Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-29

For all the calm precision with which
Frances Gambler had planned and mapped
out linz Of prompt action with Durkin.
she was shaken and nervous and unstrunC.
as she leaned over the sounder, breathlessly
waiting for the rest Of the days returns to
come through on Penfeld's wire.
Durlin. with $1,000 of his own and an
additional $500 from her, had already
plunged his limit at Penfield's lower house.
on the strength Of her tip over the phone.
There was still to be one final hazard. with
all he held; and at o'clock they were to
| meet at Hartley's restaurant and from
there escape to new world of freedom and
hung over her. as she waited-fear for GER
tain other things besides their secret revolt
on the very eve OF their chiefs gigantic
coup. For she knew what MacNutt could
be when he was crossed. So she leaned
and waited and watched, listening with
parted lips. wishing it was all over with.
torn by a thousand indefinite fears:
Then. to her sudden terror. Mackenzie
called her up sharply.
"Is that you. Frank?" he cried. excitedly.
Yes; what is 1t, Mack?" she asked back,
| calmly enough. but with quaking knees.
"Doogan's men are watching me here
they ver got onto something or other. Cut
this wire loose from outside. and get your
phone out of sight. And, for heavens
just tipped of MacNutt-he's off his dip,
about it all. Look out for yourself. old
girl!' he added, in different tone of voice.
She rang Off, feverishly, and vowed pas
sionately that she would look out for her
self. Catching up pair Of pliers. she cut
the telephone wire from the open window,
leaving two hundred feet Of 1t to dangle
forlornly over the little back house-courts.
Then she ran to the door and locked and
bOfted 1t, listening all the while for the wire
to speak out to her.
A minute later MacNutt himself rang up.
and asked for Durkin. She made a move
mont though tn drOn the receiver and
leave her presence unbetrayed; but the
other had already heard her mellow
''Hello?' of inquiry.
What are you doing there?" he demand
ed. with a startled and unsavory oath.
She tried to stammer out an adequate ex-
cuse, but he repeated his challenge. There
was moments pregnant pause. Then he
Kissed one ugly word over the wire to the
listening woman. Mackenzie had been mint
Ing to him of certain things; now he knew.
He did not wait even TO replace the re-
ceiver. While she still stood there, in the
little sewing room. white and dazed. he was
In swaying hanson rafting and pound
Ing nearer her. block by block.
He let himself in with his own pass key
and raced up the long stairs, his face drawn,
and dull claret tinge. He found the door
closed and bolted: he could hear nothing
from within but the muf1led clicking of the
sounder it licked out the later New Lr-
leans returns.
He paused for moment painting, but no
answer came to his pound on the panels.
He could spell out in the dead silence, the
names Of the horses going over the wire.
open this door. by. or I'll kill you!"
he cried, in a frenzy, throwing the weight of
his huge body against it in vain.
He seized an old-fas hioned walnut arm
chair from the next room and forced 1t,
batterng-ram fashion. with all his strength,
against the oak panels They splintered and
broke, and under the second blow fell in,
leaving only the heavier cross-pieces intact.
I :. Quite: motionless; waiting over the sound
err, bent the woman, as though she had
Yukon Girl-Lord Selwyn"-those alone
were the words which the clicking brass
seemed to brand on her very brain. In
three seconds she stood before the tele-
phone. at the other end of which she knew
Durkin to be waiting, alert for the first
sound and movement. But she saw the