Evening star., 1937-04-04

open and Bert Grinnel entered the
room. Hello, folks" he said.
Sergeant McCord nodded a greet
ing. Win asked anxiously. Did you
get my note. Ber?"
Sure, did what you suggested"
Anything come of it?''
Go on" he told her. You're too
optimistic. You should stick to your
sob-sister stuff. What's up now?"
1t was Sergeant McCord who an
swered the question. Looking at
photographs of our leading robbers"
"Yeah?" Grinnel said. leaning back
against the filing cabinet. pushing
cigarette between his lips and striking
match. She's going to write an
article on the danes who come to
court to put on mother acts whenever
a gangster is brought up for trial
before a jury. They're slick bunch of
actresses who know all the lodges"
Are you going to write an article
on that?" McCord asked eagerly,
turning to Win. Something like that
would be of more assistance in getting
Jurles to show intelligence than all of
the speeches on civic duty ever made"
Eyes, I'd been thinking of it."
'She wants to illustrate it with
photos of some of the notorious gang
sters. Crinnel went on. ''Of course,
we'll have to pick those with criminal
records a mile long so there won't be a
comeback. The article will ask if
readers would convict men who looked
like the ones in the photos, if white
haired mother did her stuff. Then
there'u be a footnote at the end of the
article telling who these mugs are
and what they've done. That'n give
the reader JOLT"
Sergeant McCord was enthusiastic.
why the devil didn't you say SOP"
he asked Win. "I'll turn the place up
side down for you on that You'll want
some gentlemanly-looking crooks who
have killed two or three guys I can
have the boys sift out some -"
mo. thanks" Win interrupted, Il
want to do my own picking - get the
ones who'll look good to woman"
Sergeant McCoEd said. "Okay, here
they come" He handed her file after
file of photographs. Win studied them
carefully, occasionally asking some
questions. Bert Grinnel continued to
lean against the filing case. watching
her from bored, half closed eyes, his
cigarette dropping indolently, ashes
falling unheeded on his wrinkled vest.
At length she said. Thanks. Ser
geant, I've picked out dozen or so to
refer back to. I've noted the index
numbers. III call again when I've
licked the yarn into shape"
The sergeant put the files Of photo
graphs back into place as deftly as
skilled salcsgirl replaces bolts of cloth.
That be sWeH article" he said.
well. I'll be running along" said
Win. Thanks lot, Sergeant.
Don't mention it. And take that
big octopus with you, before he drops
the butt of his cigarette in the files
and burns US out He can't read, you
know" Sergeant McCord pointed to a
big sign. No Smoking"
Grinnel said indolently, Come on.
baby. Let's go. Don't mind him. He
likes to sputter that way, but it's all
talk. Underneath that hard-boiied
exterior he has heart of cement"
He ushered her through the door.
As they stepped into the corridor, all
of the bored lassitude vanished from
his manner. He grabbed Wins shoul-
der, spun her around so she faced him
and said, "Okay, baby, come clean"
'Hey! she said, pushing his hand
away Cut it out You've put me in a
jam with that mother article. I'll have
to write it now
Have to write it!' he exclaimed.
It'll be damn good story. Come on,
baby. kick through. Tell papa what -"