The evening world., 1915-02-06
Next Weeks CNNpke Novel b Tie Evening World
CAPTAIN vELvET'S GAMBLE

fOr me nrot, oAl0 uoo crime 0OcVo8s
Then he can DO what he likes"
call your own, Alfred" 80.
WHO says I haventf"
doctor Dollar. Didn't you heoS
himf"
III he does, he's g. .i
''Croucher! Croucher!" said the
doctor. IAN want you to do u ~
hand me the razor from the dressings
table. In fact you needn't do all that;
you ought 10 find there. Then sons
body will be more Of . match for me.
And Mr.. Scarth isn't raising any fur
Their objection. you will notice"
What Croucher noticed. al the req
eyes came up at last. was that Mostyn
Scarth had suddenly lost n little Of
his usual tan; but the bedroom slip
pers remained planted whsre they
were.
And then without . word Lady
Vera stepped from the Doctors side.
took the razor case In both her hands,
pulled II In two and exhibited the
empty halves.
(which Of you has borrowed ny
razor 2" said John Dollar.
mot mel" cried Croucher with
hand was stiil In his far pocket e
only Mostyn Scarth could see:s ana
the sight restored . little Of that
healthy tan which 30 becomes DARK
faces.
mot you. Croucherf"
mo. not me!' .,l.f
"Yct believe your original mission
In this house was to posssas yourself
OF that razor-and-,ise itf'
Dollar did not hnish the ssnesnce
without feeling for . little hand With
his left: that little hand met IL hail.
way. and was the nrst to give . re-
assuring squeeze.
You wsre TO do somsthins TO me
with II. I believe. and to leave II In
my hand to show I'd done 1t myselfr"
And then. under another sidelong
nash. that steadied down into . will
destroying FORM, Croucher came cut
with a dreadful phrase.
ITO guide yer 'and!" said he.
$50 guide my handi Exactly! Bue
II was not exactly your dear =
mo. II was'-
But here his eyes rolled into Mostyn
scarth's. and dropped once noss.
'T!actiyi" repeated Dollar. But
a last your master had 70 come In 70
"He ain't my master now. blast
'imi"
"Steady. Croucher. May ssk what
that 10 In your handf"
II was q letter. Only letter out Of
that tar pocket AFTER ALI Scarth'o
ssss ,sarsed' ANA no found Ms tongue
"You-give-that-to-ms. Crouch.
sri" :. -,
Croucher wavsrsd Ut his voice. n
was terribly threatening. each subtle
tone a poisoned barb.
nat IL oonti
.a know 1890
Inc semc oecPens. saio tne crime
aoc'Gr: ana ne Gid not know tnat hls
iett na mo naa dropped the hano OK
na .W TOT MN;
letter.! cried Scartn 20 Croucner: who
Snsy snoweo MIN tne broad or MI
same thing. doctorf" he began-eut IN
the same breath he desperately added:
4 don't care whether you can or You
can't! fou road that, whether or mol"
Tue letter was In an envelope sup-
wonderful imitation Of Doiisrs hand.
writing; but the letter itself, written
on his own stamped paper, was Q sun
moro marvellous forgery, In which the
crime doctor babe farewell - he
world before stulttfying his own ufo'0
work by the crime Of suicide.
"rhats batter than anytn,r~ -.
ala in sv,tSsriand |. ss,S ncii.s ~.
ding 10 the uvtd man 6oew~en ~
curtains.
"But n AIM ths os,% <,,1o~ 49,
done" cried Crouoher. Ana .toursS
TO roll his ewes ana sIost - =
bounder,s heat hit va sSuss.,r. ~
people for the zane iob--the .uiHv
mu,t We done "a .n' I'M s =. ~. ~
done Il ali the timsi.
'sThat's the end Of vou." .ssa sc..>n
with snrdonio satfsfsction.
"it,s the besinninr a. n. .u,s -, a
the crime Doctor. IN n voso: ~
hardly knew, no you-osn ~
mean yourself and thts ladvrs
That lady shook her head snA
smiled, - =. -
II do, II I swing to- morrovi" .vors
Alfred Croucher. ~ told im"Evitn
a trucuient thrust of the bullet hesd-
one night in me cups; an fust q
starts squeexin' 'er to marry Tim. An
then sQueezin' me to do yer In bcfors
yer forbids Is banns! Oh. 'e's Q nut,
tell yer though we've been thc
nuts an I'm the cracker!"