Evening star., 1919-03-23
EGTON, d. c., MARCH %; 1919.

let's leave her-uuick"
But the 1.-the Hilton did not de-
pend upon the influence Of mere
words. From somewhere out of his
elegant person he drew a small pis-
toll and this he thrust against Marys
side.
Get out of this he snapped, "or
this gun goes Off. And we'll all
iady's size. and suicides are common
in joints like this. Get out"
Mary did not quiver-she looked
Hilton squarely in his handsome, evil
race. At that instant Clifford stepped
swiftly into the groom and closed the
light door behind him. The next in
stant he had wrenched the pistol
from iilton's hand and pocketed it,
and had seized both Hilton and Love-
man by their collars.
Cut out that rough stuff, Hilton
or / finish you off here!' he said
And so. Loveman, I've got you at 1t
:. again?'
The little lawyer twisted about
gave Clifford startled stare-and
then forced smile intended to he
tolerant. but which was sickly. "Why
Bob Bob l don't know a thing about
Shut up!" snapped Clifford.
He turned to Mary. who was still
bewildered by his sudden appearance.
and again: the leaping thrill went
tbron fbhrongh tb1i him Mary You've te gone
i
And these people--don't worry about
them another minute. You've won
out!
Mary stared at him. now breathing
quickly II don't auite-understand."
you were not supposed to UNDER
stand. There has been big. careful
subtle plan--a plot devised by Peter
Loveman-and you. without knowing
1t. We're to have been a goat"
'Oh. I say now. Bob" protested
q a n mol
drama. Why should I plot against
Mary?"
why? Listen to your own words
you know whom you said them to-"
And Clifford quoted. driving his words
savagely at Loveman: "'Say. but this
is one hell of situation! Here 1
wen& into a game to clean UP in three
or four directions. relying chiefly on
the criminal instincts of clever girl
ITO see the game through--and, damn
1t. If the girl hasn't turned straight
on me! Or if she is playing a crooked
game, she's trying to play it straight.
And the original game is no good now
is sure to fail. I want her 10 quit
it, and come in on some other big
proposition: but she won't quit it
she still dreams she can put it over.
And If l openly block her, she'll blow
on herself and me. and break with
me. and that'll end everything. How's
that for a hell of a fix" Remember
saying that, Loveman?''
Loveman had paled. IT don't know
what you're talking about"
And remember saying this. Love
got to have Mary Regan with u.s. But
the only way out of this mess is to
handle affairs so as to make her be-
lleve. from her own experience. that
she can't succeed in her respectable
Eame-then she'll come around to our
way of thinking. and she'll try to
clean up with us. And there's only
one way to reach her-and that's
through Jack Norton"
Clifford turned sharply upon Mary.
isn't 1T clear to you now?-Jack's
disappearance and all the rest? Love-
man was determined your plan with
Jack Morton should not go ahead.
you. he concluded that the best
scheme to defeat you would be to get
hold of Jack and handle him SO that
he would give himself over COM
pletely to dissipation-that would
show you how hopeless your plan was,
framed. and Jacks been framed; and
this wine party in here was part Of
the frame-up; and Loveman's letting
you have a glimpse. as If by chance.
was to have been the clinchinE argu-
mont that would make you give up
and join In with him."
..ft,S; "clifford;" clustered Loyeman.
"a
leland Mary knows It,"
"Loveman." returned Clifford in
grim wrath. 'even though you are a
small man. I'd hit you in the face IL
didn't think 1t might improve your
features" He turned again to Mary.
Hilton and Nan Burdette have
been Loveman's chief tools for
keeping Jack drunk and out of sight;
they're both experts at such business
Miss Cordova has been in 1t to help
out in some of the finer points; she's
an old-time friend Of Jack, and you've
just learned of an ambition Of her
own. That's the case, Miss Regan.
don't feel like praising Jack. but it's
only fair to him to emphasize that he's
not here because he tired Of you. as
they've tried to make you think.
want you to understand clearly that
Jack Is the victim Of this smooth
bunch; that whatever he felt toward
you two weeks ago, he doubtless st!Il
feels; that. whatever he then was, he
probably still Isl
"a lot of good thatIl do her, when
tell what know" burst out the infu-
rated Miss Cordova.
"And can tell little that will
help" grimly added Nan Burdette.
There was a glitter in Hilton's dark
eyes and he barred his '"hite teeth.
"And what I've got to tell will jam
up her game even worse! You and
she are not going to- get away with
thisr
UTha threa of WI, arn rolnr to saw