Evening Star Newspaper, November 22, 1923, Page 38

“PAWNED” An Unususl Romance of People Whose Very Being Is Pledg: od to Do the Bidding of Others, By FRANK L. PACKARD Author of “The Miracle Man,” “From Now On,” etc. Copyright, 1922, by Public Ledger Company. E looked around him. There| hollow | seemed to be something tonight In these trappings of | tinsel, and something mot | only hollow, but sardonic in his con- | nection with them—that he should | act as a monitor over the honesty of those who in turn acted as the | agent of Larmon in an already illict traffic. “Oh, @enly. The dealer looked up from the table, surprise mingling with polite disap proval. Several of the playe serewed around their heads “That's what T say!” snarled one of the latter with an added oath, as a large stack of chips was swept away from him Some one the elbow one stairs, Mr. him John Bru In the hall ! negro doc “T_done hell! said John Bruce sud- shn Bruce on around. It Mistuh ¥ ined a Httle s Mis- of most r more turn for and passed a poorly dr an ently somewhat ous surrounds near the doc hat in hand and appa ill at ease in his luxu ings, stood wa “I am M “Some on. he said quickly ill, you say? red. “No, sir;” the man answ Mr don't know anything ahou niza. It's Hawkin “Hawkins!” ejaculated John Bruce “Yes, stri said the man. Hhe shuf- fled his feet. “I—I guess yYou know, sir."” / John Bruce for a moment made no comment. Hawkins! Yes, he knew! Hawkins had even renounced his pledge, hadn't he? Not. perhaps, that that would have made any differ- ence! “Bad?" he asked tersely. “I'm afraid so, ied. “I've seen a ins off and on in the last two vea str, because 1 room in the bat I've never seen him 1f been out of his head and cf air, sir, if you know what I He's over that now, but that w he had me scared once, sir, that he'd g0 Ve- Vhat does the doctor say? Bruce bit off his words. The man shook his head. “He wouldn't have you he wants. You'll unde that he's been alone. how long. It wi only by luck th his room tomight. 1 was f doctor at e, of 1 walked i getting times, sir, he was only he hadn't the s left. Knowing I cc r being a motor truck driver, he to take that car he drives to the hotel for weren't there to tr done, sir, as yvou s dome back with what to do. though up a doctor on the he wants one or not John Bruce turne cured h at man to lead the and followed the other out of the and down the steps to the side X | The traveling pawn-shop was at the ourb. The man opened the door, and John Bruce stepped inside—and was instantly flung violently down upo seat. The door Close The car started forward. And in a sudden | glare of light John Bru into ! the muzzle of a revolver. and, behind | the revolver. into a bruised and bat- tered face. which was the face of Doctor Crang. abruptly. s motioned th X1 The Tw John Bruce ed for a longer at the revolver that steady bead between his eyes, at the evil face of Crang that leered | Penx sta moment held a at him from the opposite seat; then |{! he deliberately turned his head and stared at the face of still another oc- cupant of the car—a man who sat on the seat beside him. He was| trapped—and well trapped! He re ognized the other to be the known as Birdie, who had partici- ated on a certain night in the rob- | least, t |, e smiled grimly. and | s at the time, was undoubtedly the man who had brought the “message 4 few minutes ago, and who Wi now, with almost equal cerfainty, en- &aged in driving the car. Thieving, at was in the trio’s line! They must somehow or ‘other have stolen the (raveling pawn shop from Haw- kins! It it had been die now who had brought the mes- uge he would never have fallen into the trap! Crang had played in luck and won very narrow margin, for Crang was naturally in {gnorance that he John Bruce, had ever seen elther © men before. And then John thought of the bulky Toll of bills by an equally narrow margin t in s poc! at that mo- nt, and his smile 4 ened. Ang spoke first time. way from him, - snarled tersely. breast pocket of my said John Bruce imperturbably. beside John Bruce, reached and s d the weapon n B ned dack in his seat. it None of the ‘rang sat like argoyle. ‘leering ously. John Bruce half closed the uncanny that round black muzzle which never ered in its direction, and which 1 to strain too in- . Whar was the game? Crang to go with jealousy? his eves nation of tently upon rous on that uthing threa e John He re- aire’s insistence that had meant what he sald literal- y—and Claire had repeated that warn- ing over th ne. Well, if she were right, it meant—murder. From under his half-closed lids, John Bruce looked around the car. ™he curtains, as they always were, were closely drawn. The interlor was lichted by that same soft central light, only the light was high up he roof of the car. Well, - murder, why not now? et-topped table was not and there was nothing b en himself and that sneering, low face. Yes, why not now-— settle 1t He straightened almost impercepti- bIv in his seat, as impalse suddenly 1 him fling himself forward upon Why not? The sound of a shot weuld be heard in the might pot even dare nd then John Bruce's on the man beside him gave way to common intention of sub- without a struggle ‘v what it might ~d for him. but better come when a chance. There €. Birdie. on the 1d a