Show FICTION By yn MAURICE TRUST I S GRASHIN S lN I Eddie Martin escaped I The Tho prison sirens screamed guards fine combed the surrounding country every country every law agency in the nation went Into action Get Eddie Martin MartinI Meanwhile 1 the notorious criminal was riding under the belly of the construction dump truck that had taken him through the prison east gate By his fingers and toes he clung to the bottom of the bumping truck until the driver had parked It for forthe forthe forthe the night In the company yard Only after dark did he venture from his cramped position He wormed his way Into the locker room and speedily speed ily fly changed his prison clothes for tor a work outfit He pulled the cap down over his eyes wrapped his fist around a heavy iron bar and was ready to travel Via alleys and side streets he reached the city limits He avoided the highway and headed across the hills At midnight he reached a creek and waded across They'd never get him now He almost ran the remaining mile to the deserted shack that would give him needed refuge As he hurried he remembered the many times it had given him ref ref- uge When he was a youngster and his folks lived on the ranch he and I his older brother Dan played cops and robbers Even at that time he had insisted on being the robber Dan was satisfied to be a n cop For Fora a long time he had used the shed at the far tar end of the ranch as his make-believe make out hide and Dan Danco co could d not find tind him Then one day Dan found his place hiding and the fun was over But that had happened when he was ten years old and only playing bad man Now he was wa's was the real thing The government paid five thousand dollars reward for him after after aft- aft er r his last bank job It would double double doule dou- dou ble le that amount to get him Wm back He felt quite proud proud proud-he he had gone tar Car ar since he was a play A short distance from the shed he stopped topped and listened Nobody was going to outsmart him Satisfied that lat he was was alone he moved to the shack hack The door was locked the windows boarded just as he left them With his lis iron bar he forced the creaky door on its squeaky hinges Field mice scurried outside birds flew frantically from from the eaves He bolted bolted bolt- bolt ed d the door and crossed to the rear of f the room On his knees he impatiently impatiently impatiently im im- im- im patiently brushed aside the cobwebs cobwebs cob cob- webs and pried loose several floor floorboards boards boards He reached down grasped the chain handle of a small trunk and pulled it to the floor First he took out a flashlight and directed the glare over the other contents of the chest He laughed loudly triumphantly Everything was ship shape ship just just as he had planted it three months ago There I I 1 I y t tI 4 I l I n 1 A Aj r j c s sd d r 1 r n t. t G l i I a t J J 4 ta A t.- t. 7 r He lIe glanced at the window blocked by police there was no escape was the box with the ten thousand dollars Here was his gun wrapped In felt There were cartridges and stuff to clean the thc rev revolver lver in case it got rusty And he had a complete change of clothes He could not miss He had bad brains That's why when hen he got twenty-five twenty thousand bucks from the last stickup stickup stick- stick up he had only tried to get away with fifteen fifteen he he put the balance in lin inthe linthe in inthe the trunk with the gat and other gear He had cached them just in incase incase incase case his plans went wrong and he failed to get out of the country Well they did go wrong He had trusted a guy and gave him five grand to help his getaway The Thc pal had not only taken his Ws money but squealed on him and got the reward too But now he was in the same spot with the same amount of dough only this time he could not fail because he trusted nobody Alone in the dark he got to thinking think think- and big ing and whenever it was dark and he was alone he thought of his mother He liked Mom not because of what hat she was to him but because of the many favors she had done for him He remembered how she used to battle the neighborhood hoodlums to save him from a beating She was always looking out for his Ws good Yes sir Mom was all right He stretched out and fell into a peaceful sleep Two hours later he awoke frightened I He shook with fear as he grabbed his gun I A voice called hurriedly Eddie Eddie Eddiel It was his brother He did not answer Dan palled called again Eddie I must see you Eddie let him in in then the door and bolted it He jabbed the revolver into his brothers brother's ribs Youre still playing cops and rob rob- bers But you'll never live to collect collect collect col col- col- col lect my reward Dan regarded him coldly Mom wants to see you The savage tenseness faded f from Eddies Eddie's face No After all that bunk they printed about me She doesn't know anything about you answered Dan She hasn't been able to read for lor six years I Imade Imade Imade made up stories Instead of reading what was there Thanks Dan I sure wish I could see her her but but its it's impossible right now Vf very ry sick No Not Nol Its your last chance to see her alive Ill Til go He changed quickly into his good clothes He stuffed the gun and cartridges into his pockets and carrIed carried car car- ried tied the money container under his Ws arm At the door he stopped Us Listen ten Dan even though were brothers we never had any love for each other If It this is your trick to turn me in In Ill I'll get you if its it's the thelast thelast thelast last thing I do Dan shook his head in sympathy Dont you trust anybody Only me and Mom Lets Let's go In Dans Dan's car they raced for tor home Midway they ran into a heavy storm Rain flooded the windshield faster than the wiper could clear it Thunder boomed and lightning lit the countryside The storm was at Its height when they stopped in front of a little white cottage Dan jumped out of the car carand carand carand and ran to the house Eddie fol fol- lowed A flash of lightning and Eddie turned to see a police car skidding to the curb Eddie pushed Dan inside and threw the door shut He whipped out his gun and leveled it at his brother I told you Id I'd get you But Eddie frantically pleaded Dan I didn't didn't- A crash of thunder drowned out the revolver shots Dan fell dead The officers were right outside Eddie was a caged rat He yanked open a door His mother was lying In bed Edward Edward Edward she called weakly He glanced at t the window window window-it it was blocked by police He had no chance to escape He held the gun behind him Hello Mom he said Im so glad youre you're here she told him Are you all right Sure Mom Im I'm swelL She sighed in relief Ive had a dreadful feeling you were in danger she said I even telephoned the police to protect you |