Evening star., 1941-06-29

thought, watching the pattern of
savagery before her, nothing can
stop him now-not even a bullet.
Blows Have No Effect.
Locke lunged down - toward
Chuck's legs. Dimly, he heard the
sound Of the exploding gun. He
felt the hot breath of the bullet
whir past his ear and then he had
Chuck's legs in an iron grip He
toppled the gangster over like a
huge, half-emptied sack of wheat.
Chuck crashed down and Locke lost
his grip. He came up slowly and
he saw Chuck raise his gun from
the floor. To Locke that motion
seemed to take a long time too
long He kicked out viciously and
the automatic went skittering across
the floor.
"It's even now" Locke growled
hoarsely.
He lunged for Chuck. He didn't
see the fear that was pinned deeply
in the other mans eyes. Chuck
scrambled to his feet and avoided
Locke's rush. His hamlike fist
caught Locke just under the heart
in powerful blow that could have
broken the back of an OK. To
Chucks amazed eyes Locke did not
seem to falter. His arm swept out.
big fists doubled. FIe was like the
spreading flame of doom. He came
on and on thudding blow
after blow against whimpering flesh.
Locke reached out and smashed a
blow into Chuck's eyes and the big
man went down. Locke stood over
him, waiting until the other had
dragged himself TO his feet. Locke
hit him again and again, pounding
sledge-hammer blows into that
pulplike face, smashing the jutting
jaw back, sinking his fist into the
softness that was Chuck's belly. The
gangster was fighting with the fury
of a trapped bull moose. His fists
were bouncing off Lockes body
seemingly having no effect.
Locke squinted at Chuck's slack
Jaw. He brought his right hand ur
and over and he could feel the
crashing impact of the blow. Chuck
slumped down, battered into a life.
less hulk
Locke Finally Faints.
Locke stood over his two oppo.
nents and his breath sounded
harshly in his noStrils. The min.
utes ticked by and there was silenc,
in the room. Janielle and her fathel
had been stunned into silence b,
the violence that had occurred be
fore their eyes.
Locke turned slowly and then tool
/ a hesitant step. He halted, Waverin-
in the middle of the floor. He coulc
see Xavier Merrill'S lips move bu
he couldn't hear any words. He wa
too numbed for that. His bod,
seemed to be one immense sore.
He lurched forward and now hi
legs were rapidly melting sticks O
ice. He must unite these two people
he thought desperately, but wher
he would get the strength for tina
he did not know.
Locke just made the last step Il
Janielle's chair. He fell hard upor
his knees. From far away he hearc
her calling to him. Jim! Jim
You must! You must"
But he was tired, so tired. Will
the last remaining vestiges of con
| SclouSness he began to tumble witt
the knots that bound Janielle to thu
| chair. They were so tight. he though
! dimly. He wanted to sleep. Just Il
close his eyes for a minute. H,
/ yanked his head back. He couldn'
do that now. He must remain awake
he thought.
Then there was madly spinninI
pinwheel of red and white f1ashe
centered in his eyes. The whee
grew and grew and then quickly re
ceded into an infinitesimal disc tha
he had trouble in seeing. Slowly
ever slowly. the flashes emerged ant
blurred and became stationary .
black. His big body slumped to thI
floor
tccryrizht. 1871, Chicago Daily News, Inc.
Concluded tomorrow