Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-07-09

| the WhOIe game TO MISS GOTOOn ana
let her sec for herself just what kind
of scoundrel YOU really are,
The strobe over to the desk ard
picked up the telephone. Herman
caught her arm pIeadinsIy.
You arc hasty" he protested.
Think what you are doing! Think of
the share YOU are going to have for
yourself from the $lO.O0O, which Is
just as good as in our hands now.
81 don't want the money! am not
going to let you put it over me and
take up with that little hussy!'
stormed Mary. I'VE arc wasting time
talking Besides. what assurance
have got that you wouldn't trick me
out of the money-just as you have
been playing with me before
81 give you my world" said Herr
man eagerly.
Mary shook her hand. There is
! only one think | will do! | am going
to get out OF the whole matter to-
night! If you want to pay me $4,000
for my share will let the girl go
and keep still Otherwise. shall have
the satisfaction of telling her the
factsf
Herman drew back, shaking his
head. and Mary calmly gave the num-
Der of their fiat to the exchange oper-
ator 1t was enough. Herman drew
out a check book and suddenly wrote
ont an order for $4,000. Mary hung
back the receiver and Herman
breathed easily once more.
81 will wait here" she said. while
you have this cashed. | prefer the
money!
You won't get the money"
growled Herman. You can take the
check or nothlng!"
Mary shrugged her shoulders and
turned again to the phone. Herr
man hesitated and growing out a
curt order for her to wait, jammed
his hat on his head and strobe into
the hall Mary waited until the door
slammed behind him and dropped into
chair, almost exhausted by the ten
sion of the scene. She had won
tar easier than she had expected. r.
tunately for her she was not permit
ted to look into the future and see
what the next hour held in store for
her!
Back to the girls flat, Mona, at
about the same time. was relating
gleefully to a little audience, con-
sisting of Carson, Grant and Winnie
Andrews, the details Of Herman 5
visit and Mary's spectacular intrusion.
Carson listened to her story with an
unusual gravity.
"You don't seem as enthusiastic as
expected you to be!' the girl cried
suddenly, looking up at him.
Carson shook his head, 81 find that
man, Herman, is a dangerous char
acter-the kind that would stop at
nothing to save himself if he fancied
himself in tight corner. Besides
He broke off suddenly, and stealing
to the hall door of the flat, suddenly
threw it open. A crouching man out
side was almost precipitated into the
had fastened his hand into the 9TH
ers collar and yanked him to his feet.
Mona repressed cry as she saw
that the intruder was none other than
the so-caled theatrical manager
whom Herman had presented to them
earlier i'll the day. There was an
other cry of recognition-this time
from Winnie Andrews.
you villain!' burst from the girl,
impulsively springing toward him. He
is the scoundrel who posed as a mon
ey lender, and killed my poor father!'
she cried Carson compressed his
lips grimly, and dragged the man
across the room to an inner bedroom.
into which he thrust him and locked
the door. Without word he sprang
to the telephone and called the office
of the Twentieth Century Vocal
Academy. A moment later Mary S
voice greeted him over the wire, and
he was explaining what had happened.
In return, the girl told briefly of her
interview with Herman and its re-
suit.
"If you can hold the man for half
an hour" she finished, 1T will give
me time to finish. Do you think you
can do it,"
I'VE can hold him all night!' said
Carson, but he was mistaken. When
he opened the bedroom door he sprang
into the room with a cry Of dismay.
reached it, he was just in time to see
the prisoner leap from the fire escape
to the ground below, and disappear
into the darkness
Carson darted back to the telephone
and again called the number of the
Vocal Acadamy, but there was no
answer Frantically he importuned
the central exchange to find what
was wrong.
In the meantime. Mary, awaiting
the professors return, in Herman 5
/ private office, was engaged in one OF
the most exciting experiences OF her
life. 1t was not due to defective
connection that Carson's second cali
failed of an answer, for the girl heard
the bell. and had even taken the re-
ceived from the hook to reply when
she was held rigid with terror. The
door had burst open, and the figure
Of Herrmans accomplish, the pseudo
theatrical manager" darted toward
her
She dropped the receiver, and was
backing away from the desk, when
her glance fell upon an open drawer,
in which was revolver. Desperately
she snatched it, and leveled it toward
the advancing man just as his arms
closed fiendishly about her. She felt
herself swaying, and then her finger