The Washington times., 1920-05-25
whose Newspsp~r Serials Have
Won \ Big. Popular Suecess.

~ RINNING unpleassntly with
his dark mouth twisted even
more than was natural. Dick
West advanced upon me with a
eering. scornful bow.
Isn't 1t pleasant and friendly
OF me to follow you home for
cosy little visit like this, Mrs. jim
mie?" he asked. Aren't you going
to ask me in?"
why did you follow me- |
asked. conNolling voice that
wanted to tremble and leaning
heavily against the door to take
the weight off my throbbins ankle.
ITO talk to you, fair lady. Who
Wouldn't" he replied smoothly
too smoothly. Aren't you going 10
ask me in for a pleasant tete-a-
tetc? think We can come TO
terms while hubby and his new
chum Tom Mason arc dining at the
hotel and waiting for Richard to
show up"
II am most certainly not going
to ask you in" | said, steadily,
hoping that Dick West wouldn't
find out that had no way OF
getting into my apartment even II
/ wanted to. And IL Jim and Mr..
Mason are waiting for you at the
hotel. my friendly advice to you Is
beat it. Hurry down there be-
fore they begin to get annoyed.
Are you trying to get rid OF
me?" he frowned. That's foolish.
The elevator isn't running and I'm
not in the mood to walk down all
those flights. No. you don't. he
concluded roughly. anticipating my
intention as / started toward the
elevator shaft.
The hammerinc and pounding
that was already going on made IL
hopeless for me to shout, but III
once i could get my finger on the
BELL and ring insisfently enough,
perhaps I would he able to arouse
suspicion and someone might come
up the stairs to see what I wanted.
Now be a little more friendly
you can afford to be-" said Dick
West in a voice at once wheedling
and threatening. You haven't
been a bit nice to me heretofore,
but I think I'm going to be able to
persuade you to treat me a little
better from now on. Say, why don't
we go in and talk this overT Ring
the bell"
1T don't care to- said evenly.
NO? Then l will.
y. No One Answers.
Dick West pressed his finger TO
the button. ] could hear the bell
peal through the apartment, but, as
l had known. there was no answer.
"Oho--msid's out" he said at
last. We'll. that's all right. Give
US the key. We can talk more
sociabIy without anyone butting in
on u.s."
IT haven't my key" I said. with
something very like a prayer OF
Thanksgiving.
"Oh--haven't you, now7" he
taunted. Here, give US your purse
and let's see, You may like stand
ing out in this blooming little en-
try way-but / could do very we'll
with a nice chair and you opposite
to me, little Anne.
He snatched my bag as he spoke
and wont through IL with fumbling
fingers that missed nothing. stand
Ing there in cold fury, with my
ankle sending twinges Of agony
through my whole body. 1 felt as II
I'd like to throttle Dick West for
the insolent indecency WITH which
he handled everything In my bag.
i forgot to be afraid, but fear
stirred again as he flung the bag
at mo with a muttered curse.
His manner was so uncontrolled,
30 fun OF furious menace that I
hardly recognized in this wild-eyed
creature the once suave man I had
known. I wondered what had come
over him--and then with terrifying
ccrtainty> may brain supplied the
clue. Drugs! The man was under
the Grazing influence OF some power
ful drug. didn't know whether his
presence thsre in tho hal,wsv uhcre