The Washington times., 1930-11-04

other TO Waylay an auto, cut
in on it, poke the sprayer Of q
typewriter through Q Tapping
side curtain and let so the fusil'
lade as his car tore on In high.
It had taken so long, 1t had
been so, deliberate--and these
damned rats acted so like menl
He couldn't help hating them,
but he couldn't help. admiring
them. No matter how badly .
man needs killing, it Is discon'
certing If he doesn't collaborate
| cooperate. He might at least
show yellow so that there would
be some pleasure in plugging
him. He might whine and
make q guy sore so that ne
would shoot In anger. But
this mob!
They weren't even impudent,
not even defiant. They didn't
challenge death, in which event
it would have been the brave
thing to call their bluff. These
Gorios knew how to die; 1T
might have been expected that
they would know only how TO
get killed.
However,
Gleason cleared his throat
with q hack.
'Youse guys can turn to the
wall or take it the way youSe,
are,", he said.
There was no answer. There
was no move. -,
Gleason stepped q few feet
to one side and jabbed Cranky
with his foot.
"Hey-quit your stallin'-
stand up an 60 to he'll ike 2
man-hear me?"
There was no answer. There
was no move.
Gleason was glad. 1t was
something to get sore about.
He kicked Cranky Justify.
Hes out" said Monk. Let
him die in peace"
Hell die in pieces, the yeller
skunk" spat Gleason. "Wen-
any O. youse wanna say any
thing before I-before I blow
Off"
"For the Lords sake, let 'er
CO." shrilled Moon'Face. What
Is this here game?"
DON get impatient" snarled
Gleason. "You won die Of old
age. You're a pretty breezy
bird for a spot like this, you
are. Hear me?"
He was trying to work him
self up to a state of anger.
He wanted to be dared-he
wanted one to say something
out of turn-he wanted to fly
into a temper so that it would
start while he was hot; ne
knew that after it started the
momentum would carry him
through. for this was to be a.
slaughter, a massacre, and his
heart was in it-but his hands
just wouldn't get going.
No one said a word now.
The telephone rang!
Everyone jumped. Gleason
motioned one Of his men to
answer. 1t was blind 1umber,
of course, and no outsider would
call it-no tradesman-no-
It was for Ray. The man at
the phone held his hand over
the tranSmitter and said So-a
woman Calling
my wifep gaSped Ray, and
started. Gleason showed the
nose Of his machine gun into
the gangster chauffeur'S. breast.
stand back" he cried. -,
For Gods sake" pleaded
Ray. tits my wife-we've on'y
been married six weeks-what
harm can it do?-for Gods
sake, mani won say lothin'
jus good.by-lemTne tell 'er
good-by-for Gods sake"
STAND back!" screamed Glea-
son. stand back or I'll"
Ray ducked under the gun
and made a desperate sprint to-
ward the telephone. Two gats
Snorted. He fell in his tracks,
clutched at his bowels. turned
over and lay still.
Hang up that phone!"'
shouted Gleason. And he turned.
"Now, youse hoodlums," he
barked, through gritted teeth,
that's all I'm gonna take from
any O. youse. It's fight youSe
want, is 1t, huh? Get back there
against that wall-an' no
more monkeyin'-hear me?"
Monk dropped his cigarette
and crushed it slowly with his
foot. -.
It amt squawkin'," he said,
with a voice that cracked and q
smile that agonizeds Let 'er
go, + hope your lousy soul rOaStS
in He'll eternal t'gether with
that other buzzard, Kinky
King"
Gleason's face went black.
The Execution
"Oh, that's it, is. it?" he cried,
Historically. well - just for
that"
He swung the. nozzle Of his ma
chine gun to the far left, braced
himself for the stance, shut his
eyes one second, and
Like the roar Of q thousand
cannon in the hollow enclosed
barn the reverberations. Of the
discharges, staccato and thun.
derous, were punctured with the
Gull clumpS Of lead striking soft
'odies and the sharp snap Of