Evening Star Newspaper, August 1, 1923, Page 14

» THE OWL TAXI By Herbert Footner Copyright by George floiare H. Doran Company (Continued from Yesterday's Star.) -— Back outside the Brevard Line pler Greg stopped, at a loss what to do with his cab. He could not bring himself to drive out on the busy, lighted pler again; that they had es- caped discovery the first time seemed miraculous now. He finally decided to leave it outside in a spot a little apart from the procession passing in and out. If anybody happened to look in while he was gone, well, so be it! The matter would be decided for him. It is scarecly necessary to state that Mr. Gregory Parr, allas Hickey Mcech, was not aboard the Savoia. | As Greg looked for him voices were already rning all_but intending ' passengers ashore. “Mr. Parr,” Greg was informed, had not paid the bal- ance of his passage money, and his | reservation v thereforc canceled. | He was not in the stateroom that had been allotted him. His baggage still lay unclaimed on the pier. “Safely hidden by now!" Greg said | to himself bitterly, “leaving me to | dispose of the issue of his crime! He | knows, 6f course, that | dare not re- | port the matter to the poli What | a downy bird I have been! With a long earth-shaking rum- ble of her whistle the Savola began | to back out of her slip. while Greg | made his way heavily back towards the spot where he had left his cab. | He took a survey of it from a little distance, prepared for instant flight if necessary, but there was mo one | near it, He approached it gingerly. | cranked his engine, and drove away, his problem still unsolved, i Once more the lights of the Bre- vard House across the plaza attracted ; him. The front door of the bar was | now closed, but business was still} being done by means of the side door. | Greg went in with a faolish bepe that! he might find Hickey propped in his | old place against the mahogany. It was doomed to disappointment, of | course. The pink-cheeked bartender was still on duty. There was mo| use asking him if he knew where | Tickey was, because Greg had seen, on his first visit that they were not; acquainted. The bartender looked hard at Greg, and the latter had not | even nerve to order a drink, but} walked out again y As he came out he got a sickening turn. A man was’ hdihg * close beside his cab, looking around. Had he lonked inside? TH windows were closed, and one could not see very well without opening the door. Greg's | first impulse w to run for it. but once again his obstinacy farced him | to stand fast, forced him to march | up to the man. He was a tall. hand- some. distinguished-looking individual of middle life, with hawklike, ri- cian features. He had Slightly ! foreign air. His dress was perfec- tion without being in any w spicuous. He did not look had just become aware of horrible; on the contrary came closer he saw that was slightly intoxicated not know!” Greg thought E t lift of the heart This your cab?’ 'the man n a thick voice. “Want to engage vou.” His voice retained only a trace of a foreign accent ve got a fare.” Greg said. “Where?" asked the other to neer through the glass. ‘He's drunk.” said Greg, “He's lying down. # The tall man sniggered in a foolish way “Well, he won't mind waiting a hit then| Take me while having his sleep out. Tl ride front with you.' Greg reflected that money, and moreover that the mén riding beside him would afford him rtain protection Not much r that he in his befuddled state would discover anything. “All right. e said “Jersey City,” said the tall man pointing across the plaza to the Erie ferry. if he pmething | the man | “He does with said | trying quickly. he's in y dange tarted. ere did you pick up the drunken " asked Greg's fare. vening,” replied Greg. “His friends beat it and left him on my hands. T have to wait until it off before I can collect and You'll have to wait a long time.” | said the with his foolish snigger. It gave Greg a nasty turn. Was it possible he had seen or was this tall man just the maundering of a drunken ! was not Greg thought | O | { man? Perhaps he drunk as he seemed. “detective!” and his heart went slow- 1y down into his boots. But surely this man with his inimitable air of breeding and his proud glance could not be a_plain-clothes man. And anyway why should a detective want to take him to Jersey City? And if he were not a detective, what interest could he have in merely tormenting Greg. After a moment of sheer panic, Greg's spirits rose a little. Tn his turn he began to wonder what errand a man of this kind couid have across the river as such a time of night. That quarter is not usually thought of as the abode of aristo- crats. Where to in Jersey Greg. “IIl tell you when we get there.” “I just asked because I don’t know the town.” “Keither do I.” By this time they were at the ferry | house. There was no boat in the: alip and they had to for some minute: ‘When the gates were finally opened they were almost the first in line, but Greg’s fare would not let him enter until ail the express wagons, milk wagons, mail wagons and other late | vehicles had gone in. Wait till the last! " he d. safer.” eg laughed. “What do you mean, safer?’ he asked.. - | “I wouldn't want to be caught in the middle of the boat if anything happened,” the tall man said with the obstinacy of one in his condition. “Drive on last, and stay out on the back deck in the open. It's 7 There's nothing _in that, Greg. “Well, you do what I tell you any- how. I'm willing to pay for what I want. Here's $5 on account.” Greg shrugged and took the money. He was sure then that he had the n to deal As his fare -desired he let his taxi stand out on the after deck of the ferryboat. As soon as she left her 4lip this part of the deck was de- erted, for everybody _else in- inctively pressed up forward to be ready to land. Greg's fare.lit,a cigar of wonderful fragrance. “This is nice,” he said, taking his ease. “I don't like to be crowded on_a boa But _presen he underwent a feather-headed change of mood. “Let's stroll up to the bow so we can e where we're going." “But I thought you wanted to stay here,” said Greg astonished. s long as the cab’s here it's all right,” he said with perfect incon- sistency. “I didn’t want to be penned Pihere was no making any sense out of this. Useless to argue with a man in his condition. “You go ahead.” said Greg good naturedly. “I'll stay with the cab.” “No, you come, to with childish insistence. have somebody to talk to. left alone.” Greg shrugged, and gave in. The 23rd street ferry to Jersey City is one of the longer routes, and the passage consumes upward of twenty minutes. There were not many pas- sengers at this hour—in the center of the deck a group of half a dozen drivers comparing notes, and at either side as many late commuters and Jersey citizens homeward bound. The overhanging bow of the ferryboat trod the dark water remorselessly un- derfoot. On either hand it heaved in a_ silent tumult, like an agonized black breast. Along the shores the lights, yellow, red and green, sparkled with an incredible brightness, and over the center of Manhattan hung a Wait till the las Tt aries of a drunken mal h. 45 the other said “I've got to Mustn’t be | with his itle drunker. con-j !! Gres | couldn’t gi at he needed the | “Where to?", They seated themselves side by side | so | City?" asked | wait outside | i 4 he-said » 1 - | dim radiance like the reflection of the embers of a burnt-out conflagra- tion, At Greg's elbow the tall man chat- tered on in the inconsequential way that accorded so ill with his arist: cratic mask and falconlike glanc “I hope the old boy's resting easily in the cab back there. He must be cramped lying on the floo s he had seen inside!) *Well, there's no accounting for taste in beds. You can't blame a man for taking a drop too much in weather like this. The s gnaws your bones. In my the sun never forsakes us country is that?" asked Greg came the second’s hesitation. <nigger: * had a drop or twi Two too many! E ; language! 1 had my first c tail at five this afternoon—no, yesterday afternoon, and after dinner I seemed to lose count. Oh, well, what's" the difference! We only live once. Tl buy vou @ drink, cabby, when we land on the other side.” In the middle of all this he pulled himself up short and a great breath escaped him—was it of relief? For a moment his_ foolishness seemed to fall away. ‘**“Well, tha 11 right,” he murmured. “What did you say?" riously. “Nothing.” He resumed Greg scarcely remark te ption, but he reme late remembered too, had been listening. They returned to the cab. rolled out of the ferry hous Jersey City side Greg said: “Where to His fare s answer after He went on maybe I've ¢ ‘myself. funny a sked a Greg his_chat- :d the in- bered it te As they on the emed to have become & lit- “Fellow told me could get a drink in Jersey City time you wanted. Said there w alled Stack’s over here. doing there all night. of liauor, stacks of fun—that's how I remembered the name. 1 forget the address. But it must be on the main street. Drive up a way and look for the sign.” Greg. reflecting- that taxi drivers had more to put up with than he supposed. obediently drove long way up the principal thoroug! tare 1 ing from the ferry. tack appeared among the st signs. Greg” of a little Spanish song to himself. and did not appear to pay slightest attention to the sign: “Well, what do you nt me do?" asked Greg at last. “We seem to be coming to the outskirts now.” “Oh, ask a policeman,” said the tall man foolishiy. Greg couldn’t get rid of the feeling that he was being made ‘What do vou think I am? “If he did know such ve himself away by s Very likely he'd want to run us in for asking. i “Oh, well, let’s go hack to New York {then. We've had a pleasant drive For a moment Greg forgot his jof the submissive cabman. “What jthe hell he began, thoroughly exasperated. “What do et to on. you care so long as you iget your pay? said the tall man | unconcernealy. = Greg reflected that it did indeed Imake no difference, so he shrugged | his shoulders once more, and, turning. |drove back to the ferry at a smart pace. He privately determined to {charge this capricious fare double |rates, On the return levinced not_the sl {to where ferry. trip the tall man ightest concern as the taxi was put on He had got over his talka tiveness. He sat deep in |smoking one cigar after another {When they