The daily morning oasis., 1920-11-06

brought nee here, left me at the door
and blew. And then -. What c'uld
I do? / Gidn't know where to find you
! and ] was cold and wet and tired
Her statement carried conviction.
Against his wish the man believed
her; and because it was against his
wish he was the more irritated and
chose to deny his belief. His glare
was ugly.
$50 that's the stall, is it?'
"You ask Charlie. He'll tell you
the truth--you needn't look to get it
out of Inez-only nell tell you too
/ late"
what do you mean, too lateW
$500 late TO stop you making a
d-n fool of yourself"
.How's that? How'm l goin' to
make a d-n fool out of myself?"
II don't know yet; but | hope you
don't think I'm such fat as to think
you've come here tonight just for a
friendly talk"
hYan're dead right there!" His
| laugh rang with brutal scorn. "1ll
say ! didn't come for no friendly talk
with him and you"
"Well =: What did you come forT'
She confronted him with Sullen, yet
fearless eyes. His own shifted. He
had little stomach for plain speech.
The instinct of his kind was strong
h'htIA,S tS'kilL' # he" could, what he
feared. But to declare his purpose
openly in anticipation, to discuss it
ia cold blood with an intended victim,
Was mare than he had bafgained fer.
Inarticulately resentful Of such
saueamishness in himself, he looked
fprtiEely aside, licking his lips, and
discovered the decanter of Madeira
which Mario had left unstoppered on
the table, after opening it for l.eoAora
earnehan hFimmed an ordinary
drinking glass with the wine and
drank it in one long draught, grateful
for its pungent warmth, deluded by
its mellow smoothness.
ifsNbw, Madeira may not wisely be
takeh' on top OF rye whisky. Con.
scious Of reinforced bravado, the man.
leaned against the table, his back to
It, leering truculently.
aWhat did 7 cQme forl Oh, I dun
no. What d'you think?n
"You've threatened me often enough,
If yea ever caught me with him
again :"
He nodded in heavy humor. "You
got that right, kid. No girl of mine can
pass me up for any stool pigeon or
dick that ever lived"
Il rHe 'isn'E'i'" 1919
sand get away with it. You walt
youll seel"
She shut her eyes. In spite OF her
self she shuddered. He laughed with
qualification, and her eyes reopened
of q sudden, passionately unafraid
seeking first the pistol in his hand,
then his face,
you're going to kill me, Red"
'TIl say am"
In spite of his shamefaced smirk,
he meant it in deadly earnestness. She
had another shudder, but fought it
Down without releasing his gaze, =
After a minute she said: 's.yery
well; I'm ready, only"
He interrupted: you're worse'n
ready yoH're in heluya hurry. His
turn comes first, yours next. Get me7a
"Bpt"-she impored his credulity
al han fnI1
gou, you're wrong about him, Red, He
hasn't got anything to do with the
cops-honest to God, he hasn't!"
The Madeira was working powerful
ly. A flash of unwonted insight yis-
tied his sodden intelligence. "You
wouldn't be beggin' for that pill if
ven wasn't stuck On him. And that's
| enough. Bull or no bull he amt goin'
to live to say he store Red Carnehan's
glFlIn
wrong" she protested wildly. sand
anyhaw, what good'll it do you? Don't
you know you're just playing Inez'
gamer"
"G'wan. Inez amt nothin' to me-
II know she isn't, and she knows it.
toa' and that's why. Don't yoa seei
You turned her down for me and she's
been crazy Jealous ever since. Now
she gets even with us both-gets me
out of the way right off the bat and
sends you to the chair for 1t. My
God. Red! You don't trust that hell
:at, do you? Don't you know she's
only waiting to fix things safe for Lex
before she soueals on your
| "Ah. forget It" That togethel
gith more profanity. siieheed her
"I4e' me and Inez alone. Mebbe dit
pass her mp for you; but that's a !cl's
time ago and she's forgot Ail ahc Il |
by now. She don't thiRk Gf LVt pd!
but Leo"
"1f you believe that you're IS Big ,
boob as she thinks"
''Maybe-but pcf dis ais nr" a.
you think" Carr.H:.aL empti..0 th'
decsnter into the GLASS and swillel I
At = gulp. "'Most IN: buds IL, stron;
for can fool me once. Int Lo, cTel
you ran fool me twice"
"IneE has"
"Ah. sure. You'd sag so
But there was an accent o1 dnub
In his jeering retort cEd /" Lie lo.,l