The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-05-18
CHAPTER CCIXxXI

Grinning unpIeasa n!tIy, wsth his dark mouth twisted even more than upon me with a jeering, scornful bow
 Isn't 1t pleasant and friendly of me, me to follow you home for a cosy lta>le visit like this, Mrs. Jimmie? ?" he asked. Aren't you going to ask me ?''
 Why did you follow me?" I asked, controlling a voice that wanted to tremble and leaning heavily against | the door to take tifle weight off my throbbing ankle.
 ITO talk to you. fair lady Who wouldn't?" he replied smoothly-too | smoothly. Aren't you going To ask me in for a pleasant tete-a-tete? I think we can come to terms while hubby and his new chum Tom Mason are dining 1t the hotel and waiting for Richard to show up."
 T am moss certainly not going to ask you in,'' l said steadily, hoping that Dick West wouldn't find out that ment even if l wanted to- And if Jim and MT. Mason are waiting for you at the hotel my friendly advice to you is-beat it. Hurry down there before they begin to get annoyed Are you trying la. get rid of me?" he frowned. That's foolish-a The el- eVator isn't running and m not in
 il1e mood to walk down all those flights. No. you don't!' he concluded roughly, anticipating my intention as I stb:red toward the elevator shaft. The hamnIering and pounding that was already going aon made it hope less for me to shout. but if once could get my finger on the bell and ring insIstently enough perhaps I would be able to arouse suspicion, and someone might come up the stairs to see what I wanted.
 ''Now be little more friendly you can afford 10 be- said Dick West in a vcfce at once wheedling and threatening. You haven't been a LEt nice E'o me heretofore but I think Pm going to be able to persuade you to treat me a little better from now on. Say, why don't we go in and talk this over? Ring the bell
 .'I don't care to-" I said evenly.
 "No?" Then I will"
 Dick West pressed his finger to the button. I could hear the bell pea through the apartment, but as I had known, there was no answer.
 "Oho--nla ids out?'' he said at last. Well, that's all right. Give us the key. We can talk more socially Without anyone putting in on us"
 "I haven't my key,' I said. with something very like pra.;er of thanksgiving.
 "Oh-haven't you, now?" he taun@ed: Here give us your purse and let's see You may like stand ing out in this blooming little entry way-but I could do very well with a nice chair and you opposite me little Anne.
 He snatchcd my bag as he spoke and went through it with fumbling fingers that missed nothing. Stand ing there in cold fury, with my an- kle sending twinses of agony through my whole body. I felt as if I'd like ito throttle Dick West for the insolsnt indecency with which he handled everyt hing in my bag. T forgot to be afraid but fear stirred again as he flung the bag at me with a muttered curse.
 His manner was so uncontrolled. so full of furious menace that I hardly recognized in this wild eyed creature the once sIave man I had known. I wondered what had come over hfm-and then with terrifying certainty my brain supplied the clue. Drugsi The man was under the craz- ] didn't know whether his presence there in the hallway, where I was powerless to escape him. was a worse menace to him to me.
 Just how did you happen to find me at home?" I asked. searching my mind for the right thing to say.
 "Oh. I was waiting around Mason house for something to drop-and and sky" he replied. grinning craftily. 'I picked up a taxi and followed your trail Thought I might be able to make a. clever woman like you see enough to fight. No use in Mason and Jim trying to freeze me. out in this game. I've got all the trunps now. Does my story interest you strangely ''
 It interests me. replied as stead
 you've stood in my light before, little girl. Now we'd better under tsarC each other and be friends. You stole Phoebe from me. Give me q kiss and I'll forget about that"
 My heart fiuttered and sank. But snlIIingly I ventured a p1acating re- spCnSe-
 (TO Be Continued