The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1916-11-09

me by q later boat. A few days de-
lay won't do any harm. And 1t may
serve to mako her see things differ
emily"
Ten minutes later Martel was climb
ing the stairs he had descended a half
an hour earlier-the stairs leading to
Elsie's apartment.
Meantime the girl had gradually re-
covered from her swoon. Sitting up.
daxedly. she looked about her in We
cant-eyed amaze. Then she say the
suitcase and the scattered clothes on
the floor. And. all at once she re-
membered.
Elsie's dilated eyes strayed from the
suitcase to something lying on a rug
beside 1t. Something that glinted
Queerly in tho lamplight. 1t was Ed.
win Martel's revolver.
As though hypnotixed by its glitter,
she continued to stare at 1t. Present.
ly her hand went forward, almost
stealthily; and her fingers closed
around the pistol butt. Here. to her
/ NIbSl 10 GA hxAhA, woo hho Lula oho hhS
solution OF her problem.
Martel had left her. And, In leav.
ing. he had taken away all that made
her life worth living. Perhaps when
he should hear she was dead, he might
be sorry. From the grave she could
sting him with q barb of remorse.
This was his own pistol, too-this
pistol whose muzzle felt 80 gratefully
cool against her fever-hot flesh.
Elsie let herself play morbidly with
the idea, as q child morbidly bites on
q tore tooth. She knew little of Are
arms. But she had heard that IL q
trigger were pressed hard enough
She did not know Just how hard one
needed to tug. before the pistol would
go of. And, experimenta!ly. she tight
ened her foretinger around the trigger
There was a Hash-a roar that rever
berated through the whole lo~osedoored
apartments pungent smoke cloud
| filled the little room.
Mrs. Wigs, half dressed, heard the
report Flinging a long cloak around
her, she dashed down the hall. Out
side Elsie's door she paused. No sound
came from inside. She was about tc
turn the knob, whom it occurred tc
her that Martel, who had doubtless
fred the shot, might very possibly put
q second bullet into her own head
should she break in upon the scene O
carnage.
So she fed down the passagewaJ
and down the stairs and out into tn,
midnight city.
In tho studio street, q throng o
jewellers were making night hideoui
with their racket. Horns, ~rattles, con
fetti, "ticklers." cowbells. ticker-tape
and q dozen other temper-wreckinl
devices we're in evidence. A mimi,
battle had sprung up in the middle o
the walk. Groups OF bystanders, OF
their way TO restaurants, had halle,
to laugh at the spectacle. A peg-pos
policeman looked ON with o toleran
grin.
Suddenly. the policeman drew him
self up and salutsd, AZ . man and
woman In evening dress paused nea
hiIn to watch the fun. Patrolmal
OBrien had . good memory for faces
And this man with the slender, fail
haired girl on his arm. was Charlie
Morehouss Halloran. the new dictric
attorney who was to take ONCE tomol
row.
Hailoran. still new enough TO polio
Difference to be gratiied by II. r.
turned the salute.
You see." whispered Margaret. "a
ready you're famous. A year ago. this
bluecoat would have ordered you {
move on Now, he salutes you as
you were the president"
Perhaps" calamity suggested Ha
loran. he II saluting the beauty {
my new secretary. He-
Mrs. Wigs, blowing her way, I
nustered manner. through the crow,
flung herself N Patrolman O'Brien.
"Oticer!" she squalled. There
been murder done. back here, not tw
minutes since! Come quick!"
! sNurdsr?s rsp@Sted 0'Bris'
"vrheraf WhOf"