The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-09-06

giving me your visiting card that alt ernoon at the Cafe D'Artagnan. But didn't need it, Kitty had all the information about you that was nec- essary.
 "Kitty?''
 .sThe dame who brought you to that joint and introduced you to me, you know" Velvet Raymond grin ned Aren't you wise yet that 1t was a plant-that your meeting with Kitty at the glove counter of the de- partment store that day wasn't en- tirely accidental? She had spotted you for an easy mark, of course, and | deliberately cultivated your acquaint- ance.''
 Janet frowned.
 eBut why?'' she demanded. What 1 did she--what did you want of me! Was it blackmail?"
 The man shrugged. i "What a crude word, little one! don't deny, though, that we did eX- | pect to derive some f1pancial ad- vantage from my acquaintance with you before we got through. Mar ried ladies who have affairs with 1 handsome strangers in such places as the Cafe D'Artagnan can usually be | counted on to come across generous | ly when they receive a hint that there | is danger of hubby learning of their i little indiscretion,'
 l q didn't have an affair with you, Mrs. Fremont denied indignantly. | How dare you make such an out I rageous insituation! I was merely- 1 .It would have developed into an | affair" Velvet interrupted, with 1 self-complacent snairk. You've got | to admit, kiddo, that I was making | quite a hit with you. If only that | coufounded police inspector hadn't ] come along and been shot by you" | "I didn't shoot him. You know very well that I am innocent" l Her visitor shrugged again. 1 '@Tell that to the judge,' he sneer- | ed. "As I pointed out to you that | day on the subway, after we'd made | out getaway from the taxi, there's | enough evidence against you to sat- isfy any jury. If you didn't put that bullet into him, who did? There wasn't anybody in that cab but you and me and Holden Ut was you who did it, of course" | Janet declared.
 Me, Don't talk foolish, little one. I've got an alibi that's all wool and | a yard wide. Didn't Holden go through | me before we started and satisfy him. self that I wasn't carrying Q gat? l He'd be my best witness if you ever | made the mistake of trying to hang | the shooting on me. BeSlueS l was | sitting on the right side of him all | the time, and the bullet went into his | left side. That alone is sufficient to | put the crime up to you-to say nothing of the fact that your victim l is ready to take the stand and swear
 He couldn't swear to that. He | It is 8 wicked lie.'
 'Inspector Holdn has a. pretty good reputation for veracity," the l man aneered.
 Hiss one of the squarest men in the police department. You'd have a hard job making a liar out of him. However" he continued, l1is manner changing, there's not much sense in all this discussion. You've no need to be alarmed. I have no intention of giving you away-so long as you behave like a. little lady"
 You can't give me away" Janet retorted defiantly. 'I am not the least bit afraid of you. The fact that you ! are a fugitive from justice yourself | will be sufficient to prevent you from coming forward and accusing me-
 'I wouldn't have to come forward | An anonymous note, or a teleph one call, to headquarters would do the | trick. As soon as the police learned that the woman they've been hunting | in vain for the past 12 months was 1 Mrs. Janet Fremont, and that she | was to be found at this address, your goose would be cooked. my dear. And in the mean time I'd be on my way safely out of reach before they even had a chance to find out where the
 tip came from" Velvet Raymond grinned trumphantly. "You see you've more to fear from he than you
 imagined"
 Mrs Fremont sighed.
 What is it you want of me?' she demanded weaEily. "Why have you
 come here? Do you-are you stil thinking of blackmai1? If you ex- pect hush-money," she went on des- pairingly, q am afraid I sha'n't be
 able to satisfy you. My husband is
 not a rich man, and I have no income
 of my own.''
 'I know it." her visitor assented re. . gretfu1ly. 'I didn't know it that day
 when I first met you. Kitty had yoI
 sized up as class It wasn't unti
 later that we found out that youl husband was only a four-thousand-a year employe of a law firm Yol looked like rich pickings, otherwise
 we wouldn't have bothered with you
 I stand too high in my profession, yol } know, to go after such small fry''
 He paused.
 'I haven't come here expecting tc get much money out of you," he wen
 on.
 Perhaps I sha'n't ask you even fol your jewelry. I don't want to be aln.
 reasonable. All Pm going to ask O.
 you is-to do me the honor of meet.
 ing a friend of mine"
 "A friend of yours!''
 l "A recent acquaintance, and a di
 rector in half a dozen big corpora. ! tions. I want you to come down.
 town with me tonight and-er-get
 an introduction to him. Do you un.
 derstand?
 'I am afraid-I don't think I do-
 quite.''
 Its very simple. The part you're
 to play will be an easy one-a dea6
 cinch, if you'll pardon my slang. Mrs
 Fremont" Velvet Raymond leaned
 forward in his chair, and his eye.
 narrdwed.
 You're to dance with hin, o,t