The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1922-07-19

grasp like q child in the claws of a
~man-eating tiger"
There, there, Roberta, don't get
dramatic. What are you trying to
do, threaten me, or are you just try
ing to scare me?"
Neither. / am warning you"
"Yes-against yourself"
He chuckled. Then he snapped his
fingers. There was something akin
to amusement in his voice when he
said, coolly:
You couldn't warn Katherine Har-
ward against me, Berta. You could
not say anything to her about me
that she doesn't already know or
| guess.
Il haven't been squeamish in let
ting her see under my shell of re-
sp~ectability. / don't care if she does
know it-all of it. / shall tell her
myself, exactly who and what l am,
when the proper time comes-when
a fitting opportunity shall offer It
self. She doesn't know that I'm a
crook, but she is fairly well convinced
Of it already. So. don't won see?
You'd better drop that Law"
Roberta did not reply.
! Listen here, you would-be fairy
godmother to the Harvards. | came
here for a definite purpose. and I
brought you here for a definite pur-
pose, and I'm going TO make you per
form your part of it, made Won
come here because / needed YOU. and
I'm gong to make use of you. exactly
as | planned to do it-and you can't
dodge that fact or avoid it. You
might as well put that fact into your
little pipe and smoke it, Berta. Are
you paying attention to what l am
SAYING"
Eyes"
"Well, you'd better pay heed to it.
too; to all of it."
Wait a moment" she said coldly.
you know, c. Bit isn't the first
time, either-that / will throw YOU
down the very first time / find the
chance. l have told you that before.
L meant 1t. l am tired, worn out"
Can that, Berta!" he interrupted
her sharply. "Why this sudden
spasm of goodness and purity on your
part! Eth? What has put the worm
into u little apple Tell me that.
what is the reason for this supposed
dumbness? This inability to speak a
loud word? Who is here among the
guests at inquest who might recog-
nlze that sweet voice of yours if you
should make use of it? Have you and
Katherine Har By God, I've got it!
So! That's the idea, is it? l got
. you now, you she-cat. You tried to
double-cross me even before you came
down here, didn't you? You have
talked to Lady Kate on the telephone
haven't you? Answer met"
Eyes"
"She is the only n you were
afraid would know your voice, eh?"
Eyes"
{ You called her up, and"
Il did not. She listened in wher
you called me up. Then, when yor
hung up she spoke to me-"
! Then why Oh, l see. You wer,
afraid that if she got onto your
curves right eff the reel, as soon a:
/, you appeared on the scene, she'd fir,
, you on the spot, Ell? And you want
! ed to play US two off, one against tn,
/, other, while you looked on-for a lit
tie while before you made a break
Fine! Finel Really, Berta, I'll tax
my hat off to you in some things"
: He was thoughtful a moment; the
he went lon, in the same banterinj
tone, which, nevertheless, held
; sting:
= 81 see. l get you. Pm wise. Yer.
clever of you, you panther-girl. Yo
: are a sort Of panther-girl, when all j
> said. You're sleek and beautiful, an
= graceful, and as smooth as satin, an
you can purr as softly as n of thei
n kittens; but you've got teeth an
N claws, and you can spit-as well a
L bite and scratch. You were lyin
.r back, Ell, watching for the psyche
III logical moment, so to speak-waitin
{; for the moment when you could brin
two certain people together, face I
1T face, while you looked on and pate
them on their backs, and played Il
v good fairy. That is what you wei
Sc up to, is it? That is the way yo
intended to double-cross me-"
He got up from the chair al
showed it aside@Katherine ventur,
Id to peek over the back Of her chair.
rs "All right for you. | told you wh'
10 you promised TO come here, tn
ly there was one thing that l would n
rd force you to do; but, just to prove
o. you that you can't play the cat al
mousse game with me, I'll make y,
do 1t now.
Belknap made some low rema.
ly stepped and turned to face her aga
q; and started toward the door, bat
er stopped and turned to face her aga
ay before he touched it. Katheri
dropped out of sight a second tin
but was conscious of a touch of So
~ donic mirth in Belknap's voice VIII
he spoke; she could picture that woI
ish smile of his which she had
doubt he was employing.
81 wonder if by any chance you a
No jealous of the beautiful Katherine
nv he said.
7p L might be jealous for her. w
the quick retort from Roberta. "If
thought that you so much as"
TOUCHED he interrupted a
to laughed. Rest easy, my lady Of t
10 claWs-and-teeth. The charming cha
elaine of inquest does not tempt n
It's her money that I want, not h
exquisite self. One or two Of h
4nxxralo ~n~A H. L -