Omaha daily bee., 1921-07-24

thousand dollars-less-would have assured
me years Of life. But now-millions couldn't
help me"
Then what do you want with me-" asked
Allayne. She strived pathetlcaly to make
her voice sound brave, but failed.
Want from you? Nothing that you can
give me. my dear girl sneered Halsey.
But there is something that can take
from you. You hate scandal. don't you'
You're so good, so noble. pure.
Faush. you are saueamsh little schoolgirl
And because OF your squeamshness you
robbed me OF my chance Of life Well I'll
rob you of something. You have money; you
have a husband. Well I'll take those from
YOU
He stared at her Into his eyes came the
scan Of the maniac.
THE rich Mrs. Bourke," he cried Found
in private room in roadhouse; found by
the body Of dead mani How will she ex-
plain it?'
Slowly Allayne began TO understand. "But
with understanding came non-belief. " You
wouldn't dare" she said.
Halsey smiled again in that queer mirth-
less fashion that had so frightened her
moment ago.
why not?" he asked. A day more or
less to live-that's all have Because OF
you, Shall I refuse to seize a chance 10
make you pay for what you've made me
suffer? You sent me from you because or
scandal. Well, III leave you with scandal
that you can never explain. Even II you
convince the police that I killed myself
why were you here? And you'll not convince
them that l killed myself. I've taken care
of that
He lifted. the revolver. your precious
Bourse," he jeered. He's had you, won
l>,Ji ~I .
does-the police will have something to say
about that" He laughed again. And now
all semblance of sanity had left him.
He was a coward He dreaded death, and
brooding on his dread had made him unbal-
anced. AS a person standing on the top of a
tall building, in deadly fear lest he fall, sud
denly hurls himself over the edge, to end
the agonizing suspense so Halsey, on the
brink Of DEATH now leaped to meet 1t. He
raised the revolver.
Outside Rosa's hand touched the glass OF
the window. Now that she had arrived at
the consumma ton Of her desire no false
move must be permitted to jeopardize it.
Softly her breath held she pushed against
the glass. The window openly slightly. She
heard the words:
". your precious Bourke.
wonder if he'll want you now"'
She Strengthened up. Right! Always right
about Halsey! In the last few moments OF
his life. . . Well he didn't know how
few they were
She burst through the door. A clap OF
thunder. louder than any that had gone be-
fore, drowned the sound Of her entrance.
But Allayne, facing toward the window, saw
her. Her eyes lighted for a second, then
darkened as she recognized the woman, the
woman OF the train gate, the woman who
1,J- HeJe hAr I'm,
pulse to cry out died away. This woman.
whose eyes bazed with hate would not save
her from Halsey
She closed her eyes as the muzzle OF Hal.
seys gun pointed toward her. Then, sum-
moning her courage, she opened them. She
gasped as the gun curved upward, pointing
toward the ceiling, then swiftly descended.
She believed him at last. She'd thought that
Halsey raved when he spoke of explanations
that she would have to make. She'd thought
that he'd meant to kill her. then himself.
She knew now how dreadful was his real
intention; he meant to kill himself and let
her live, to be accused-of murder perhaps!
And then. sharply, barely audible above
the thunder, Rosa's pistol spoke For Rosa
had not guessed Halseys intention. She
thought that because Allayne refused her
self Halsey intended killing her. And she
would balk him of his own revenge while
she exacted hers.
Halsey halfturned; his face a moment
ago contorted with insane wrath. took on
suddenly stupid, vacuous expression. He
stared at Rosa; his lips curled in a silly
grin; and then he pitched forward upon this
floor
A moment Rosa stared at him, her teeth
cleaning in the emi-gloom Of the room.
Then her own pistol clattered to the floor as
she fell against the table and slid to the
floor in dead faint.
Upon the door the waiter knocked. Slowly
Allayne felt her body grow chill. The wrath
Of scandal had put his hand upon her shoul.
der at last.
Why didn't the waiter break the door
down? There was only one answer to the
question; the thunder had drowned the sound
Of the shot. He had come merely for the
dishes.
Time! Allayne wanted time No plan Of
extrication from this terrible ENHANCEMENT
could come to her as yet, but--she wanted
time. She walked to the door. And because
she was not beaten, never could be beaten
until every avenue of hope was barred, her
step became suddenly firm; her eyes, that
had been dull, became bright, even hard.
And her voice, when she spoke, would have
been the despair Of any great actress OF melo-
Of petulance.
What DO you wish?" she asked.
The dishes, madame"
wen ring when we want you" replied
Allayne.
She was brave, but not foolhardy Until
the mans footsteps sounded as he moved
away from the door, she stood stock still,
hardly daring to breathe. Then, when he
had definitely gone she turned back toward
the two figures upon the floor.
Suddenly the thought came to her that
Halsey might be alive. Until this moment it
had never occurred to her that the man
might live. Now forgetting what he was.
what he had planned TO do she bent over
him. But there had never been a chance.
The round hole in Halsey's forehead told the
veriest layman-or woman-that death had
been practically instantaneous.
A movement Of Rosa's arm made Alayne
turn. The woman's eyes were open now. As
Alayne stared at her she struggled to her
knees. Comprehension dawned In her black
eyes. Her mouth opened But before she
could scream Allayne was kneelinx beside
her. One hand gripped Rosa's shoulders. and
the other pressed against the woman's lips.
Don't" she commanded