Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-04-02

| ner to win her attention. even for q
moment. Then she thought of how
| kind and good and thoughtful Lowell
had always been and Of his funny
little cowlick at the left side of his
| hair. which never would stay brushed
| fiat. and Of the wonderful times they
I had had together, and Of the big
| sapphire and diamond ring she had
! given back to him SO peremptorily-
| she had loved that ring-oh, there
| was plenty to think about. and none
| Of it new. She had meditated on all
these things pretty continuously ever
| since their quarrel.
But tonight she was in a different
mood concerning them. In the long
| month she and Lowell had been part
ed this was the first time she had ad
| mitted that she was in the wrong.
Frieda had done a very good days
work.
1t was almost half-past when
| the door bell rang sharply, and Martie
imagined for one ecstatic moment
that Lowell had come back to her to
! make up. She waited breathlessly.
| and when the maid came in and said
there was q gentleman to see her and
| he wouldn't give his name. Martie's
heart fairly pounded with excite
ment.
Hes a stranger. am" the maid
| added, and queer looking. left hisa
! in the hall"
THE excitement died away aud
! Martie went out to the hall lft&-
| lessly. The man who was waiting
| was an absolutely colorless middle
| class type. His eyes were rather
| sharp and restless. but otherwise he
| was just like 4 thousand other men
| on the street.
You wanted to see me:" asked
Martie -
! You're Miss Craig, aren't you?"
| asked the man. coming a little too
near to her and lowering his voice..
! yes" &
"Well-er-Miss Craig-I just came
| out to see il we couldnt-er-do q
| llIllo DuSlueSS tOBetHeT.
| What is your business?" asked
Martie. backing away slightly. Her
! golf clubs were standing close At
hand. and she edged toward them.
| She did not like his manner.
| The strange man coughed. "Er-I
| understandable is-a friend Of mine
let me in on it-that you've got a
cook out here who's . perfect crack
erjack at making wine-and-the
long and short of it is-I've got a
customer who'd pay high for cou-
| pie of cases Of 1t, provided it's as rep
| resented, and 1 thought maybe we
could make some arrangement-you
and me-and you'd let me be your
agent in disposing Of it. There's big
money in it, Miss Craig, for both Of
U.S."
| Martie took another step toward tht
| clubs. You're mistaken" she said.
my cook does not make wine-iA
I fact, no one in this house touches
liquor of any sort, and we haven't a
! drop of it in the place, to my GER
tain knowledge. Good evening"
Now, Miss Craig" said the stran-
ger, that's all very well. of course.
for you to say, and a very pretty
bluff to pull; but I know better. and
it'll be to your advantage to tell me
the truth and let me in on this thing.
I'm willing to go ffty-fifty on the
dough with YOU"
There's the door," interrupted Mar
tie. TRY going hundred per cent
on that"
Tho man did not move, but he
dropped his hand into his overecoat
pocket, and the gesture was one
which she had seen too often ON the
stage to mistake. "Why. he's got a
gum" she thought, but she didn't
CULVER.
I'm not going yet" he said. II
know all about that liquor, and /
propose to have some to sell. I'm 60
ing to be your agent whether you
want me to or not. Let's make a
friendly arrangement. and then
there'l be no trouble for any one.
When you had that liquor made and
| stored on your premises you were
violating the law, you know"
Martie had been thinking hard, and
| now she tried an old ruse.
who's that on the veranda? she
said sharply, looking past him out of
the side light OF the door. The man
whealed, and as he did SO she snatch
i ed a mashie and swung It on his
head. He dropped without q sound.
For a moment she stood regarding
him. 'Oh, I have killed HIM" she
thought. But he stirred and groansd
family. She knew there would be q
panic il she called the maids, 30 she
Iran down to the laundry and return
ed in a moment with . length Of
lothesline-strong, thick, smooth
rope With this she tied the boot.
legger's hands and feet, and snatch
ing q, bit Of Japanese embroidery
from one Of the hall tables, she i'm
provised. q gag for him. when he
opened his eyes. epd tried to rise he
was completely silenced and very
\ neatly trussed up. Faint spluttering