The daily morning oasis., 1920-11-20

stole them from me. Make her give
them back"
The Nut turned to Inez, scow'ing
biackly. "Give them back"
ayes. will-not. ! got bromide
enlargement of me bein' surh a sirrp."
"Yourl do as I say" Harry insisted
darkly. "I'm runnin' this show
"You are-like HI"
The girls defiance found an echs IN
q new voice at the mack Of the rooru.
Like HI Is right"
There was a concerted turning "
startled heads.
The door had opened noiselessi7 II
framed the figure Of man wearing
greasy red sweater hiked up at either
hip to permit his hands to rsruain Il
the pockets Of pair Of tattered
frayed and stained khaki trousers. hi.
pose was rudely nonchalant. A cap
Of gray cloth pulled forward shad-
swed his eyes; but the face stamped
with an evil, mirthless grin, was un-
mistakable.
After moments relish Of the dra-
matte sensation effected by his unher-
aided resurrection. Red Carnehan
slouched in, closed the door with
kick Of his heei, and put his shoulders
to 1t.
"It'll take a smarter guy'n you are
or ever will be, Harry" he asserted
In a blurred voice of arrogance, ito
boss this bunch as longs I'm on top
Of the map"
v. THE HAUNTED MAN.
Stupefed silence held till shattered
by laugh Of uncouth joy.
"Red!" Inez cried, jumping up and
overturning her chair. RED Carne-
hanl My Gawd. Red, you've come
back"
"Tll say I have"
Z Grinning, the gunman slouched to-
ward the table.
They crowded about Carnehan, shak
ing his hands, slapping his back,
screaming and believing a hundred
phrases of congratulation, delight, and
amazement, together with questions
innumerable. He suffered the ovation.
laughing. greeting each by name,
yielding his hands to one after an
other.
Then, without warning he began to
strike down the fawning hands and
thrust his way through the group to-
ward the table.
Lay off me-" he snarled. Lay off
gimme airl I'll bean the next guy
what puts his hands onto mel Lay
off"
'But Red" Addie protested-"we
thought you was dead"
"You wasn't far wrong, at that"
Carnehan seized the brandy bottle and
chattered its neck against glass into
which he spilled the raw spirit lavish
ly. The drink at his lips. his gaze,
rowing above the brim. discovered and
was transfixed by the pale, set face of
Priscilla. He started violently. AS
If an invisible but mighty hand had
struck him crashing blow. he stag.
gered back, lost his footing. brought
up heavily against the table. Bottle
and glass. escaping his palsied grasp.
crushed to the floor. In a fluttering
breath the blood drained from his
face. and left 1t livid. leaden and blue.
His widened eyes were fixed In hOr-
rOr.
whats 'at?" Broken words
brushed his stiff lips. "Whats 'atT'
He lifted shaking arm and singled
out Priscilla. His voice became a
scream: "Name of Gawd! somebody
tell me-what's at there?"
The Nut dropped soothing hand
upon his shoulder.
"Why. Red-it's Nora !"
Nor, q HE gunlnan chartered. Il
know lis Nura But what's 1T doin'
here7"
"But. Red w-in alarm English Ad-
die ranged mp on his other side and
laid hold OF his arn-'why shouldn't
Nora be herei"
"Why?" He glared madly at the
woman. "Why, cause she's dead"
"But, Red-W
dead. tell you! guess Oughta
know Didn't ! croak her meself, up
there In the woods, vest day aftnOOnT'
He seemed to realize what he had said
and tried to cover il with hysterical
protest. mo; that's lie Who said
croaked her | never. she done II her
self. 1t was all accident tell you
didn't have nOthin' to do with it-her
foot slipped and she went over the
edge before could catch her, and
seen her drown! couldn't help her. |
don't know how to SWIM I'd We pulled
her out II had! 1t wasn't my fault
swear to Gawd 1t was all q acci-
dent"
"But, Red-you're off your nut"
Addie reasoned. "NOra couldn't be
dead end here at the same time"
"She Is dead! Didn't l see her
drown meself? Gawd! amt seen
nothin' since but hcr face when she
went under. amt heard nothin but
her beggin' me not to
He stammered into incOherence, his
chin sank upon his breast. he glared
A4As Hs~, 1, -~sl -s--