The daily morning oasis., 1920-11-20

at Priscilla with the look Of luna
tic. Abruptly he reused, wild of eye.
features working insanely, and threw
Oft the hands Of Addie and the Nut.
"I.emme loose |" he screamed. Lem
me loose! I croaked her once, but If
once amt enough, I'll cr0ak her again
and make 1t sure. the"
Epithets unspeakabiy vie fell like
toads from his slayering mouth. He
tugged at pocket Of his trousers
and suddenly an automatic pistol was
cry, Priscilla covered, throwing both
hands out to shield her face. The Nut
and A0die fell upon Carnehan bodily.
For a moment 1t seemed that they
might be able to hold him. But he
fought with the strength Of a maniac.
The hold Of the English woman was
broken first, she was thrown off shrek
ing for help. The Nut clung desperate
iy to Carnehan's pistol hand, striving
to wrest the weapon from him. Then
others closed in. Carnehan became the
core Of swaying. writhing tangle of
bodies.
It was. Priscilla thought. like look
ing through peep hole into hell.
They fought like wild beasts in a pit,
like beasts they growled, yelped,
snarled, snapped. howled. roared. A
haze of dust, beaten up from the un-
swept floor by scuffling, shifting.
stamping feet, hung In the gas light.
The pistol exploded with a detona-
tion ear-splitting in that confined
space.
Priscilla, witless with fright, felt
herself seized and urged toward the
dooE
BEAT 1t, child-get out Of this as
quicks you canl seen from the very
first you wasn't Nora"
She recognized the accent Of Eng
lish Addie.
In one 1.-THE bound, crouching
shape of malice with a pale face Of
evil and, blazing eyes planted itself
before them and blocked the way.
"Keep away from that door!" Inez
screeched. "She shan't get away. she
shan't! I'll rip her eyes out first!"
She darted clawing hands at Priscil-
las face, The bulk Of the English
woman came between them. In panic
Priscilla paved frantically at the
door, swung 1t wide, stumbled out.
blundered blindly into the wall where
the hallway turned. cannoned off. and
somehow found herself before a Sec
ond door,
An aged Chinaman was guarding 1t.
Duly she remembered having seen
him before and wondered would he
seek to hinder her. But he seemed
una ware of her. He was cycling i'm
passively the door, which, she discov-
cred. was quivering under q rain of
blows on the other side.
Grasping instinctively at the truth.
she thrust the guardian unceremoni-
ously aside and began to tumble with
the bolts.
Without protest, the Chinaman
turned and shuffled off.
lie SLOTIU Ut DiOWS COiltiuucu Ht
bolts were reluctant to her shaking,
uninstructed fingers. At length, how
ever, the last slid back, she lifted the
stout iron latch. the door slammed
open.
Three uniformed policemen. armed
with pistols and nightsticks. charged
IN. Seeing the girl, one seized and
threw her roughly back against the
wall. She gave cry Of pain. A voice
she knew protested sharply:
'Tet that lady 60, officer. She is
my wife"
Priscilla turned. Mario was offer
ing her the haven Of his arms. She
went into them sobbing his name aloud
Other police officers passed them. run
ming.
AS readily as though she had been
a child. Mario gathered her up and
strobe down the stairs. Arms round
his neck. she ciung closely to him.
His breath was on her cheek. she was
aware Of his strength and gentleness
Nesting against his bosom: she was
sensible Of the unhurried, powerful
pulsations Of his heart =.
Continued tomoYrow)