Evening star., 1921-05-29

He waited. painting. Upstairs
some one raped sharply three times
a pocket lamp flashed ahead. throw
ing white shaft against finely
grained mahogany. a hand in the
shaft signaled him. and he crcpt
forward until he stumbled over a
round. inert mass which lay just out =
side the room where the white light
. searched the ma ahogany. 1t was Il
, man. deftly bOdnd. and bandaGed
about the mouth. the ears. the eyes.
1I~HE mahogany formed the doors
of large and very wide cabinet.
George knelt in front of this, insert
! ing slender. cleaning tools in the
lock with the adroitncss of watch
| maker. He opened the doors and
| nodded to Garth. The light glowed
| now on the sleek. steel belly of :;
| safe: and AS Garth. IL trifie confused
! reached out a steadying hand he
realized that the walls of this room
were of steel. too. His only chance
was that the safe might halk George
for some time.
PLENTY of time. isn't there" Garth
croaked anXiously.
Ought to be- George answered
"Everything's covered now. Didnr
expect to find the watchman whcr,
We did. though
Although the water streameh from
| Georges face. Garth saw the man
shiver 1t started an expositary ira in
of thought. The.last time this job
had been attempted kridel had beer
killed--in this house. almost GER
tainly in this room. He recalled th'
superstitious fears of many crimi
nails. Perhaps that accounted in
degree for the others barred nerves
Nora leaned forward.
slim must think a lot Of you
George. to put you at il twice"
What do you mean by that"
Didn't you fall down on it las
ASK Slim" he said shortly. 9TH
is tire time I'm Interested in. and
, we pull it off. Nora. you're going
quit fooling with me. Maybe. wh".
! that kiss I've been waiting for
Maybe when you get il "rc.
George. I'm not so sure you'll "pei
1t. I'm not 80 sure Of your nerve.
Then she sank back in heap. She
screened her face with her hands.
"Now what
Don't say that. George" she whis-
pered. Not here. Ever since I've
right
Hold the light up" he said rough
ly. whats the matter with you?
This isn't graveyard"
He resumed his manipulation OF
the knob: Garth noticed that from
time/ to time he glanced quickly over
his shoulder at the somber corners
Of the room.
Nora had. to certain extent.
startled Garth. II" fancied once
that something moved behind the
divan. George caught his start and
demanded an explanation.
well" Garth croaked. II agree
with the lady. 1 don't like the room"
81 know what it is. said Nora.
THAT cop was killed here, wasn't
what do 1 know about it," he
"Right here. George. And if he
it must have been just this-this
can't we turn on the ligh hts: don't
like places where people have died
hard But you-you're not afraid"
afraid, A man with red heart
afraid Of dead ones: They never
Don't say that. know. Ny
was Italian. She knew. She saw.
George don't say that. It's cursinS
the dead. And he lay right there
safeo That's why Slim stayed outside.
Maybe Slim killed him. / want to so,
too. Let Simmons hold the lamp"
NO" George said. That thing he
| wears isn't human company 1ou
stay"
| Evidently she had yielded to an eX
cess Of terror. In spite of Georges
commands she was trying to pass the
, lamp to Garth. 1t slipped from her
fingers, and the white shaft circled
handle before it reached the floor. but
now the only light in the room was
! :, narrow circle which bored into the
, carpet and exposed a dark irregular
! stain.
i Nora cried, chokingly:
! "Blood. George. That's his blood"
| Cureing, George reached forward.
caught her arm and swung the light
away from this desolate reminder OF
| tragedy.
NO wonder" she whispered. "No
wonder Slim didn't have the nerve to
| come back and do those same things.
| He'd have seen the man he'd killed
between him and his work. If ]
thought you had that much nerve.
George. l. might believe l
>! might"
TRY to keep the light steady. Nora"
There was beseechng, childlike
quality in his tone. He worked with
| difficulty now. His hands were no
longer perfect mechanical tools. Garth
saw drops glitter and fall slowly to
the stained carpet. Then George with
a sigh turned the handle.
Ready to OPEN he said. Talk
about Slim! Crying, Nora Good
! Lord"
! Don't. George" She said. ''If ] half
| close my eyes ! can see him through
my tears. lying here in the shadows.
Can't you?"
He clasped his arms about her. He
hid his eyes in her hair.
| X \ X
| CARTH'S fingers reached out, then
he thought of the frayed piece of
paper. possibly in the inspectors
Nlands and already urging the night to