Evening star., 1921-10-16

handled him so roughly. The ugly
| glances they threw at him as they
backed away from him suggested
that this was no merry joke they
were playing.
1t seemed, a moment later, that
it was Benny's book-his sample
copy of Aunt James Cook Book
they were after, for all three dived
for it as they removed their eyes
,, from Benny. They dived for it
| eagerly, like men securing much
the most spry. put his hands on the
oilcloth-covered parcel first and tore
off the wrapper. Instantly his look
of eager greed changed to one of
| fatuous surprise, like that Of a child
that slips a seemingly tempting
it is singing. burning red pepper.
His mouth fell open and his eyes
bulged. He goggled at the harm
less sample copy Of Aunt James
Cook Book" stupidity. James pnd
Mike. bending to catch the first
showed their surprise in different
! ways. James. still naughty. looked
as If some one had suddenly stuck a
pin in his plump calf. Mike swore.
Blank" he said with utter dis
gust. This amt no diamonds. this
at James. You're a swell guy. amt
you?" he snarled. You set out to
catch a diamond man and you catch
a book agent
lDENNY, the words filtering through
his bandages. would have
grinned II the bandages had not held
his facial muscles dormant. He was
cheerful chap, merry under adver-
| sity. He wished he could speak. so
that he might rally the three robbers
on their disappointment, but he
| could not speak. One eye only was
at liberty. and he turned this eye on
| The Beaut. He looked at her stead
| jly for the fraction of a second and
| winked! He winked twice.
The effect was anything but what
he might have expected. The Beaut
did not smile an acknowledgment of
her appreciation of the joke. She
| turned pale and looked at Benny's
free eye with wide-eyed fear. AS
the three men wran9led over the
| misfortune that had thrown q book
agent into their hands she stepped
| closer to Benny and stared at him.
! trying to remember whether she had
! ever seen that wfnking eye before.
To her guilty mind the wink meant
! something hidden and dire. 1t seemed
( Benny winked again. The Beaut
| backed away. keeping her eyes on
| Benny. and touched James on the
! arm.
whats the natter" he asked.
GROSSLY; Gro TOR she s,in, Interrupted him in
would be better to make a getaway
at once or wait for the man from
! Didbin's. James and Mike were in
favor of waiting; Lop-ear was for
i good. whats the matter now?
| The Beaut turned to Benny.
Hes not frightened" she gasped.
"What of it?" asked James. "Sup-
Il don't like it," said The Beaut.
to fix something with me. Mike. I
| think he's detective"
| Mike turned and looked at Benny
/ what If he is?" he asked. "1f I
had all the detectives and all the
wouldn't worry none. Now
The door bell rang. For an in
stand the robbers and The Beaut
stood motionless. James tiptoed to
the door and looked through the lace
| panels.
other room with him." he whispered.
| TITS the daughter. Get him out and
come back. We've got to handle
her"
walking carefully. Mike and Lop-
, ear lifted Benny and his chair and
carried them into the library and
| deposited him against the wall and
! returned. They took their positions
on either side of the door as before
| and James opened the door.
| "Why. James!" exclaimed Miss Rosa.
II hardly expected
She had no time to say what she
\ had hardly expected for Mike and
| Lop-ear were upon her. as they had
! been upon Benny, and before the
frightened girl could faint with fear
they had bound and gagged her and
! Benny.
| They carried her into the library
and placed her chair alongside that
Of Benny, quite as if they were econ
omizing space 80 that they might
have room for allcomers. Poor Rosa,
with two free eyes, tried to twist
her head to see who her companion
head. winked q cheerful. hopeful,
wink. A fraction Of the panic fear
left Rosa's eyes. she breathed a
long. deep sigh and waited in her
bonds, hanging loose and limp in
a faint. Benny, seeing she needed
no moro comforting at the moment,
went on with what he had been
doing. By pressing upward In his
chair he was able to move his head
by dropping down again he lowered
his head by the same space. He
was not doing this for amusement
When he pushed his head back