Show r F I 1 apor 1 ON TRUST B fl vw B 0 B ja j N all by MAURICE maunice BI GRASHIN GRAS eo or eddie martin esca p adl the prison sirens screamed guards fine combed the surrounding country every law agency in the nation went into action get eddie martini meanwhile 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 tor for the night in the company yard only alter after dark did he venture from his cramped position he wormed his way into the truck mens locker room and speedily changed his prison clothes for a work outfit he pulled the cap down over his eyes wrapped his list fist around a heavy iron bar and was ready to travel via alleys and side streets street he deac reached e the e c city y limits m s he e avo avoided e the highway and headed across the hills at midnight he rea reached ed a creek and waded across 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 refuge when he was a youngster and his folks lived on the ranch he and 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 cop for a long time he had used the shed at the tar far end of the ranch as his make believe hideout hide out and dan could not find him then one day dan found his hiding place and the fun was over but that had happened when he was ten years old and only playing bad man now he was the real thing the government paid five thousand dollars reward for him after his last bank job it would double that amount to get him back he felt quite proud he had gone tar far since he was a play robber A short distance from the shed he topped stopped and listened nobody was going to outsmart him satisfied that he was alone he moved to the shack hack the door was locked the windows boarded just jurt as he left them with his iron bar he forced the arc creaky k y door on its squeaky hinges binges field mice scurried outside birds flew fiew frantically from the eaves he bolted the door and crossed to the rear of the room on his knees he impatiently brushed aside the cobwebs and pried loose several floor 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 shipshape ship shape just as he had planted it three months ago there F 7 7 7 am t ex r AA AI IZZ b 4 A he 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 revolver in case it got rusty and he had a complete change of clothes he could not miss he had brains why when he got twenty five thousand bucks from the last stick up he had only tried to get away with fifteen he put the balance in the trunk with the gat and other gear he had cached them just in 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 par pal had not only taken his 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 fall because he trusted nobody alone in the dark he got to thinking and whenever it was dark and he was alone he thought of his mother he liked mom not because of what she was to him but because because of ef the many favors she had done for him he remembered how bow she used to battle the neighborhood hoodlums to save him from a beating she was always looking out tor for his good yes sir mom atom was all right he stretched out and ten tell into a peaceful sleep two hours later he be awoke frightened frighten edl he shook with fear as he grabbed his gun A voice called hurriedly eddie eddiel eddie it was his brother he did not answer dan called again eddie I 1 must see youl eddie let him in then sl aimed the door and bolted it he blabbed the revolver into his brothers ribs youre still playing cops and robbers but never uve live to collect my reward dan regarded him coldly mom wants to see you the savage tenseness faded from eddies face no giddin kId din after all that bunk they printed about me she know anything about you answered dan she been able to read for six years I 1 made up stories instead of reading what was there thanks dan 1 I sure wish I 1 could see her but its impossible right now ashes very sick noll no lt its s your last chance to see her alive alive ill go he changed quickly into his good clothes he stuffed the gun and cartridges into his pockets and carried the money container under his arm at the door he stopped listen dan even though were brothers we never had any love tor for each other if this is your trick to turn me in ill get you if its the last thing I 1 do dan shook his head in sympathy tont dont you trust anybody only me and mom lets go in dans car ar they raced tor for 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 lumped jumped out of the car and ran to the house eddie followed 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 hi brother 1 I told you id get you but eddie frantically pleaded dan 1 I A crash of thunder drowned out the revolver shots dan tell fell dead the officers were right outside eddie was a caged rat he yanked open a door his mother was lying in bed edward edwardl she called weakly ile he glanced at the window it was blocked by police he had bad no chance to escape he held the gun behind him hello mom he said tm so glad youre here she told him are you all right sure mom im swell she sighed in relief ive had a dreadful feeling you were in danger she said 1 I even telephoned the police to protect yul yuil |