this first trip or not at all. And he did not want any women involved, strangers or otherwise. They would cramp the fighting style of his henchmen and him. If he made a complete trip to the end of the line and return, thus fulfilling the requirements of the franchise, then he could conclude that Carter and his friends had abandoned their efforts for the day. Then he would start taking passengers.
A block farther on from the spot he had left his gesticulating would-be customer, the first ripple disturbed the smooth surface of the De Lacey Street calm.
A short, stocky man stepped out from the curb and held up his stubby hand to stop the car. He was a hard-looking character. His shirt had no tie or collar attached. A dirty cap was pulled down over his ears. He was unshaven and his hip pocket bulged suspiciously. Speedy looked at him sharply, took a deep breath and made sure his ball bat was leaning comfortably in its corner. He let Nellie plod right on.
Though the fellow had now stepped almost in the path of the car in his effort to stop it and was waving his hand, Speedy pretended not to see him and even slapped the lines on Nellie's back to hurry her along. As he did so, two men evidently of the same ilk as the first—tougher if possible and certainly taller—stepped out from the shadows of the brick building on the corner and joined the short roughneck in the street.
As the car swung past them, Nellie now having been persuaded to break into a slow trot, they one
