Evening star., 1934-04-15
illustrated By PAUL KROEsEN

Now you know about me, now I guess youn
beat it."
Il know crooks. And I know you're
straight. How did it happen?"
I'm not so straight Don't think I'm any
good, for I'm not. fell for a mobster. That's
how it was. Back in Chi. was dancing in
a swell joint and fell for that egg. One
night he stuck up party. The cops trailed
him to my hall. We were in a waltz like this.
and all sudden caught him slipping bunch
of diamond rings into my beaded bag. He
lammed and saw the cops coming
Il was wise that quick, and broke for the
dressing room. Got away through a window.
Made it home, and the panic was in caught
the first train out of town. 1t was West I
kept riding, to here. That's me, logger. Now.
will you beat it?"
mot yet. What about the diamondS?"
"Oh, what about them-mailed them to the
cops before left"
And Turk would turn you in for that?"
IF I don't play-but it's nothing in your
life"
What was that crooks name?' he de-
manded. the music ended.
''It-oh, it was Johnny Sermon"
! route to the dock where his launch was
moored. 1t was by way of detective head
quarters, and there Matt stopped in. He in
quired for Nosey Gallup, of the harbor squad.
Nosey in. Nosey another tidewater
man He greeted the log-patrol deputy of
Ballow Bay with rugged zeSt.
I'm on a trail" said Matt, after greetings
were exchanged. Il want to know if you've
got any dope on yegg who sometimes calls
himself Johnny Sermon"
Nosey Gallup turned him loose in the files
Matt Hogan was grim-faced as he prowled
through the SIS. At certain item he paused.
He held his breath as he read, then exhaled
with ctv oh Tic atyac urit
excitement as he wheeled to the j file. There
he again found something. His hand closed
over it. He glanced over his shoulder. Nosey
had left him alone. Mats hand lifted. and
darted with a flash of white to his mackinaw
pocket.
He closed the file and tramped out.
His dock was block above a street that
ran directly to the Red Bell Matt spent
but a moment on the launch then he headed
for that street. His right mackinaw pocket
sagged with the weight of an old-style, hog
legged revolver with 7-inch barrel.
He planted himself in front of the Red
Bells entrance and waited
Just down the street from the entrance
long. black, low-slung coupe was parked.
headed toward the waterfront. 1t was Turk
Mannons car.
Finally two figures. one burly and tall, ons
small and slim, emerged from the dark stairs
Matt darted over to meet them.
Mannon sideslipped to the right from crash
his left jaw. Another swing turned him
over The boss of the Red Bell hit the pave
ment in spread-eagled sprawl, and he stayed
sprawled.
'You didn't rum" Matt was breathing hard.
"You stuck around-are you game for get
away?"
81 didn't rum" said Jessie Jones. I'm
game. knew it was you, logger"
4 hATT braked Turk Mannon's car to a stop
lVI in the black shadow of pier she'd
He talked fast, his gaze straining toward
the dim whiteness of the girls face in the thick
shadows. He told Jessie Jones what he was.
where he had gone from the Red Bell, what
he had found.
Johnny Sermon had been caught. and the
crooks confession had cleared Lola Santel the
taxi-dancer. She was free. free to go back
Continued on Fourteenth PAGE