The Washington times., 1933-09-16
CHAPTER XVII

CHAPTER XVII
eft will be interesting, won't
it?" laughed Durant.
He packed up the suitcases
and walked across the room.
At the door he paused and
looked back. Crelliman's hand
was at his shoulder again and
Durant knew how the mans
fingers must itch to touch the
gun undoubtedly concealed in
q holster inside his coat.
II wouldn't do it, CreIiman.
It's a rap you'd find 1t hard
to beat"
He dropped one suitcase on
the floor, opened the door,
picked up the bag again,
stepped across the threshold
and kicked the door to behind
him. He walked to the eleva.
tor, set his burdens down and
pressed the bell. Then he
wiped his forehead with a
handkerchief.
Well, he hadn't been too
smart, had he? He cursed him
self fluently though silently.
Why hadn't he temporized with
CreilimanP Then he shrugged
his shoulders. Crelliman
would have believed him had
he pretended willingness to &C,
cept the gangster's bribe, had
he simulated fear at threat.
Crelliman wouldn't be any
more opposed to him because
of the blow he had received,
and delivery of that blow hao
been soothing to Durant's SELL
esteem. .,o
This man had had the inso,
lence to utter threats; he hao
dared in some way to poison
sues mind. Hitting him was
slirht repayment for the things
he had done. Also, rage ana
humiliation would make Crell-
man less cautious, ana any
weakness in his opponent would
be of vital aid to Durant.
Packing Punch
Besides. and his thin lips Wld:
ened in a grin, he hadn't socked
anyone on the jaw in years; IL
was a pleasure to learn that ne
still packed a punch. He was
still smiling as he stepped 1nCo
the elevator.
The mailman took his suit
cases from him as the elevator
reached the ground floor ana
Durant followed the man tU the
sidewalk. He glanced warlly up
and down before stepping INTO
the taxi called for him. Creilll-
man had proved to be a cow
ard: at least, he showed more
self-restraint than brave men
usually show. And towards are
usually attended in matters that
may involve violence.
It was not like big shot like
Crelliman to walk even from his
own apartment door to the OK
lahoma building half a block
away without an escort. But If
any of Crelliman's followers
lurked near by, Durant could
not recognize them as such
among the casual pedestrians.
So he tipped the mailman and
got into the machine. Ten min
utes later, unmolested, on the
way, he had arrived at his own
apartment.
Thought you'd never come
back" said Gertie. She still wore
his pajamas and her tiny feet
were thrust into a pair of his
slippers, absurdly large for her.
"Been places, doing things"
he rejoined.
did you hook my ring to
get money to go places and do
things?" she asked.
How did you guess that?"
he asked.
"I'm a bright little girl" she
replied. 1--WE been puzzling
my brains out wondering what
you wanted with that Sing,
and there didn't seem to be
any other answer"
He tossed her the ring.
''PuzZle your brain some more"
he advised.
She stared at him. "You
could get five hundred on that
ring-maybe. In your dresser
drawer-1 had to find a hand
kerchief-there are twenty
seven hundred dollars. My, but
you are careless with your jack.
But you couldn't have wanted
to pawn my ring. Are you
going to tell Gertie?"
"Gertie will learn all in good
time" he chuckled. Want to
get into a dresS?"
She made a face at him.
"You get more moral with day.