Evening star., 1921-07-10


havoc with her. drove Nora into
morbid humor which neither Garth nor
the Inspector could alter. She followed
Garth on the stand. She was dressed
i'm black. The appeal Of her person.
any was Irresistible. 1t was clear that
KG,the two criminals had ever had
chance Nora would destroy It,
Slim and George sat by their counsel.
George could not quite hide the amman
character Of his face, but he had man
aged to soften it somewhat. AT Nora's
appearance, Garth noticed. there came
into his eyes a survival Of the passion
he had SO reclSlessly declared In the
steel lined room.
sSlim, on the other haad. let snip
nothing OF the cr!m:na.: HIS quiet
clothing gave him az .air almost Cieficai.
His sharp features express a polite IN
terest. He could not. casual spectator
would have said, be capable OF ths eNh
with which he was charged.
Garth watched the men perpetuaHy.
He saw the hatred slip through whiie
he quietly told the story tnat Wouio
condemn them to death. During Nora
recital, too, both men exposed some-
thing Of their powerful desire for re-
yenge against these TWO who quiety
droned away their lives.
For Garth ana Nora told Of trapping
these men in an admission OF the MUIR
der. over a year ago. OF Kridel. prom
Using young detective. 1t was MS oeatn
which had saddened Nora. and II was
the feeling of necessity TO nno MS
murderers which had made her pose
and George led as spy from mead
quarters. And 1t was in breaking up
their gang that Garth. posing as one
of the members behind a gray mask
al a
Garth took Nora from the courtroom.
we'll aware that, given the opportunity.
Slim and George would not let them
move q foot without exacting full pay
m6nt.
Garth respected Nora's mood. He
nut her in a cab and sent her home.
then wandered restlessly about the
downtown streets. Then he went 70
headquarters. The inspector aonlt.ea @
that he, too. would breathe easier when
the two were in the chair.
The next day the inspector sent lor
4urth. The moment he answered the
Summons he knew something disas-
trous had occurred. He felt that the
EXCEPTIONAL, almost with the effect OF
q physical violence, had entered the
The Inspector held the telephone: The
IRE projected to Garth an uncontrolled
fear, His voice, customarily rumonns
and authoritative. was no more than
CROPPING whisper, ,,
po YOU know, Garth. that Slim and
George are loose on the town.
~f6ey are on their ssvay to the death
house," Garth countered:
You mean they we're; the IN. inspecr0r ,anr
~ Nora.s. But I've just got the word
~ explosion was planted in front OF
TIFF van on tho way to the 9rano
Central. There was crowd OF ts.s .a.s
AN the sherifrs men and their brace:
ie{e knocked OF. They were spirited
ATTY. But don't you suppose Slim and
o9orSe would gamble ri never let them them
S SS e The, tas 'IH@1 know sssir s only
sS n he 20 sssstr S ~
Theyn go for Nora f,rst. Then 2,
tAsyn q ,s get me. I've been afraid OF 1t
Tm trying ts sns wasa So,n.s her. :nsssr The in
While the Inspector stormed S9S be
pug In Communication WITH hts dansnser
Viz any useful defense against Sims
in}sSination. abnormally clever and In
sctable. or against such naked pru-
tat3y az Georges? And the maievo-
ieIiSs Of these two would be all the more
-oe1iSin in its action since no fear Of
ptn3ohment would restrain It. The
m1Saer. or worse, Of Garth and Nora
villa, undoubtedly. they intended
cot earn for them only the death pen pen
sssZ,,sS s,sZ to which they were already con-
You've got to get Nora" Garth
ur&sd the inspector. The servant at
les54 should be there"
af3er afternoon out. ana Nora saio
shE.Would be home"
sn." Garth cried. ''shsy made for
Sep after that number he r;. called sd
ba6 'Tf you get Nora tell her I'm on
~ threaded a course through the
hoA Asward bound crowds. experiencing
th& eensations of a truant from an I'M
pe1aing and destructive retriouuon'
hiS ears constantly prepared for the
sharp crack Of a revolver.
Al he ran no recalled that evening
<.last summer when he had Side
tracked Simmons and had taken his
place behind a replica Of tho gray
mask. He could see Nora in her cheap
fnery, and George. he remembered.
with a sense of sheer terror. had loved
Nora In his way: had. in fact. through
his brutal and amorous eagerness, de-
nvered himself into her hands.
He reached the fiat. breathless and
wondering that he had not been dis
turbed. No one answered his ring. He
questioned the hallboy. The inspectors 8
daughter had left fifteen minutes ago.
She had said headquarters had tele-
phoned her to go to her father without
delay. The situation was clear.
Garth ran to the sidewalk. A man
stood there Garth recognized him for
a tailor who worked in a nearby shop.
The tailor's excitement made him nearly
incoherent. but Garth drew from him
a description Of Slim and George. As
the inspectors daughter had stepped to
the sidewalk, he said. the men had
sprung upon her. stifled her one scream
and driven her OF in an automobile.
(which direction did they take?"
Tho tailor pointed south. Garth hur-
ried to the curb. stopped and found
helplessness unless Nora's ingenuity had
hit upon some trick for his guidance.
He searched with greedy nope. Wnile
his eyes roved about the frozen dust
of the gutter he acknowledged that the
inspector had appraised his men Justly
ieaye the city until the hue and cry had
somewhat abated. Into the windings
Of the underworld they had carried
Nora, and Garth knew how devious
those windings were-what silent ana
invisible machinery would nourish ana
He lifted q tiny tuft Of fur which
had nestled, almost hidden. In the dust
OF the gutter. Its color and texture
were reminiscent Of the mum no had
frequently seen Nora carry. 1t might
be q souvenir Of her struggle. or else
every inch Of the pavement: At the
corner his breath quickened. for he
knew the piece of fur had not rested IN
the gutter by accident Two others