landed on the New \Eim to the Hotel Tour and Broadway. During the long drive to St ave- nue, to Columbus Circle and up Broadway he scarcely spoke. He had apparently recovered from his drunk- enness. The night air had cured him. perhaps. As a natural result his | spirits had sunk Greg, stealing | curfous side glances ‘into | as it was revealed in the light of the | street 1amps. sunk on his chest. and that something grim and haggard and perhaps a little wistful had appeared in the handsome features. desperate gamester dreaming of the | simple life. at 102d street i bezan to sputter. bilist “Gas running low?” he asked Greg nodded, and looked out for garage. The first they came to was an open-air place in = vacant lot. A light was still burning in the 1 office, and Greg turned in. With a hail he brought a man odt to the tank. He and his fare had to get out ward the fare with true aristocratic i iand resumed his seat. back to the office with the get change. behind the cab. vicinity. | _As Greg stepped out of the office man It was dark PERPETUAL BUILDING ASSOCIATION Pays 6 Per Cent on sharés maturing in 45 or 83 months. It Pays 4 Per Cent on shares withdrawn be- fore maturity. Assets More Than ... $8,500,000 ! Surplus More Than $850,000 Corner 11th and E Sts. N.W.| JAMES BERRY President JOSHUA W. CARR...Secretary | When you ache all over after a hard day, apply Sloan’s gently without rubbing. Immedi- ately you will feel a gentle glow of comfort. Then — masvelously — , ache and stiffness are gone! Geta bottle from your druggist today —35 cents. Sloan’s Liniment kills pain! that the man | the | thought, | York | de he curtly ordered Greg to drive | tle | while the flivver was filled up. After- | THE EVENING he felt a light touch on his arm. He beheld an eager young face looking up into his, a face whose speaking beauty went to his heart like an ar- row. The glance of the'brilliant eyes at once tmplored his assistance and enjoined secrecy upon him. Greg was won before a word was spoken. As for the rest he saw a slender jaunty { figure in boy's clothes with cap pulled !Dw over the head. Amazement grew in him, for he knew instantly that it was no boy. A boy's eyes could not have moved him so. He gazed at her breathlessly as at a lovely apparition He did not realize that she was speaking to -him. She had to repeat her_question. “That's your caB®there?" He nodded. “Where are you taking “Hotel Tours. ‘All right. other cab. for half that man?" I'm following min an- When you drop him go on a block “and wait for me, will you? 1 want to talk to you." Greg nodded eagerly. Just here his fare Jooked around the cab to see what was keeping him, and the pseudo-youth melted like a shadow into the darkneas. Greg resumed his place at the wheel in a kind of dream. CHAPTER TIT. Greg's Second Fare. He made the rest of the the Hotel Tours in a high anticipation. That charming vivid | face traveled between him and the asphalt on which his clauffeur's ga: was fixed. His delight in the pr pect of the coming meeting was not unmixed with dread—for her He shuddered to think of the risks she { ran wandering about town alone in the | ‘mall hours of the night. Surely any one could see through her disguise at | a second glance. Her ch ter was | run to state of ten in her eyes—ignorant, al Clearly she id. dangers she inno- | had | was, cent little berally without »d within the | w second | i hotel with giving Greg glance. ¢ went oun for | block and drew up beside the curb. | Presantly another cab came to a stop | him. and the seeming vouth and paid the driver. He (she) feint of entering the nearest | had | quite a| fare hummed snatches | the | to | | spoke STAR, WASHINGTON, doorway, and when the second cab had gone on, returned and slid into the seat beside Greg as a matter of urse. She had much the air of a confident child who expects to find th ole world friendly. ©'d better go back where we can watch that hotel,” she said. “I don't think he intends to remain there long." Greg was utterly charmed by that “we." She took it for granted that he was willing to help her. Well, she " should not be disappointed Little did he care what it was ali about; he was on her side anyhow. He burned to assure her of this, but prudence suggested it mizht be better to let things be taken for granted. He was glad it was to him she had applied; he trembled to think of how she might have been deceived in an- othef taxi-driver. It did not occur to him that she might, like children generally (she was scarcely more than a child) have an intuitive per- ception of character. He turned his cab around and they watched the entrance to the Tours from across the street. She plunged into the business without any preamyle. “You crossed on the 23d street ferry. I couldn’t find a cab just at that mo- ment, so I had to follow on foot. So I lost you when you drove away on the other side. Where did you take him over there? “Nowher: sid peared he was jus for a drink and when we couldn’t find a e we came back to New York.” s that all?” she said. disappointed and puzzled. “What reason did he give for geiting out of the cab on the way over?” “No reason litle drunk.” “Drunk? I He's not & drinki ““Who is he