The Coolidge examiner., 1934-11-09

quleted his humping heart
lie reached under the seat and
brought out n suitcase exactly ike
the one held by the seaman.
Ny mistake. I'm sorry" the boy
smiled weakly
That had been narrow squeak.
What II the seaman had taken
the wrong sultcase7
What might have happened TO
me sailor, and what would the
Skeei have saids Whew!
The boy wiped great bead OF
Precipitation from his brow.
pan had known tire Sseet bat a
short time
Tho acquaintance had not been
of his own choosing
Tie had known thc older man only
hg that odd name. the Skcet. and
he never had met him except az
night.
The boy had been ont of work
Tor weeks His money gone. he
stood at a street corner the evening
% their first meeting. wondering
what be should Do next
smoke. buddy voice had
said at his elbow Il had been the
FIRST friendly word Dan had heard
ia days and his heart warmed.
Even then be senscd an nutagon-
Ism against the thick. squat man.
Thank YOU. the boy had said,
accepting the proGered cigarette.
ia rather have q plate OF beans.
though" be had smiled wryly.
For a week after that the Skeet
had supplied Dan with a place to
sleep and meager ratiouS
During that week Dan never es-
capped the feeling that he was be-
Ing studied. watched. And yet one
must eat. he argued 10 overcome
his uneadness.
With the money he had collected
for this nights errand he would
leave the city.
lie would 20 rs far into the coun-
try as the money would take him.
Perhaps be would be able to find
work on a farm.
lie always had been able 20 make
a living in the country. and be
could do Il again. he vowed now.
Reaching the street indicated In
the directions received from the
skeet. Dan left the car.
The mayors mansion was as be
bad expected
II was a large structure set well
back amid lnxuriant shrubbery.
Dams task proved comparatively
easy. Tut the suitcase against the
front door and then scram. the
Skeet had said
Dan boarded the next car into
the city.
lie sat neTyously. teusely watch.
ing the shadows rumbllng by the
windows.
he bad almost reached the bus3.
ness section when a binding fash
against the sky brought him 10 his
feet with a cry.
lie looked at his cheap wrist
watch. puzzled Only a little past
ten O'Clock Twelve had been the
hour-And besides that. the errand
he had undertaken bad led him 20
The outskirts of the city. while the
explosion he had Just heard plainly
was az the waterfront
lie hurried 90 the depot where
he learned tho next train into the
country would not leave FOR an hour
and half
He decided 10 eat
Fears that overwhelmed him on
an empty stomach fed AS he mas
tered the food. He would never let
himself get SO hungry again, he
told himself. never. Twelve o'clock
and the suitcase would be- far away.
By midnight he would be well on
his way from the city.
As he crossed the waiting room
10 the ticket window a newsboy
burst noIsliy into view. waving a
late edition.
Mystery blast kills gangster :"
the lad shouted
READ about H. Mystery blast
kills the Skeet :"
Avidlly Dan snatched a paper
from the urchln
Hot. bleary eyes raced across the
bold-faced type as he read:
Victim OF a mystery blast, the
Skeet, notorious gangster. was
killed tonight while assisting a sea
man In loading a small boat prep
aratory 10 going aboard the gang
ster's yacht. The seaman, who was
seriously injured by the explosion.
told the police the blast came when
the Skeet dropped a suitcase tossed
10 him as he stood In the boat. The
police said they can find nothing
they can regard as a clue"