Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1934-05-18


for the moment he could not force
himself. They were hardly a yard
from him and over the heads of the
intervening pedestrians he could not
miss a shade of the quarrel. The
girl was trying to rid herself of
someone who was Objectionable to her
and who was trying to terrorize her.
1t was enough for Niles, but he sensed
that something else besides antipathy
lay behind the girls attempt at flight.
He put his shoulder into the throng
and damned his way through with a
vigorous shove. But he was just the
fraction Of second too late. AS his
hand fell on the shoulder of the big
gangster the girl slipped sidewise in
to the milling current of humanity
and vanished. Her escort turned,
rasping out an oath.
"Who in hell are you?"
"Never mind who am" said Niles
quietly. 81 just want to tell you that
you can't browbeat lady on Broad
way. Do you get that?"
The gangster started at him with
savage rancor. His glance took in
Niles build, the width of his Shout
ders, and the rake of his tanned jaw.
His kind were dangerous with a gun
in the hand, when they were murder
Gus.
"a LADY," he jeered. "Cripes, that
was just Main Stem mol. 1 wasn't
doing nothin' to her."
GAIL right" said Niles. "See that
you don't. That's warning"
Says you," mouthed the gangster.
"Who gave you license to muscle
in? Keep out O. other peoples bust
ness or you'll get plenty"
He seemed about to say more and
then his mouth closed tight and he
moved briskly for the curb. A taxi
cab had just pulled up at the corner.
He swung open the door and vanished
into its interior. The cab moved off
without a word of instruction from
it's passenger, but not before Niles
had caught clear glimpse of the
driver. Beneath the visor of the cap
was hard, scanned face, still gray
with the peculiar pallor that is bred
in only one spot and that by years
of confinement. The taxi shot off
and vanished in the maelstrom of traf-
fic with an ease that proved an ex-
pert at the wheel.
"a gangster and an ex-convict, if
/ ever saw one," unused Niles, still
looking in the direction where the
motor had disappeared. Then he
glanced at his watch. 1t was exact
ly eleven o'clock. 81 thought so. An
arranged meeting at this corner, on
time to the minute. And our prec-
ious customer wanted to get that girl
into that cab with him but she
wouldn't go. Something tells me this
business will bear looking into"
Rapidly he reviewed the circum-
stances. They might mean much or
nothing. At least he had spotted a
pair of unfamiliar faces in Broadway's
underworld and he had new address,
the one the girl had mentioned. She
was still in trouble, instinct told him.
The relief he had extended had been
for the moment only. He had heard
hnr thaf che hn,1rI f1., h.
Club of Cards and the big man had
said that he would be there later.
ut isn't any affair of mine," Niles
told himself, but even as he framed
the thought he knew that he was 60
ing on with it. The look of fear on
the girls face settled that. "It won't
do any harm to find out what this
Club of Cards is, ANYHOW. You can't
have too much information in this
job"
He lounged easily up Broadway,
taking his time. He had not the vag-
uest idea where OF what the Club of
Cards might be, but he knew where
he could lay his hands on that infor-
nation. AS he passed a group of fig
ures hanging about in front of dark
ened doorway in the early Fifties he
drew out his package of cigarets, stop
ped and tapped one on the packet, lit
it and flung broken match to the
: sidewalk. He passed around the cor
ner without backward look and halt
ed in the shadow of the first doorway
: 1t was not two minutes later that a
: thin-featured man in a cap shamblec
around the corner in his turn ant
j. joined him cautiously.
r 30. K. Chief" he half whined. &c
: got the high sign"
/. "Pike" Durkin, race track tout
n speakeasy hanger-on and genera