom for his
hat.
A sudden connection in front of
him attracted his attention. The
crowd parted just in time to allow
him to see a hawk nosed, saffron
skinned man. with evil leering eyes.
snatch Lyla out of Reggie's embrace.
Reggie stood regarding the other man
foolishly, then started uncertainty
toward him, only to shrink back as
the latter snarled viciously.
Lyla's face was twisted with fright.
She pushed desperately at her cap
tor, who by now held her tightly in
his arms, but he only laughed, and
drew her closer Couples around the
pair laughed ostentatiously. A dis
sipated looking youth close by grim
ned fawningly and said: "Wolf's done
took another gal away from her man.
He can get away with anything"
Rod smashed savagely through the
clustered dancers as he had smashed
his way through opposing teams
when he had played halfback for his
college. In an instant he reached
them He jerked Lyla deity out OF
her captor's arms, and pushed her
behind him.
The man called Wolf grinned evilly.
Come on sucker" he grated conf
dentl-, you're gonna get hell knock
ed out of you'll"
Rod didn't wait for second invi-
tation. Swiftly he tented at the
VOLTS head, then ripped a-trip-ham-
mer blow to his stomach. Rods OPP
ponent bent double in agony at which
the youth promptly crashed a short,
l'oht ling-like punch on his jaw. The
fight wa; over, as Wolf dropped heav-
lily to the floor.
Then Lyla's scream caused the VIC
torious youth to leap to one side just
in time to dodge sweeping blow
from heavy set, dark man who
leaped suddenly at him out OF the
crowd. People stampeded off the
floor wildly. Lyla stood watching in
fascinated horror as two more men
closed III on the bronze youth.
The heavy set man who had first
struck at Rod was thrown into strik-
ing .istance by the impetus of his
own blow. Rod danced lightly away
then suddenly forward to land a
straight, hard blow to his assailant's
temple which sent him sprawling to
the floor. AS the wide Shouldered
youth weaved swiftly in and out OF
his attackers reach Lyla found her
self -narvelling at his grace, which
was like that of a young tiger. Gu
riously the thought came to her that
he was more graceful fighting than
dancing On his face there was a
strange, half-smiling look, as though
he were remembering other such bat
ties - and as though he were getting
a savage pleasure out of conflict.
His fists shot out to meet his OPP
ponents' bodies with piston-like pre-
cision, and with similar force. One
of them knocked another of the men
into crumpled heap, where he lay
twitching in pain. Toward the re-
naming man Rod leaped lithely.
Thct one cast a frightened look at
his enemy and attempted to flee
from the floor only to receive
crushing blow on his head which sent
him skidding into the crowd which
lowered at the edge of the dance
floor.
Back of the victorious young war
rior Wolf COT I'm da1od1u fho,, I,;c