Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-02-25

and with a sudden cry of fear turned
"Nfy--myself!" Her lips scarcely
moved. 49,.
"Yes, my dcnr! Yourself-.Claire !"
Doctor Crang shrugged his shoulders
Edinburgh. London. Vienna. Paris.
, degreessfrom everywhere-ha, ha am
I high priced man? Well. then, why
don't you dismiss me? You called me
in That IL my price-or shall we call
1t fec? Promise to marry me, Claire,
and III save that man.
Her face had lost Tll vestige of color.
She stood and looked at him. but 1t
did not seem as though she any longer
had control over her limbs. She did
not seem able to move them. They
were numbed; her brain was mercifully
numbed-there was only n sense of
impending horror. without that horror
taking concrete form. A voice cnme
to her Us though from some great dis
tance:
Don't take too long to make up your
mind. There isn't much time. It's
about touch and 70 with him now."
The words. the tone. the voice reused
her. Realization, understanding swept
upon her. a faintness came. She closed
her eyes, swayed unsteadily, but re-
covered herself. Something made her
look at the upturncd face on the floor.
She did not know this man. He was
nothing to her. Why was he pleading
with her to pawn herself for him? What
right had he to ask for worse than
death from her that he might live? Her
soul turned sick within her. If she re-
fused, this man would die. Death! Il
was very little thing compared with
days and months and years linked. fet-
tered. bound to a drug fiend, n coward.
foul thing, a potential murderer II
man only In the sense of physical form
who had abused every other God given
attribute until It had rotted away. Her
hands pressed to her temples ficrcely. in
torment. Was this man to live or die?
In her hands was balanced n human
life. 1t seemed as though she must
scream out In her anguish of soul and
then it seemed as though she must fling
herself upon the drug -crazed being who
had forced this torture upon her. fling
herself upon him 10 batter and pommc.
with her fists at his face that smiled
in hideous contentmcnt ut her. What
To let this man here die, or to accept a
living death for herself-no, worse than
that-something that was abominable,
revolving, that profaned o." She
drew her breath in sharply. She was
staring ut the man on the floor. His
eyelfds fluttered and opened. Gray eyes
were fixed upon her, eyes that did not
seem to see, for there was vacant stare
in them--and then suddenly recognition
crept into them and they lighted up,
full of a strange, glad wonder. He made
an effort to speak, an effort, more
feeble still, to reach out his hand to
her-and then the eyes had closed and
he was unconscious again.
She turned slowly and faced Doctor
Crang.
"You do not know what you are do
ing" She formed the words with great
effort.
"Oh, yes. I do" he answered with
mocking dciiberation. II know that il
l can't get out one way. I can an
other--and the way doesn't matter
"God forgive you. then" she said III
dead voice. "for never can or will!
IL agree"
He took step toward her.
"You'll marry me?" His face was
fired with passion.
She retreated Il. step.
YES" she said.
lie reached out for her with savage
cagerness.
"Clairc." he cried. "Claire!"
She pushed him back with both
hands.
"Not yeti" she said, and tried to
steady her voice. There is another side
to the bargain. The price is this mans
life If he lives / will marry you. and
in that case, as you we'll know. I can
say nothing of what you have done to-
night: but if he dies, I am not only
free, but l will do my utmost to make
you criminally responsible for his
death"
"Ah!" Doctor Crang stared at her.
His hands. still reaching out to touch
her, trembIcd his fae was hectic; his
eyes were alight again with feverish
then suddenly the man
seemed transformed into another being.
He was on his knees beside John
Bruce. and had opened his handbag In
an instant, and In another he had
forced something from vial between
John Bruce's lips; then an instrument
was in his hands. The man of a mo-