The Washington times., 1935-09-07


And what you newspaper fellows
do to him!"
I'VE don't do anything. And
he's big enough to realize it. He
does 1t. And what we can find
out about it, we print. If I got
knocked off, some other reporter
would take up where I fell. Cars
ton knows I won't double-cross
him. What I dig up is mine and
I spare nobody. What he tells me
in confidence, off the record, is
in confidence and stays that way
Exposing the inside workings
Of few gambling houses isn't big
it isn't even news. Everybody
knows that and everybody knows
there isn't much that can be done
about it. SO don't you worry
I'm not here to turn you up"
ooh, I'm not afraid. Not at all
>. .But-there's the chief"
Carston met Bradford with his
hand extended.
"How'ye, Bill? Get the story all
to press-about my acquittal, tri
umph of the innocent, and all
that?"
"All put to bed-triumph Of
your system failure of ours, and
all that. Now, tell me something;
you know, the income-tax division
is checking up on you. How dc
you stand? Have you been com
ing clean?"
Coming clean? I am clean
Cleaned in the big crash of '29
Since then I've had no income
All going out-one-way traffic. :.
You want this for publication
don't you?
Eyes. But there's something
more that interests me in this par
ticular instance. They're out tc
get you. That's your grief. But
to get you they'll try to involve
that lovely girl who works for you
and"
Julie? What brings her into
thiS?"
"rn tell you what! 1'm-I like
her-a lott"
CHAPTER II
Alex Carston, the king of the
racketS in the Big Burg, seemed
amazed when young Bill Bradford
the square shooting" reporter
whom he feared but liked, frankly
blurted out that he was fond Of
Julie Gardner. Julie was the sort
Of girl any outstanding fellow
might Ego" for.
But Carston, to whom she was
as a right eye in her trusted ca
pacity Of accountant and conf
dante, had never looked at her in
that light; nor had he contem
plated seriously the alarming pos
sibilities of her hooking up" with
man, an outsider, who might
turn dynamite to the very bed
rock of Carston'S whole criminal
empire.
Least Of all had he speculated
on the possibilities that Julie
might love-perhaps marry-a Bill
Bradford, q keen, sharp-eyed, stout
hearted newspaper man to whom
a story meant more than anything
else. No, not than anything else
than anything else but his honor
Carston feared no city, State OF
Government power. He recognized
none, with his intricate organiza
ton ~ killers, fixers, perjurerS and
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES save that pes
tiferouS income tax division which
had broken some of the otherwise
imperviouS racket bosses; anc
these would be helpless against
him unless they could prove hi
accounts, and the accounts were
known to none but himself ant
Julie, and were in a code known
to none but himself and Julie.
BILL" said the maSter-gangster
guile couldn't get a finer gu!
than you When'S 1t comm
off,"
What? Say, I haven't asket
her yet. haven't even told he
yet"
A deep sigh Of relief swelled tn
barrel chest of Alex Carston.
"Well, don't worry about her.
7 won't get her in any jam. Ar
what's more, I'll knock off an
flatfoot what tries to. She's
grand kid an for a doll she's 60
more under that blonde hair ar
in her heart an up her backbon