The Washington times., 1937-11-16

1MMY, then boSS.
being awakened increased. There
was nothing to criticize.
He jumped back in the cab
Let's CO."
Gus decided to take a back route
faster but not such good roads
There wasn't enough in the load
to bother the truck-and since
they were getting away this early
he might make New York by mid
night. It was then about four
thirty.
Up and down hills they went
rolling heavy, even with the light
load. From time to time, Gus
would glance over, and seeing his
companion asleep, would jolt him
in the ribs, and then taunt him
so you wanta be, a heavy rol
Ter. You're just a punk. You cant
even stay awake" And then he'c
laugh. Joe never answered. He
was dying to drive, sleepy as he
was, but he knew well enough that
to ask would only arouse Gus
hoarSe laughter again.
And he was tired. Awake all the
way to Boston from New York, he
had put in five hours of the
toughest kind of work after get
ting there.
They passed through whitman.
tic, and headed on down toward
Middletown, and because it was
dark by then, and the road turned
a lot, Gus let him alone. He was
forced to keep all his attention on
the road. Joe got some sleep-and
that meant one thing.
It meant that youth and eager
ness were helping him to regain his
strength more quickly than Gus
could realize. Gus didn't know that
Immy Johansen had figured on
just about what had happened. If
the kid was yellow, Immy said to
himself, it would cure him; if he
had it, that energy would come
back during the back ride.
HOME STRETCH
The truck doomed through Con-
necticut, and now Gus was on the
home stretch. He glanced at Joe
again, and saw that the punk was
lying down in the broad seat, his
head well below the window.
Something made Gus resist the
impulse to shove his helper and
wake him up, and just then the
winding road leading into the Post
Road, he saw an obstacle in the
middle Of the highway. s-
Brakes screamed, as the truck
came to a stop, and before Gus
could reach the heavy wrench
kept handily on the floor, tense
voice spoke into his ear, and he
felt the cold circle Of an auto
matte muzzle against his temple.
Take it easy, chum, and you
won't get hurt"
A slight movement on Gus part
aroused the highwayman's Sus-
picions, and quickly reversing his
grip on the gun, he brought it
down on the pusher's head. Gus
slumped over the wheel, and the
stranger opened the cab door.
AS he thrust his head and
!. shoulders in, steel-like fingers
backed by a long, lean left arm
grabbed his throat, and the
wrench softly and quickly picked
up while he had been opening
the door descended on his head
Wide awake now, Joe surveyed
his prey, and quickly examined
Gus. They were both out cold. He
knew that he should call the
police, but something inside him
prompted otherwise.
Carefully disarming the hold-ur
man, he dragged him to the rear
of the truck, and then returned fol-
Gus.
He opened the doors, and with
a great effort piled them in, one
after the other. If they woke ur
| during the half-hour ride back tc
| the garage, Joe thought with 9
chuckle. they could entertain each
other.
REALIZES DESIRE
At last behind the wheel, hi
guided the vehicle with a feeling
of luxurious qualification. This
: was worth it ALTO handle the
monster. To feel it respond.
l With a feeling Of sorrow he
wheeled into the garage and blew
the horn. AS he stepped out Of
the cab he Swayed and had to sup
port himself by grabbing the fen
. der as Immy JohanSen came run
5 ming up.
Big Gus, where is hep" Joe
pointed to the rear Of the truck
and then collapsed.
2 A few minutes later he opened
2 his eyes to see 1mmy standing ir
). front of a Sheepish looking Biz
Gus. Immy was laughing hare
i. enough to split his sides. TruSsec
s up, in a corner, sat the diSgruntlec
e would-be stick-up artist.
3 Suddenly Joe remembered some
S thing-a certain backhanded slap
and leaped to his feet. He wa
still a little dizzy, but fought the
feeling down as he faced Big Gu'
D pugnaciously.
! "All right, big stuff-do vol
- want to take it now?"
= Big Gus returned his stare fol
~ ~ a moment, and then stuck out hi
ID jaw. "Okay, kid-you have il
=, comm to you. Plant one right OF
y the point"
It was temptation. Joe coulC
% @ feel that itch in his fist, that yol