Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-06

voice rang out above the roar OF
the passenger liners three
motors, and a dozen heads turned quickly
toward the rear of the cabin.
Their hands shot upward with the first
glance, however. Cold business was written on
the reckless face of the red-haired young man
who stood back of two army ASS.
Everybody stand up in the aisle" he snap
ped, land hurry!" The ship waggled as the
pilots looked around to determine the cause Of
the commotion. but the passengers in the aisle
shut off their view Of the young bandit.
The co-pilot laughed and patted his abdO-
men, and the flyer at the controls grinned and
nodded. Passenger probably airsick, the ges-
ture meant.
Calmly now the bandit was taking his VIC
TINS belongings. without seeming haste, he
rifled the mems pockets and the wOmen's
purses. One gun was back in its holster and
he worked with one hand.
You brute" the words were Smothered
on q pretty girls lips the staggering young
gunman leaned forward and kissed her. She
gasped and bushed and sputtered, and didn't
hate 1t half as badly as she pretended.
IT object!" q corpulent business man started
to speak, but the bandit turned and took the
mans nose between his thumb and finger. With
the other hand he damned the automatic
against the mans ribs
You object to what?" he demanded, and the
mans face paled. He said nothing. The bandit
turned.
ITO the young lady, I apologize, that our ac-
quaintanceship must terminate so swiftly" A
moment later he was gone. Just opened the
door with q mighty heave Of his shoulder and
stepped out leaving the passengers breathless
They peered out the windows. Far below, q
black speck dangled beneath q Silken mushroom
that was . parachute.
WAS in Albuquerque investigating theft Of
training ship from q school there when
got o telegram from Chief Mulligan telling me
about this new terror Of the air, and to hop TO
Chicago double quick.
When stepped into AGulligans ONCE he was
all Of q fret and the whole place looked rs
though he had personally gone around and
taken bites out Of different things. Even his
necktie was cock-eyed
He showed me Q picture, and didn't need
two looks to identify it.
Larry Doneganl What is he up to now?
Do know him? I wonder. tried TO keep ND
with him at Kelly Field, and after landing In
the hoosegow three Saturday nights In a row I
gave it up. Wilde Last I heard, Uncle sam
had booted him out Of the Army and he was
working for some parachute outfit. testing
'chutes"
We'll, he's your man." the chief said.
Personally, I don't care for any," said
THAT boy Is mixture Of carbolic acid and
factory without either. what do you want him
for?"
When get an hour to spare I'll read the
charges against him, but for the moment let
me sum up his activities" the chief says sar-
castically. This boys been riding the pNs-
senger lines free as a March breeze. Between
stops he nonchalantly pulls out a gat. holds
up the passengers, kisses the girls If he feels
like 1t, tweaks mems noses, and when he's all
through, steps out the door with a parachute"
Il never heard Of anything like it, but know
ing Larry I'm not having any difficulty beliey-
ing it." said. Cant the boys get a look at
him? Doesn't seem like one man could keen
that up indefinitely"
BAIL" snorted the chief He laughs in
their faces. I tell you that red haired Young
devil has no more sense Of fear than a para
lyzed hagpole sitter. And say another thing.
thought you told me a man couldn't open a
ship door by himself, when you were inyesti-
eating that Lowden suicide"
Year, said that" admitted but I'd for
gotten this red-haired son of Samson existed.
Ihat guy could open bank vault with one
nand and the Gatun locks with the other He's
not so big, but he's powerful. You're lucky he
only made monkeys out of your boys He could
just as easy have made corpses out of them"
well, I don't expect to see you for quite a
wnlie, II ever, and don't want to see you until
you have that red scalp at your belt" the chief
said encouragingly. Might as well park your
crate in the hangar and start riding the regular
liners"
1t was sweet job for me. In the first place
IT might mean couple of years in the air be-
for connected with Larry, and in the second
place wasn't so confident about what could
do If I did connect. That flaming haired
youth had been dynamite when / knew him,
and he was probably TINT by now.
Back and forth went until all of the pilots
were calling me by my first name and had me
pegged for nut.