The Washington times., 1916-01-23
Pictures by
HMN NNuM

loathed the enthusiasm of the audi
ence that brought her back before tn
seeS beq time Sor after fs tp, TS Was Wa In In
grudged even the few moments Of
Mary's happy little speech If thanks.
and when the final curtain fell he
leaped up with a sigh of relief AMI
hurried out, anxious to avoid Daniels
and escape the talk in the Office that
he knew was inevitable.
doar Al the ;cS ;c3rridor leading to the narrow
ne hesitated a moment. but the sight
Of Langdon and Mrs. Page Just passing
through decided him, and with NUT
and sought the limousine where Shaie
sat waiting
bustisiv dts all dIlnc giTlht chief" seid shale
to get over the fence in the back and
then up onto the fire escape. Say, it,
a wonder that fool hotel hasn't been
stripped by dip long before this there
five minutes"
Well take care you don't get run
N FOR a thief yourself said Pollock
harshiy. Then swinging about. he
caught Shale's wrist in viselike grip
You know the window" he snapped
| Don't make a monkey of yourself and
get in any other. And remember this
ier,sd III send ,Xnu you up. by heaven: Il you in.
watch. for that sneak Langdon-thats
your job. Do you get me?'
II got you the first time answered
ugly. Since when do you have 10 pu;
| me wise twice."
Pollock moved uneasily and drew one
hand across his forehead. I'm not
lighting a cigar settled back in the
corner of the luxurious motor. Neither
of them spoke or moved till the car
drew up in front OF the tig hotel
| of hal eli
out and hurried down the street. but
Pollock. pushing his way through the
gayly clad thr2ns that filled the lobby
TO the elevator, his fingers closed
tightly around that key in his pocket
Once in the suite engaged for him by
Shale he threw off his coat and hat,
and ordering a whisky-and-soda. drank
| II almost at draught. Then he began
a restless pacing up and down th'
| moor, trying to estimate Just how lon2
MSud Teacb BE before bs the par
| With the door OF his sitting-room par.
TALLY open he could watch the entrance
! to the, banquet hall but his impatience
! corridor from which he could look down
at the brilliant lobby below.
At last after what seemed TO him
hours of waiting he saw a group of the
players arrive, and a few moments later
the other members Of the supper party
passed his door. There remained only
Mary and Daniels still 10 come.
Trembling with excitement, he pour
/ ed himself another drink of whisky
| gave a swift glance out Of The window
| to where Shale lowered on the fire.
| escape, then took up his post close
! TO the door Almost imm ediately he
| then Mary's voice.
"Oh. come on. Phil" she was saying
i shant stay very long. anyway"
by all means come along" echoed
! Ila oil vii 1iali
'"Noull be a welcome guest"
! Pollock could see them now for
they had passed his hiding place. and
he gave a sigh of relief as Langdon
! said firmly:
mo. thanks--I won't come in. It's
a supper for you, Mary. and for your
company-and feel little out, OF
place Don't get too tired, though
and I'll call ur tomorrow"
: Call me. indeed. / should say you
would" bantered Mary. you'll come
"ut to the hotel and read all the press
notices with me" flush of pride
All right" laughed Langdon
that's a promise And with a nnal
" ord he turned back and came slowly
down the corridor which echoed now
come to Mary-"The New star"
Bless her." whispered Langdon 10
! ftmsef. Put she ought to be homo
instead of there. I hope none Of them
|
ed to trouble him. and he half hest
tated as If regretting his refusal t.
so in with her finally making his way
down to the lobby and settling him
self in a chair from where he could
| look up at the door of the banquet
! room.
Walters We're hurrving in and out. and
Langdon could catch glmpses of thr
cited. at one end. and could hear tn"
| laughter and the little bursts of an
! plausc. Once when a hurryinE waiter
tt ieft the door wide ae. he saw .r Mary on % he
that were thrustns a glass of cham
paCne upon her.
With an exclamation OF anger Lang
! don leaped to his feet. then sank bacH
! again. He couldn't interfere-not nov
! at any rate. He could, however, Cucsl
! that they We're urging her to drink
toast TO the play. and he hoped thai
! thar meant that Mary was soon TO
leave. While he was impatientlV hop
ing that this was true. a hell boy. VIII"
a moment or two before had gon. int"
the banquet room. came out followed
Dv Mary herself.
! With throb of glad relief Lang
! jumped up and hurried up the sha.
stars to The corridor TO meet him,
| 10 his surprise she was not in sight.
! only the bellboV was comm" lcisu
! along the hall. 1t seemed curious
| Mary could disappear so suddenly.
! Forgetting discretion. he caught
boy bv the shoulder.
Where did the young lad &C."
dema nded harshly. and at the tone
startled boy cringed as If eXpectin
, blow.
'Wots that to your" he retorted I'M
| pertinently. She's gone where she WIS
| expected, that's whore she's gone"
! ''Wen. wherever 1t is take me Their
quick" snapped LanGdon. II you
want suthority for it 20 downstairs
! and tell Barney that Mr.. Philip Lang
! don wants you to take him there"
! At the name the boy gave a quick,
! choked cry, and with muffled II
! thought it wasn't any funny joke" led
! the way rapidly back down the cor
| rldor.
Almost simultaneously the door OF
| the banquet room opened and Daniels
| face, strained and uneasy. peored into
! the hall. Seeing Langdon, ne hurried
| toward him ana was but few rect
away when the boy paused abruptly
and pointed to the door of PollocKS
suite.
shes in there" he muttered ana
scuttled of. But not far. for even
i.anGdon'S hand was on the knob there
came a woman's scream and the louh
report Of a revolver echoing high ABOVE
the ClamOrOus gayety OF voices ana
orchestra. There was an instant's ter
rihcd silence, and then the waves or