Page:That Royle Girl (Balmer).pdf/165

 testified that he had been born in Chicago only thirty years ago, already he was gray-haired—an evidence of premature aging which popularly was attributed to the pace set in the city dance-halls and the county roadhouses owned or operated by Three-G. George.

The three G's referred to gambling, gin and girls—commodities in which George trafficked spectacularly. Arrest him and witnesses promptly suffered from complete lapse of memory; nor could a witness be justly charged with cowardice because of choosing to recall nothing against Three-G. George.

There had been a willing witness against Baretta, in days before Calvin Clarke came to Chicago; and one evening, when the complainant was driving alone on a city street, another car suddenly appeared beside him, an automatic pistol pumped six shots and the complainant's car crashed to the curb with the enemy of George Baretta dead at the wheel. The State never succeeded in legally connecting the murder with the complaint against Three-G. George; but also the State never succeeded in obtaining another person to give competent evidence against Baretta in any case whatever.

Calvin considered this as he watched the short, broad-shouldered youth hasten away and he knew that, if he overtook him, the fellow would impart nothing more. The man's purpose, probably, merely was to warn the state's attorney that Three-G. George would repay watching at the moment. So Calvin made mental memorandum of it and continued on the same side of the street after the Royle girl.

She had vanished, he thought, until he rediscovered her accompanying a slim young man to the boulevard where her escort purchased tickets for a lurid picture show and ushered her into the theater.

This glimpse of her dispatched Calvin's pity. If she