deadlier and wespon than was silent thing—a mombered Cra nd u't p )i « took to be common to him. n to go slower. Tt as though making : and then, running still slowly, began to bump over sald vicious] a _move you are » vou'll be carried the rest of Understand 7" John Bruce did not answer. The car stopped. Birdie opened the nd stepped to the He joined by the man who had driven the car, and who, as John Bruce now found he had cor- rectly as: -d, had acted as the deco at the gambling house “Get out!” ordered Doctor Crang Bruce It w ceedingly dark, out that the followed Birdie from s dark out here, ex- but he could make car had been driven into ne, and that they were to the wall of a building of dome The two men zripped him by rms. He felt the muzzle of revolver pressed into the hisz back your step!” cautioned Birdle was_evidently John Bruce found himself de- a short steps; and then, £uided fo was now pit A moment more and they but not before John had come into contact nshi KrispyCrackers Small, square, salty crackers with a snappy crackle. Packed in triple before they are cool and speeded to | ° your table so you sealed packages will get them the entrance to a | THE with three short raps in quink suc- A door opened In front of them, and for an Instant John Bruce was blinded by a sudden glare of ligh.: bul the next instant, his eyes grown mccus- tomed to the transition, he saw before him a large basement room, dis reputable and fiithy in appearance, where half a dozen men sat at tables drinking and playing cards. A shove from the muszic of Crang's revolver urged John Bruce forward into an atmosphere that was foul, hot and fetid, and thick with tobacco smoke that floated in heavy, sinuous layers In midair. He was led down the length of the room toward an- other door at the opposite end. The men at the tables, ax ho passed them, paid him little attention other than to leer curfously at him, They groeted Birdle and his o anfon with blas- phemous familinrity; but their atti- tude toward Crang, It seemed to John Bruce, was ome of cowed and abject respect. John Bruce's tecth cloxed hard to- gether. This was a nice place, an omi- nously nice place—a hidden den of the rats of the underworld. where Crang was obviously the leader. He was not ®0 sure now that the promptings of wo-called common sense had been common gense at all! His chances of escaping, practically hopeless as they had been in the car, could certainly have been worth trying in view of this! He began to regret his “com- " bitterly now. rd which they had been heading now. It was opened by Birdie, and John Bruce was pushed into dimly lighted, cave-like place. & said something in a low voice to the two men, and, leaving them outside, en- tered himself, closing the door only partially behind him For a moment they other, and then Crang tauntingly, in menac John Bruce's cves, from Crang's sallow face. and from Crang's re- volver, swept coolly over his sur- roundings. A mattress, a foul thing. lay on the ground in corner. “There was no flooring in the cellar. t bulb from the chair and a else; not faced e laughed a window was like stealing from a child!” red Crang suddenly. “You poor e 50" sald John Bruce calmly. And the more so since I was warne der. 1 suppose that is what I am here for. “On, you were warned, were you?"' Crang took an abrupt step forward, his lips working. An angry purple clouded the pallor of his face. { [4 EVENING' STAR, WASHINGTON, that you were guite capable of—mur- | “More of that love stuff, oh? Well, hy God, here's the end of it! I'll teach you with your damned ™ 'm ine to marry! Y fl' hy]n:“'r‘l‘l.pj R 'hflfln‘l te! i vare, 1 pou YO hn Binee atared blankly. (To he continued tomorrew.) 15 PHYSICIANS AWARDED FUNDS FOR CHILD STUDY Chosen From 101 Applicants for Travel and Resident Scholarships. Ty the Assoctated g NEW YORK 22. — The American Child Health Assoclation has announced that fifteen physiclans of the United States and Canada, ‘hosen from 101 applicants, have Deen nwarded rrum--lmmunmdttr:::! olarships to permit them to . e Various aspects In child ealth activities. B ke winners included: Dr. Charles Armstrong, Sallsbury, N. Dr. Wil llam W. Bauer, uus\:l-\um Dy, B L “ariton, Winston-Salem, N. 3 B Minneapolis, IS uR en: ©O. Chimene, !(‘l‘\:,: eI‘H‘. Wililam de Klelne, Sag- inaw, Michigan; Dr. George A. La- mont, Vancouver, B. C.; Dr. Marie M. Long, Memphis, Tenn.: Dr. George C. Marlette, Bay Minette, Ala Dz, Water R. Moore, St. Joseph, Mo.; Dr. Russell B. Sprague, Ywrmouth Port, Muss. and Dr. Thomas D. Walker, Macon, Ga. FRIENDLY ARGUMENT CAUSES ENDOWMENT By the Associated Press. TOWER OF LONDON GOOD FOR 1,000 YEARS MORE LONDON, November 22.—The Tower of London Is sate for another one thousand years, says an authority, despite the rumors that the ancient bulldings were badly cracked and 'were In danger of collapse. "What really occarred,” says the expert, “is that a weakness in the tower, caused by its great age, was detected and remedied, The houses were never in dangeg of falling.’ ASPIRIN Say “Bayer”-Genuine! CHICA Novémber 22.—A friend- ly argument twenty years ago al indirectly responsible for William Masoh, Evanston banker, giving | Northwestern University $100.000 to [endow w chair in history. 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