natural curiosity gave him t ask me truth Hesw' specch had_an alluring quality of strangeness. It was not that she with an a nt exactly; it was ke the speech of an American ight ave lived long among ers, Greg could not read her »m her features; she had great ith a fleck of red in them caught the light; her skin amy. He could not tell the h h b u f the ca middle of her “It ap- He seemed to be a an’t understand g man.” asked it. Greg with ook t . of appeal tell you the more who fe ce T brown ¢ when the was er; color of D. G, WEDNESDAY, that she had pulled completely over her head in the style that youths af- fect, but he guessed it was dark red to match her eyebrows, She had a soft and babyish mouth' that did_not seem to go with the fiery eves. Greg Buessed that tha eyes dxpresseq her character, while the mopth had just been thrown in to make mer adorable. Her voice was too deep for her size, but that w no doubt assumed. Sometimes when she forgod it scaled up, She was displaying a boyish non- chalance that was altogeiher delight- ful and funny, To te | offered her u cigarette. t. e her Greg he declined “I smoke a pipe” was her aston- ishing reason. She did not, however, offer to pro- duce it. As she had forecast. the tail for- eigner did indeed presently issue from the Tours, and hailed one of the cabs waiting ‘below the entrance. Greg cranked his engine. The other cal turned around at the corner and passed down beside .hem. Greg took care to be hidden behind his cab as the other passed. Climbing in, he fol- lowed it as a matter of course. “What time do you suppose it is? his companion. bout three.” ‘hat a night!” she murmured ou're dead right!” said Greg grimly. ‘He remembered what he car- ried behind and shivered. | | | | | | | (Continued in Tomorrow EXPERTS CALLED HERE FOR PERSONNEL WORK Will Assist in Reclassification of i Department Workers in | Field. | Star.) l The personnel classification board yes- made public a list of the experts | from field services of (the goverfiment | departm who have been called in for full- work with board at head- | quarters _They follow Treasury Departinent. ice Anthony W. Du | collector, Philade eed, special ¢ | | | customs_serv 1, special ¢ GUARANTEED QUALITY AT The National Bargains such as these abound in our big August Sale—affording many big money-saving opportunities! to come! . Baby Carriages $15.95 And IJp ! Easy | Credit Terms ! | { | i i | | his face | aw that his head was | It suggested the face of a ! Somewhere about $0th street Greg's | His fare | was evidently an experienced automo- | CRIB AND MATTRESS Don't fail 12-PIECE BEDROOM SUITE AND OUTFIT! Compiete, with Walnut-finish Bow-end !'3ed, Dresser, Chiffonier, Dressing Table and Bench, Chair and Rocker; Spring, Mattress, Two Pillows and a Room Size Rug. A wonderful combination—and a truly wonder €l bargain at this price! August Sale Price $10.75 Easy Terms relessness handed Greg another bill | Greg went | to This was fifty feet or so | in the | MAHOGANY-FINISH CANE PANEL LI1V- O00M SUITE, as pictured; strongly :vl:‘n(s}e:‘lupholntered in good grade of velour; a wonderful bargain. August Sale price, Easy Credit Terms Dropside Couch With Pad August Sale Price— $10. 75 Ice Cream Freezer August Sale Price Furniture Co. Wi £100 lutely free, Golden Oak Kitchen Cabinet $24.75 Easy Terms August Price. ALL REED AND FIBER 20% AUGUST 1. 1923 architect's office: H. G. Richey; super- vising_ superintendent of construction, New Orleans, La. Agriculture, forest service: Christo- pher M. Granger, assistant district for- ester, Denver, Col.: Arthur T. Upson, chief,” section of industrial investiga- tions, forest products laboratory, Madi- son, Wis, Navy, supplies and accounts: George W. Presby, supervising plerk, navy yard, Boston, Mass. Labor, immigration: Alcott W. Stock- | well, immigrant inspector and chief cler’, Boston, Mass. War, ordnance department at larze: Edmund §. Van Brunt, marine enginver, Rock Island, 1ll, and War, chemi warfare service: George A. Ranxin, consulting chemist, Edgewood, Md. [ s 3 That's what you will say the first time you taste Wagner's. me Beans! Steam-oven blending gives them that delicious, zestful tang that makes them so delightful to your appetite and agreeable to your di- gestion. | He Knew His Freckles. ! From the Brooklyn Standard-Union. ! A woman was entertaining her| daughter's caller. 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Lack of cash should never worry you when you can pay on “The National's” Easy Credit, Terms—a little down and a little a week or month. th every purchase amounting to or more, we will give you, absos ur 4-piece Sheflield Silver srated Dinnerware, or . Rogers siiver- Gas Range Three-Burner August Sale Price $18.75 Easy Terms 0Oil Stove (2-burmer) $16.50 August Sale Price... Washing Machine Hand Power $5.95 Easy Terms e ib August Sale Price. WAGNIFICENT TEN-PIECE WALNU . SHL . DINING. RPOM. ) as, turad; consisting of distinctive China © net apd Buffet, Extension Table and Server: five side chairs and one armchair with genuine leather seats. August Sale Price, ' Easy Credit Terms Golden Oak Library Table August Sale Price 102 Nursery Chair August Sale Price FURNITURE Off