RANSVESTIA

one about the size of a bedsheet. Wadding it up he hurried toward the door to the stockroom into which the youth had disappeared. Harry took up a position to one side of the stockroom door. He was growing bold now. He set Harriet's purse down behind him and took out the pistol and flashlight. Leaving the pistol on the floor beside the purse he grasped the flashlight firmly in his right hand and stood poised with the drapery material He could hear the young man's footsteps returning already. There had hardly been time to think about what he was doing. He had just done it. The time for action had come.

As the unsuspecting burglar cleared the doorway Harry lunged for- ward throwing the drapery over the man's head. With a forceful shove Harry knocked him as hard as he possibly could against the wall. A muffled noise of surprise emitted from beneath the heavy cloth and the youth fell against the wall off balance. But he did not fall down and his reflexes were quick. His arms began thrashing furiously at the cloth and he had just succeeded in ripping it from his head when Harry struck him from behind with the large end of his flashlight. It was a powerful, direct blow. The young man went to his knees with a low-pitched “ohhhhhnnnoo" and then fell on his face. He was out cold. In the light of the exit lamp Harry could see blood oozing from a gash behind his left ear. Kneeling down Harry quickly bound the wound with a length of cloth torn from the drapery. The makeshift bandage would have to do for the time being. The young man was still very much alive and might regain consciousness. Returning hastily to the drapery department Harry found some cords with which he found the burglar's hands and feet. He felt around the fallen burglar's pockets to see if he was armed but there was nothing in them escept a billfold. Harry took the man's feet and dragged him across the floor to a nearby office used by the furniture salesmen to close deals. He locked the still unconscious burglar inside.

Having accomplished this much there was a moment for reflection He was thankful that it had not been necessary to use the pistol. He was perspiring heavily and decided to remove the jacket to Harriet's outfit. He folded it neatly and put it on a chair near the main aisle. In the scuffle one of the straps of Harriet's brassiere had slipped down over his shoulder and the pleated skirt was askew. Attending to these matters he contemplated what his next move would be. Presumably the remain- ing two burglars had gained entrance to the fur department and would be anticipating the return of their young assistant. What would they do if he did not come back within a reasonable time Harry wondered.

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