Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1916-06-07

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"Dont shoot!" He Cried. "I'm Not
Armed"
DO you care Tor cigar:
She opened a mahogany humidor on
the desk and extracted a box.
mo, thanks"
Notwithstanding to Hoyle-the
criminal always refuses to smoke IN
these scenes. But let's forget the book
and write our own lines. I'll ask you
an original question: Why were you
acting just now?"
"Acting?" Lanyard repeated, in
trigued by the acuteness of this mas
terful woman's mentality.
"Precisely-pretendin you're an or
binary criminal. For moment l actu'
ally believed you afraid Of ME. But
you're neither that nor common
crook. How do l know? Because
you're unarmed; your voice has
changed in the last two minutes to that
of cultivated man; you've stopped
cringing and started thinking; and the
way you walked across the floor just
now and handled that chair showed me
how powerfully you're made. II
hadn't found this revolver you could
overpower me in an instant-and I'm
no weakling, as women go. Then why
the acting?"
Studying his captor with narrow in
terest, Lanyard smiled family ana
shrugged, but made no response. He
could do no more than this-no more
than spar for time. The longer he IN
dulged this woman in her whim for the
bizarre, the more assured were Lucy's
chances of escape. BY this time ne
reckoned, she must have found her
way through the service gate to the
street. But he was on edge with ap'
prehension of mischance.
Come, GOMEZ" Nine. Omber insist
ed. You're hardly civil, my good man.
Answer my question"
You don't expect me to-do your"
"Why not? You owe me at least sat
isfaction of my curiosity in return for
breaking into my house"
"But II, as you suggest, amor
was-acting with purpose, why 90
you expect me to give the show away"
That's logic. l knew you could
think. More's the PITY"
"Pity can think?"
"Pity you can get your own consent
to waste yourself like this. I'm an old
woman, and know men better than
most; l can see ability in you; so
say it's pity you won't employ 1t 10
better advantage. Don't misunder'
stand me; this isn't the conventional
act. don't hold with encouraging
fool in his folly. You're fool, for all
your intelligence. and the only cure
can see for you is drastic punishment
Meaning the Sante. madame?"
quite so. tell you frankly. when
I'm finished lecturing you, on you 80
to prison"
III that's the case, don't see l stand
to gain much by retailing the history
Of my life. This seems to be your cue
to ring for servants to call the po-
lice"
A CLINT Of anger shone in the wom-
ans eyes.
you're right" she said shortly; Il
dare say Sidonie isn't asleep yet Ill
get her to telephone while stand
guard over you"
Bending over the desk, without re-
moving her gaze from the adventurer,
his captor CROPPED for, found and
pressed call.button.
From some remote quarter OF the
house sounded the grumble Of an cleo
trio bell.
"Pity you're so brazen." she COM
mented. Just little less side, and
you'd be rather engaging person."
Lanyard made no reply. In fact, he
wasn't attending.
In this suspense the iron control
which had always heretofore been his
was breaking down-since now 1T was
for another that he was concerned.
And he wasted no strength trying 10
enforce it. The stress OF his anxiety
was both undisguised and indisguls-
able. Nor did Nine. Omber overlook
It.
whats the trouble, eh? Is it that
already the cell door clangs loudly In
your ears?"
AS the woman spoke Lanyard left
his chair with spring as 1.-the and
sure and swift as an animals, that car
ried him like a shot across the two
yards or so that separated them.
A hairs breath of error in his reck-
oning would have finished him, for the
other had been alert for just such a
move, and the revolver was nearly
level with Lanyard's head when he
seized it by the barrel. imprisoned the
woman's wrist with his other hand,
and in two movements had possessed
himself of the pistol without hurting
its owner.
Don't be alarmed" he said quietly |
I'm not going to do anything more
violent than to put this out of COM
mission"
Breaking it smartly, he. shot a
shower Of cartridges to the floor. The
empty weapon itself he tossed into a
wastebasket beneath the desk.
uIJono 7 didn't h1lrt vOu" he added |