Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1921-01-06

moved tremulously without closing
otherwise he made no sign. He might
have been lifeless, he had better been
dead.
Not one person in the room so much
as turned head when the cries of
the frantic girl disturbed the quiet,
not even Inez; for though she had
mastered her betraying smile, that
one had no need to stir in order to
watch Leonora. Evil eXultatfOn con-
tinued to inform her cold eyes as
long as they were unobserved; but
Leonora found them quick with spe-
cious sympathy when, at length ap-
preciating the futility of her efforts,
she loosed her hold on Charles shoul-
ders and sank on her heels.
"My God!' she said, with stricken
face-"what'm going to doF
"What's the trouble, dearie?" Inez
spoke with cloying sweetness, but the
other was too far gone in despair to
notice, or to care if she had noticed.
Anything / can do to help?"
81 dom know"-Leonora shook her
head slowly-"guess not"
"Whyn't you tell me and find out?"
Inez leaned across the body of the
drug victim and placed a coarse red
hand affectionately over Leonora's.
"You can trust me, guess. We're all
in this mess together, amt weT
Its only Red" Leonora responded
DULY. "He said for me to come to
him tonight. He sent word by Charlie
said I'd got to come tonight. Charlie
promised he'd meet me here and show
me the way. He wouldn't tell me
said Red made him swear not to. 1
don't see why But 1 wish to
God Charlie'd kept his word to me
like he did to Red"
"What do you meanY
81 was afraid of this" She nodded
at the unconscious man. Charlie
promised me he wouldn't smoke
more'n two pipes"
Inez laughed shrilly. "Guess he
must've had SIX" she declared: 81
rolled three pills for him since came
| in"
"And now he's down and out" Leo
nora pursued, land don't know how
to find Red, and he won't take any ex-
cuses Inez, I'm scared!'
"You poor kidd" Inez tightened her
clasp on Leonora's hand. But you
don't have to worry I'll take you to
Red. been there half dozen times
at least"
The smile of conscious triumph,
which Inez could not suppress, was
unspeakably offensive, and brought
back vividly to mind the rivalry which
had always existed between them and
which had fiared up into open hostility
at their last rencontre. Hot resent
ment kindled in Leonora's eyes, hot
color flushed her cheeks; but she dug
teeth into her underlip and grimly
fought down the impulse to give her
anger tongue. Not only was that
precisely what Inez wanted, but it
might prove fatal. There was more
than pride at stake, there was the life
of him who loved her and whom she
loved. Nothing, indeed, but that love
VI ACAo 1O1 UIOheu uOWu
her will to refuse Reds summons
only the threat Of Reds vengeance
wreaked on Mario had made her sup
pie to the gangster's will. And now
if she quarreled with Inez, that one
would never show her the way to Red.
Anything (she repeated, in her secret
thoughts) might happen
''Leo told you," she muttered.
"Sure he did," Inez agreed cheer
fully. "You don't suppose Leo's leary
of me like Red is of you, Nora deari
Why, I've known all along where them
two was layin' up"
Long lashes dropped to veil Leo
nora's smoldering eyes. Inez's ma,
licious smile flashed and faded The
other clenched her hands into tight
fists, then opened them. She looked
up, pride conquered and trampled IN
der foot by love.
'Inez," she pleaded simply: 81 got
to see Red tonight or I don't
know what'll happen. Please take me
to him, InezT'
The woman delayed her response
for moment, that she might relish
the full favor of her triumph. Then
jumping up, she said:
"Sure 1 will, dearie. C'mon: les
co."