| Show Fact of Love By Richard Stribling Long JIMMIE wasn't fool tool enough to think that I Ie c e could ever stand standa a Chance with June Standish and he was bright enough to GIve iio hO inkling to anyone of the Uie fact tact that he loved her Jimmie was a natural for tor kid ding lie He was Willi small and not handsome hand some and good natured and not quick to catch onto subtle re re- re- re marks No Jimmie wasn't the type to appeal to a girl like June Standish who had worked for the News few for tor a year and had already I w von un un herself a couple of lines by-lines I as a reward for tor grabbing some swell stories from under the nose of the Journal which was the News' News biggest competitor So Jimmie was always careful to todo todo todo do his worshipping from a 8 distance even gloating over the fact tact that it looked as though one day June and Lon Bailey Batley might hit It off oft together Lon was big and handsome and fairly reeked of personality Things might have continued on this way if it June hadn't written the story about Nick the gang leader She found out things about that the Journal and the police had been trying to find out for years and she told the world about it In the columns of ot the News It all proved to be very t bad ad medicine and It was n a pity June hadn't had a talk with some older and wiser head before she wrote her story At any rate rote the call from Roz Roz- zetti came in two days later Jimmie Jim Jim- mie and Lon Bailey Dailey were both inthe in inthe inthe the city room when Phil Saunders the city editor answered the phone Phil cupped his hand over the mouthpiece e and said quietly Roz zettl's got June He says to retract I all that stuff we printed about him hima a couple of days ago or else I tell him boss Phil said And Clark snapped Tell him 0 O. O K Well We'll retract Jimmie felt rei relief i e f surging through him like warmth from a abood good bood steam radiator after the bitIng biting bit bit- ing cold old of January Phil Saunders sitting with both hands gripping the telephone was saying How about it boss That story is the one chance to put where h he belongs You lOll going to pass It up Like hell I 1 ami amt Bradford snapped Let me thinks Gel Chief Allen on the tho Lon said and his voice was hIgh hIgh- pitched Send o n squad down there Jimmie found his voice You gotta retract It It chief You loll gotta Theres There's no other way June June she's she's in danger He lie remembered how they had all aU looked at him queerly then he was following Bradford and Lot Lon across the floor and Into the ele ele- vator They got into u a taxi and went up town and picked plc up Inspector In Joe Rogers who was n u friend of Bradford and whom they could trust Jimmie only heard hear snatches of what they talked about because he was thinking of oC June June in the hands of those fiends A queer feeling came over himas him himas himas as the taxi roared down Into Market Mar ket street and end stopped before a v restaurant They all went inside inside- and sat down and a man came U ut UI and sat down with them Jimmie knew the man Ills His name was Ros Ros- coe cae He lie was Nick i fitt-i lieutenant No one noticed when he left the the- table He lie got up and strolled to toward ward the mens men's wash room but Instead in instead instead stead of going into it he opened it s door and went into a back hall hull and amt up some stairs He lie came to a door with a rat faced individual leaning against it if Cunning born of desperation desperation des des- Jimmie He Hr came to reeled as though drunk lurched against the man by the tine door grappled with him somehow got free opened the door and banged bangel it closed June was in the room bound to a chair in the far corner corner- He got her whipped out his knife slashed her bonds They started for the door It opened The rat tat faced man appeared He had a gun Jimmie leaped at him muffling the report of the gun with his body Beside the nurse was another sweeter prettier face It belonged to June She leaned over him Youre better |
