Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1931-09-18

Fl ad His Laugh, but
Not the Last One
By JACK wooDFoRD

THE little woman hurried along,
CHANGING furtively from right to
left The street was a nesting place
for shadows.
The smooth-faced man, luxuriating
in the shadow cast by building cor
ner, az another might have luxuriated
In sunlight, watched her interestedly.
When she drew opposite the shadowy
nook he had selected, he suddenly
stepped out upon the walk before her.
"Oh-!" she gasped, standing para
lyZed with fright. He was not how
ever, figure to frighten one, ordi-
narily. One might even have said that
his twinkling eyes Indicated kindly
disposition. True, there was latent,
almost ominous hint of muscular pow
err in his heavy shoulders and stocky
frame; but he was neatly dressed,
and, to all outward respects, a gen.
tleman.
"Did 1 startle your" he asked,
smoothly. "Tm so sorryl" The hol-
low street of nesting shadows echoed
back his words. She was breathing
hard Scrutinizing her with eyes which
had become accustomed to the dark,
he saw that she was about thirty or
thirty-five; once, and not long ago, she
must have been pretty. Clothes Of
good materials; but not flashy.
"You frightened me So" she got out
at last, apparently reassured by the
humble and contrite way he stood
there, hat in hand, you see," she
went on, breathing more easily now
~ read in the paper today that Smiles
Pete had escaped from Jail; and this
is his neighborhood you know. They
say he's killed, in this district alone,
not less than"
Half a dozen men," smiled the
man; "but never any women. There
is no case on record of his having
molestcd women, is there?"
"WclI. no" she admitted; but"
"If you like, Ma'am," he said, with
calm, reassuring smile, "I'll walk with
you to the street car, or wherever 1t
is that you're going. It's rather late,
and rather dark and lonely here
abouts."
"Oh thank your she returned, OBJ
viously relieved. I'm going to the
L. Came down here from where
live out on the North side, to visit my
sister. Her baby's sick and her hus-
band doesn't get in till late. He
wanted to walk to the Il with me but
l wouldn't let him. My sister Is much
younger than I, and she gets fright
ened over little thing like chicken
pox. -. made him stay right
there with her."
az suppose" he said making CONVEX
sation agreeably, that you've been
married some time, and no longer fear
such trivialties of family life as
chicken pox"
"Oh no" she said, with a little
nervous, almost apologize laugh, "I'm
not married. Never been married.
After all, it is bad, suppose:
chicken pox! But, do you know, l
lead such an uneventful life that such
things sort of interest me. They're at
least exciting. There's never anything
happens in my life. Just uneventful
day after uneventful day, at the apart
ment hotel where live.
"A great many other unmarried
ladies live there-and we Just talk and
talk, and go to the movies; most Of
the others have exciting things hap
pen to them now and then; things
they can tell about for months after
hox
anything to tell Nothing ever hap
pens in my experience" He listened
attentively visualized her bare, unln-
teresting life. Chuckled little to
himself, mostly In sympathy. He was
bachelor but plenty Of interesting
things filled his life.
"WelI, here we are" he remarked,
as they reached the ~" steps.
ut was ever so kind of you" she
fold him. 81 don't know how to thank
you. Usually I'm not afraid. But that
Smiles Pete person. The WY the
newspapers talk about him! II even
saw him I'd drop dead of fright"
He smiled and tipped his hat.
"Oh no, you wouldn't, Ma'am," he
contradictod; "Im Smiles Pete, and
you haven't dropped dead at sight Of
me-" He turned and walked rapidly
off into the shadows, as though he
were a man who loved shadows. And
as he walked away from her, Detec-
tive Harvey WatrOus, Of the gangster
squad. chucllled to himself. At first
he had been suspicious Of her and
had stopped her for that reason. But
she was far from the type he had ex-
pected that she might be. lie pictured
her arriving at the old maids retreat
with the biggest story ever heard
there to tell She'd be happy for
months over what she would suppose
was the adventure OF her lifetime.
Fortunately the newspapers had no
pictures of Smiles Pete. Detective
Watrous felt as happy as q Boy Scout
is supposed to feel after his daily
good deed.
Aud us she walked up the ~" steps,
Smiles Petes decoy--who had made
herself up as respectable woman,
with extraordinary success, In order
to go out and lure Detective Watrous
away from the shadows where his
presence prevented the issue Of Smiles
Pot, from his hiding place across the