The Washington times., 1937-08-13

superstition, he could face a oIue'
coated copper without batting an
eye, but he'd detour into a ditch
rather than meet a black cat
The sputter of Tommy-gun held
no terror for him: but the tinkle
of a broken mirror gave him the
filters. The spilling of salt wor:
RED him more than the splitting OF
blood, He'd walk into danger Tor
a small stake. He wouldn't walk
under a ladder for a million DOL
lars.
And as for the number thir-
teen! Gangland, envying his VIC
tories in court, declared that all a
Judge would have to do to have
him plead guilty to anything
would be to crowd IS into the jury
box.
Gangland dubbed him Rabbits
Foot. But not too loud. 1t wasnt
healthy to laugh at the Boss. The
only one who dared talk back to
the giant ~unman was Shorty
Saunders, a half.pint CT wirey
shrewdness. The two made a
strange but successful team.
Three jobs in the past four
months, and they we're safe.
safe on account-a you" Rab-
bits would say as he rolled his
rabbits foot charm against the
gun in his pocket.
BIG TRACK DAY
This particular August night
Rabbits and Shorty were hunched
over a table in a dark corner OF
McCarthy's roadhouse out near
the race track. They had just got
in that evening to Chicago from
New York. After washing up at
their hotel they had gone straight
to McCarthy's. The roadhouse
was damned with spenders, for it
had been q big day at the track.
Money flowed easily. So did
Yhiskey.
But Rabbits and Shorty were
drinking nothing stronger than
strong coffee as they sat in the
shadows and watched the crowd
under the glare of lights at the big
center table. 1t was gay party.
The hilarious host was Danny
Dayton, famous bookie who'd
pulled down twenty thousand dol
lars that afternoon, and was cele-
brating.
Finally Shorty took his eyes off
the center table and fixed them on
Rabbits, as he half-begged. half
ordered:
I'm tellin' you, Boss, tonight's
gotta be the night. Danny's lousy
with dough; and dopey with
whiskey. When he blows we gotta
trail i'm. I know the road he
takes; a side road. It's a cinch,
I'm tellin' you. It's gotta be to
night"
And I'm telling you, it wont
be tonight"
There was a note of authority ir
NdoDlGS VOICE.
For Gods sake, Boss, whats
eatin' you?" Shorty was both i'm
patient and sympathetic. Any
thing wrong?"
Nav, nothing's wrong and
nothing amt gonna go wrong, see
What times it?"
Ten after TO-" he said. cts
late"
You mean early" corrected
Rabbits. I'VE gotta wait almost
two hours"
wait for what?"
"For midnight"
Shorty mistook this for a wise.
crack and guffawed.
That irritated Rabbits and he
snorted:
Good God, don't you know what
day this is?"
mo, why, er, sure, this is Fri.
day"
The thirteenth" finished Rab
bits, and his hand shook so that
the coffee spilled over the sides
Of his cup.
$50. the jinx'S got you goofy,'
Shorty bantered. You let sweet
job get away on account you got
a crazy fool idea Friday the thir
tenth amt a good day. Any days
a good day when you can pick lr
20 grand. Get sense, Boss, Or"
But Shorty didn't finish hi!
sentence, for Rabbits hand wen
into his gun pocket. Shorty stopped
and waited. Rabbits hand came
out. In it was, not the gun, but
the famous rabbits foot that hac
given him his nickname and, HI
Swore, all his luck
"Howdy. pal" the big man ad
dressed the little charm, you've
stuck by me, and I'm gonna sticE
by you. You say-'No dice OF
Friday the thirteenth-and that!
what I say. too. And we both say
To hell with Shorty"
Shorty looked down at hi
watch.
Its 10:15," he remarked.
The big fellows huge paw
reached across the table; swep
up the little fellows watch, a
Rabbits announced:
"I1l take the ticker. No trick
about stepping up the clock, see
I amt gonna move otta this join
til 12."
ttBut suppose Danny lams be
fore H." persisted Shorty.
Then it's his lucky Friday tn
thirteenth" said Rabbits and KEEP
on playing with the rabbits foot
SULLEN SILENCE
Another 10 minutes of sulle,