The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1934-11-10

away, saw the ear tear loose. A
grinning kid Of 20 went down
for my legs-footbal stuff. I felt
his teeth in the knee I pumped
UP, and felt them break. A peck.
marked mulatto pushed O gun
barrel over the shoulder Of the
man in front Of him. My black.
jack crunched the arm Of the
man in front. He WINGED side.
wise as the mulatto pulled the
trigger-and had the side Of his
face blown away.
I fired twice-once when a gun
was leveled within a foot Of my
middle, once when discovered
a man standing on q table not
far off taking careful aim at my
head. For the rest trusted to
my arms and legs, and saved
bullets. The night was young
and had only a dozen pills
six in the gun, six in my pocket.
A bottle came through and
found my forehead. My hat
saved me some, but the crack
didn't do me any good. I swayed
and broke a nose where I should
have smashed a skull. The room
seemed stuffy, poorly ventilated.
Somebody ought to tell Larrouy
about it. How do you like that
lead-and-leather pat on the TEN.
| pie, blondy? This rat on my
left Is getting too close. I'll draw
him in by bending to the right
to poke the mulatto, and then
I'll lean back into him and let
him have 1t. Not bad! But
can't keep this up all night.
Where are Red and Jack? Stand
ing off watching me?
Somebody socked me in the
shoulder with something's piano
from the feel Of it. A bleary-eyed
Greek put his face where
couldn't miss it. Another thrown
bottle took my hat and part Of
my scalp. Red O'Leary and Jack
Counihan smashed through, drag.
ging the girl between them.
While Jack put the girl
through the door, Red and I
cleared a little space in front Of
us. He was good at that. When
he chucked them back they went
back. didn't dog it on him, but
I did let him get all the exercise
he wanted.
"All right" Jack called.
Red and I went through the
door. slammed it shut. It wouldn't
hold even If locked. O'Leary sent
three slugs through it to give the
boys something to think about,
and our retreat got under way.
We were in a narrow passage
way lighted by a fairly bright
light. At the other end was .
closed door. Halfway down, to
the right, steps led up.
Straight ahead?" asked Jack,
who was in front.
OLeary said, Eyes" and I said,
mo. Vance will have that blocked
by now If the bulls haven't. Up
stairs-the roof"
Respite
We reached the stairs. The
door behind us burst open. The
light went out. The door at the
other end of the passage slammed
open. No light came through
either door. Vance would want
light. Larrouy must have pulled
the switch, trying to keep his
dump from being torn to tooth
picks.
Jack was CALAMITY reading
road signs to the girl: Careful
Of the landing, half turn to the
left now, put your right hand on
the wall and"
"Shut up!" I growled at him.
TITS better to have her falling
down than to have everybody in
the drum fall on U.S."
We reached the second floor.
It was black as black. There were
three stories to the building.
"I've mislaid the blooming
stairs" Jack complained.
We poked around in the dark,
hunting for the flight that should
lead up toward the roof. We
didn't find it. The riot down.
stairs was quieting. Vance's voice
was telling his push that they
were mixing it with each other,
asking where we had gone. NO.
body seemed to know. We didr*
know, either.
Come on" grumbled, leading
the way down the dark hall to-
ward the back Of the building.
We've got to go somewhere"
There was still noise downstairs,
but no more fighting. Men were
talking about getting lights.
stumbled into a door at the end
Of the hall, pushed it open. A
room with two windows through
which came a pale glow from the
street lights. 1t seemed brilliant
after the hall. My little flock fol-
lowed me in and we closed the
door.
Red OLeary was across the
room, his noodle to an open win
dow.
Back street." he whispered.
mo way down unless we drop.
Anybody in sfght?" I asked.
Don't see any"
I looked around the room-bed,
couple Of chairs, chest Of draw
ers, and a table.
"The table will go through the
window" I said. We'll chuck 1t
as far as we can and hope the
racket will lead 'em out there be-