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

charges 20 cents just for doing a
pair Of pajamas? I need money"
sleep in your underclothes,"
said O'Leary.
Vance laughed. Nancy Regain
smiled, but in bewildered way.
She didn't seem to know what 1t
was all about, but she couldn't
help knowing that 1t was about
something.
OLeary leaned forward and
spoke deliberately, loud enough
for any to hear:
"Bluepoint. I've got nothing to
give you-noW or ever. And that
goes for anybody else that's in.
terested. If you or them think l
owe you something-try and get
it. To hell with you, Bluepoint
Vance! If you don't like it
I've got friends here. Call 'em
on!"
Vance grinned evilly, his eyes
glittering into O'Leary's face.
YOU'D like that, Red?"
O'Leary hunched his big Shout
ders and let them drop.
II don't mind a fight he said
But I'd like to get Nancy out OF
it," He turned to her. Better
run along, honey, I'm going to be
busy"
She started to say something,
b,1t vance was talking to her. His
words were lightly spoken, and ne
made no objection to her going
The substance of what he told ner
was that she was going to be
lonely without Red. But he went
intimately into the details OF tnaU
loneliness.
Red O'Leary's right hand rested
on the table. It went up TO
Vance's mouth. The hand was a
fist when it got there. A Wollop
of that sort is hard to deliver. the
body can't give it much. 1t has 70
depend on the arm muscles, ana
not on the best of those. Yet Blue
point Vance was driven out OF MS
chair and across to the next table
Larrouy's chairs went empty
The shindig was on.
ION your toes" I groWled at
Jack Counihan, and doing my best
to look like the nervous little slim
man I was, ran toward the back
door, passing men who were NOV
ing not vet swiftly toward O'Leary.
I must have looked the part OF a
scared trouble-dodger, because no,
body stopped me, and I reached
the door before the pack had
closed on Red. The door was
closed, but not locked. I wheeled
with my back to it, blackjack IN
right hand, gun in left. Men were
in front of me, but their backs
were to me.
OLeary was towering in front
Of his table. his tough red face
full Of bring-on-your-hell, his big
body balanced on the balls Of his
feet. Between US, Jack Counihan
stood, his mouth twitching in a
nervous grin, his eyes dancing with
delight. Bluepoint Vance was on
his feet again. Blood trickled from
his thin lips, down his chin. His
eyes were cool. They looked at
Red O'Leary with the businesslike
look Of logger sizing up the tree
he's going to bring down. Vance's
mob watched Vance,
Red" I bawled into the silence,
This way, Redl"
Faces spun to me-every face in
the joint-millionS Of them.
Come on. Red!" Jack Counihan
yelped, taking a step forward, MS
gun out.
A Getaway
Bluepoint Vance's hand flashed
to the v of his coat. Jacks gun
snapped at him. Bluepoint had
thrown himself down before the
boys trigger was yanked. The
bullet went wide, but Vance'S draw
was gummed.
Red scooped the girl UP with his
left arm. A big automatic bios
somed in his right fist. I didn't
pay much attention to him after
that. ! was busy.
Larrouy's home was pregnant
with weapons-guns, knives, saps,
knuckS, club-Swung chairs and
bottles, miscellaneous implements
of destruction. Men brought
their weapons over to mingle
with me. The game was to
nudge me away from my door.