Omaha daily bee., 1921-07-24

should be. Dealing, as he did, in transactions
outside the law, his liberty depended upon
his ability to tell the difference between a
genuine criminal and detective who was
trying to trap him
What do you want it for?" he asked.
Rosa smiled. She opened her purse and
took out fifty dollars.
The pawnbroker shrugged. His question
had been perfunctory, unnecessary. II this
woman committed crime with the weapon
which he would sell her, it would be no affair
of his. Moreover, he would deny, in the un-
likely event of his sale being suspected, ever
having seen the woman, ever having sold
revolver to any one The law was the law.
but forty dollar profit was a forty dollar
profit.
But he didn't make quite that much. Rosa
knew what she wanted She rejected the
first weapon shown her and selected another,
q cky-barreled affair that had cost the
pawnbroker, if one included interest on the
loan, something like seventeen dollars. Still,
Rome wasn't built in a day, and pawnbrokers
can't become wealthy overnight. Little drops
of water make the mighty ocean; little three
hundred per cent deals make man success
full and respectable and envied member Of
society.
Rosa concealed the weapon in her hand
bag. 1t fitted as easily into the receptacle
as her vanity case and her purse. No one
would ever dream that this quietly clad
woman carried a lethal weapon. Yet the
pawnbroker, watching the sinuous, animal
like glide of her, and having a recollection
of her hot eyes, felt slight shiver run down
his spine Still, business was business Any.
way she probably wanted it for protection
against burglars. His sleep wasn't disturbed
that night.
lifted a welgoved hand. A taxi veered in to
the curb and she entered 1t.
"Cresthill Inn" she told the driver
Ten minutes later the front tire blew out.
The man descended from the drivers seat.
1t had begun to rain, and Rosa heard him
muttering defamatory remarks about his
luck. 1t was evidently bad, for the fresh
tire which, after ten minutes he had man.
aged to put on the wheel, collapsed for lack
of air. And he had no pump.
He opened the door of the cab. Lady"
he said, I'm sorry, but can't take you no
farther. III cut that new tire all to pieces If
drive on it. It's only minutes walk to
Cresthill.'
1t was raining steadily. Occasional smashes
of thunder shook the air, and flashes Of
lightning illuminated the suddenly darkened
landscape. The Latin still believes in the
Evil Eye; the Russ is a mystic believing in
powers of evil that are personal Rosa,
product of these two races, had her full
share Of superstitious fears In her heart of
hearts she never believed that thunder
storm a<thing of Nature; she believed 1t
something supernatural. She was one Of
those women who hide in closets, with the
door tightly shut, when the electricity begins
to play around the heavens.
But today fear left her. She had more
than her fair share Of vanity, too, and ordi.
narily the thought of muddied shoes and wet
clothing would have appalled, her. But not
today. She paid the man and descended from
the cab. He pointed along the road
only hundred yards, ma'am." he said
you see that driveway? Right UP there
Sorry, ma am
Rosa nodded. She bent her head before
the rain, now driven by almost gale, and
started toward the Inn. She splashed
through puddles, unaware Of them. The