The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-05-19


angrily, but ENORMOUSLY, like a child
81 was having a look around" re-
piled Peter coolly.
| oh! And did you find anybody"
| NO"
'H-mt I thought you wouldn't"
Peter hesitated. He meant to con-
ceal the housekeeper's share in the
nights encounters. but he knew that
| both Andy and the chauffeur would
talk, and SO:
There was somebody outside, Mr..
| MCGUIRE he said. you were not
mistaken, a man proving in the dark
near the kitchen. Andy thought it
| garage washing the cars"
"Ahr'
Mcclure started up, battling for his
manhood 1t seemed to Peter that
| his gasp was almost one of relief at
discovering that his eyes had not de-
| ceived him. that the face he had seen
was that of a real person, instead of
the Pigment of a disordered mind
! "Ah! Why didn't you shoot him 90
| I've just said, sir, Andy thought
it was the chauffeur
| Mcguire was pacing the floor furi-
ously.
He has no business to think T
| pay him to act. And you-what did
! You do?"
place-every tree, every bush-every
shadow. The man has gone"
Gone" sneered the other. "a
h of a mess you're making of this
job"
Peter Strengthened angrily, but
managed to control himself
Very we'll, Mr. MCGUIRE" he said |
Then you'd better get somebody else
at once"
He had never given notice before |
but the hackneyed phrase fell crisp |
ly from his lips. For many reasons |
Peter didn't want to o. but he bow
ed and walked quickly across the
room. Goodnight" he said
Before he had reached the door the |
frightened man came stumbling aft
err him and caught him by the arm.
No. no, Nichols. Come back.
Dye hear? You mustn't be SO d
Yesterday. OF course you can't be
didn't mean anything Come now,"
Peter paused, his hand on the
knob. and looked down into the
mans f1abby. empurp1ed counter.
ance.
Il thought You meant it," he said.
No II didn't. II like YOU.
NiGhols-liked you from the very first
Yesterday. Of course you cans be
responsible for all the boneheads
here"
maps the lesson might have a salutarv
effect. And so, as his good humor
came back to him, he smiled pleas
antly.
You see. Mr.. Mcclure, You could
hardly expect Andy to shoot the
chauffeur. They're on excellent
terms"
Mcclure had settled down into
chair near the table, and motioned |
Peter to another one near him.
Sit down, Nichols. Another glass
Stryker. So" He poured the whis-
Ky with an assumption of ease and
they drank.
You see. Nichols" he went on as
ne set his empty glass down. "I know
what m about. There is some
nody trying to get at me- It's no
dream-no hallucination You know
that too, now. I saw him-I would
nave shot him through the window
II IT hadn't been for Peggy-and the
others-but IL didn't dare-for rea-
sons She mustn't know" And
men eagerly, She doesn't suspect
anything yet. does she. NichoIas?"
Peter gestured over his shoulder in
the direction of the sounds which stilI
came from below.
No They're having a good time"
That's all right. Tomorrow thev'I1
be leaving for New York. L hope. And
then Wen meet this issue squareIy.
You say the man has gone. WHY do
you think sop
Isn't 1t reasonable to think so,
His visit was merely a reconnats-
Sance 1 think he had probably been :
iy1ng out In the underbrusf1 all dav
getting the lay of the land, watching
what we were doing-seeing where
.he men were placed. But he must ,
know now that he'll have to try sorrie- :
elSe-rhAr he
getting to you past these guards, If :
you don't want him to-"
BUT he nearly succeeded tonight" ,
numbled Mcclure obviously.
Peter was silent a moment.
m not supposed to question and
wont But 1t seems TO me, Mr. Nc =
cure, that If this visitors plan were
to murder you. to get rid of Won he
would have shot you down tonfsh+ :
through the window. From his fail
ure TO do so, there Is one definite +
conclusion to draw-and that is that
he wants to see you-to talk with
you- a
Mcclure fairly threw himself from d
his chair as he roared:
IT can't see him. I won't. won.+f
see anybody I've got the law on my
zoe A mans house is his castle. A
elbow prowls around here in IN, 1
lark He's been seen-if he's shot
is his own lookout And he will he
mot before he reaches me. You bearI
meg our men must shoot-shoot
o kill If they fail Pll-.
He shrugged as if at the frtf,s+v o+ p
lis own words. which came stumb1
ng forth. born half Of fear. half of n
r.
Peter regarded him soberlv. TT
vas difficult to conceive of this man A!
Who talked like a mailman and a II
po1led child, as the silent stubborn. o.
rlenoiess millionaire, as the power in a
nance that Sheldon. Senior, had de-
crfbed him to be. The love of MAX Sc,
ms money had succunbed to a mere Il
passion. which, for the time d.
icing. had mastered him. From what
lad been revealed, il seemed prob x
Bile that it was not death or bodily "a