Evening star., 1934-07-29


Mother Haubert okay. guess. and most of the
hunks If it wasn't for Steve. He better lay
of me, though, he just better had"
Carrie was saying that last to herself, facing
reality, the dream done. But she felt new
courage. She promised herself that once and
for all she'd be rid CT Steve Bratich
Who" rumbled Pete Lauritsen ominously,
lis this har Steve?"
1T don't matter You won't never see him"
"WhO is this har feller?"
Forget him"
who is hep"
The three words like blows in solid
timber Carrie gave up She told Pete about
the boss of the Stag gang Her voice shrilled
Pigs Ears awakened The kid heard his
mother speak Steve Bratich's name and he
whimpered. Pete Lauritsen stared at the kid.
CTEvE BRATTcH waited. Steve Bratich
- waited the rickety, begrimed stoop of
Mother Haubert's boarding house for Carrie
His alky-fed temper was like one of the blast
furnaces that fared over the lake shore Mother
Haiibert had eft Carrie entirely to his hands.
Steve glowered at his hands, opening them into
thick claws then clenching them into fists.
Every 20 minutes he would get UP and
walk in his apes shambe down to Mike
Hrbaceks
Mikes when he jiloppy. old car, stop
IN the cinder street before the boarding house.
Steve block away and in the light of the
single weak bulb over the stoop the and
the girl who entered the house were only
dusky figures to his eyes But Steve Bratich
was no fool He knew who that girl would be.
The boss heaved into awkward run. Sway
ing up the steps and into the hall, ne spotted
an ingot of man at the sitting room door.
In a great, windy voice the man ordering
Mother Haubert and the Stag hands TO stay
put i'm that room there
Mother Haubert Steve. She screamed:
He's stealing Carrie yeti She vas up to
her room to get her things already"
Steve Bratich Swayed into a crouch, Shoul-
ders hunched, knees springing, hands out like
hooks of iron. The ingot of man half turned
toward him. He spoke no word. But the dim
han light made harsh glitter on something
in his right hand. 1t the pound blade
of double -bitted telling ak. The burly boss
backed up
Let him steal" he grunted. What do I
care, bonh?'
He backed on for the stoop. Steve Bratich
fool He was smart. That's why he
boss. Twenty feet from the stoop, along
the side wall, fire escape led to Carries room.
DETE LAURITSEN was slow to suspect Steve
! Bratich's trick He stood fast waiting for
Carrie to come down with her things and the
kid. But Mother Haubert knew Steve, big,
cunning Steve She had a notion of what
he was up to. She screamed again at the man
with the AK. making furious noise.
So he was giving Carrie a good job on his
farml Cooking and washing yet. That was
a lie He couldn't pull the wool Mother
Haubert She knew some things already.
man didn't pick up a girl at fair and hire
her to cook and wash.
she is her boss" said Pete stolid1y.
"She got right to 60 if she wants to, so, by zee,
she go, you bat you"
The old woman screamed on. Pete stared
impatiently at the stairs. Then, in the uproar,
he heard a frenzied burst Of yells from Pigs
Ears. He charged up the steps and into the
thick, sinking gloom of the upper hall
The yells of Pigs Ears led Pete to Carries
door 1t was locked. broadside swing Of
the AK smashed the 1nSy panels.
A heaving plunge took Pete through a shower
of dry slivers into the center OF the room.
The ceiling light was on. One glance imaged
the situation in an instant for the woodsman
Carrie. her dress half-torn from her shoulders,
Continued on Fifth PcSe