Frank Packard

The White Moll Frank Packard

It was like some shadowy pantomime: The dark mouth of an alleyway thrown intomurky relief by the rays of a distant street lamp...the swift, forward leap of a skulkingfigure...a girl's form swaying and struggling in the man's embrace. Then, a pantomime nolonger, there came a half threatening, half triumphant oath; and then the girl's voice, quiet, strangely contained, almost imperious: "Now, give me back that purse, please. Instantly!" The man, already retreating into thealleyway, paused to fling back a jeering laugh."Say, youse've got yer nerve, ain't youse!"The girl turned her head so that the rays of the street lamp, faint as they were, fell fullupon her, disclosing a sweet, oval face, out of which the dark eyes gazed steadily at theman. And suddenly the man leaned forward, staring for an instant, and then his hand wentawkwardly to touch his cap."De White Moll!" he mumbled deferentially. He pulled the peak of his cap down over hiseyes in a sort of shame-faced way, as though to avoid recognition, and, stepping nearer, returned the purse."'Scuse me, miss," he said uneasily. "I didn't know it was youse-honest to Gawd, I didn't!'Scuse me, miss. Good-nigh