Evening star., 1921-06-19

WHEN 1T w
was up to some queer business last
night. and l thought he looked the
type"
Yes" the inspector agreed, drily.
he certainly looked the type. so much
SO that I'd gamble that wiZened brain
or his held all l want to know. May
be you'll be accommodating enough
to tell me how you happened to pick
him up
Don't fret" the inspector said.
scornfully. She won't give you away
even il you have made an ass of your
self"
Garth Redeemed Impulsively he
turned on his heel. Later he would
be ashamed. since he understood the
inspector thoroughly. But for the
moment he surrendered himself to
pride. The sound of the chair showed
back by the inspector was not un-
expected. nor did he fail to catch the
note of apology. the appeal for terms
in the gruff voice.
Come back here. Where are you
going?"
But it was another voice that swung
him sharply.
Jim! Don't lose your temper"
Garth strobe to the woman. He
snatched the intricateiy patterned
shawl from her head. The face be-
but there was no Disgusting the dark,
young eyes which smiled up at him.
so that's Why" he gasped. You've
done it well: Nora. Now maybe 1 can
know something about it,
Understand" he said. Nora doesn't
tell me any too much how she's work.
ing. and she's been at this off and on
for a long time. She had to see me
today. That's why I'm on my ear
about the Chinaman. He might have
saved her a good deal. You see, she's
working on that case"
I tell you she's fighting desperate
Talk to Nora. I've told her all
that. When this rotten business
came up she would go into it on her
own hook. I guess that's because she
knows Manford and his high-brow.
meddling society have got the dis
trict attorney behind them, and
they've put it up to me hard; She
thinks she's spotted the house. That's
what she had to see me about. She
wants a raid arranged for tonight,
and she wants you there"
You must tell u.s." Nora said. how
you found the Chinaman: I've no
doubt he was one of them.
Garth told his story of the man in
the limousine. of the trailing oriental.
of what he had learned at the bureau
Of licenses. Nora offered no inter-
ruption. but she smiled sympathetic
ally at the inspectors rage.
They put it up to me" he grum-
bleo. ''Then they want to put 1t over
with these silk -stockined. fur-coated
societies that think they know more
about vice than the police? And to
think, Garth. you snitched him away
from them, then let him croak"
Nora prepared to leave. Garth fol,
1, % fha 1ol q Cd
her to let him share her plans. to give
him a more pronounced part in the
risks. She shook her head.
ITS best to let me work this alone
until the last minute. jim"
The day fingered interminably.
he guarded with an unqualified stub
bornness. When Garth joined the in
spector in an uptown precinct house
at 10 o'clock that evening he found
Manford, in evening clothes. leaning
against the desk while he tested the
inspectors temper with a smiling face
and an insinuating conversation.
A number Of detectives and some
men in uniform were grouped about
the two. The inspectors commands
were brief. At last he announced the
number of the house.
Garth. Manford. and the inspector led
the way. Garth's misgivings were
far more profound than If the chief
risk had been his own. Where was
Nora now? What would such con-
scienceless men do to her If they
found at the last moment she was
responsible for their hopeless pre-
dicament:
The house presented an uncommuni-
cative front. They climbed the steps.
No lights showed in the hall The win
dows appeared to be shuttered. The
inspector pulled the old-fashioned bell
handle. After an undisturbed wait he
tried again. Then he put his shoulder
to the door.
Give a hand here, boys. Bring that
az"
THE lock- snapped under their as
sault They stumbled through
into the vestibule. Garth choked. He
was aware of fine particles of dust in
his nose and his throat They at
tackled the inner door. They burst
through into a black hallway. The
dust rose in clouds. The inspector
snapped his fiashlight and fell back
with an exclamation, disappointed
and surprised.
The light shone on bare floors and
walls. Its power was radically d.
minished by the long accumulated
dust their entrance had disturbed As
far as the first floor was concerned
they stood in an empty house.
Manford sneered.
Get upstairs" the inspector
snarled to his men. "Scour every
inch Of this place"
He turned to Manford.
"Tll swear they were here this
afternoon. This house was used as
dive no later than this afternoon"
The plain CLOTHES men returned al
most at once. There was not a per
son in the house-not q piece Of fur.
niture. The CRIME on the walls, the
thick dust testified to its long disuse.
Manford'S superior wisdom ap-
peared justified.
Good night, inspector" he drawled.
sI cut the opera to take in this ex-