Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-02-27

tn ,srhnce ehhance 70 pawn SOME valuabies.
iI, t,fui sirl. Trailing her taxiesb. he gets gets
tn1o srs' e., srnwi Gn with some excited foreign.
cab: She calls in Or. Crnng, q briliisnt
WIZ Psi Ssr dESs shs rSaSi rsnS;oS whS is T.
tan9ss:; 70 ,n.r., BY! 70 save Bruce's life agrees
AND HERE IT CONTINUES
CLA1RE vENIzA obeyed him in q
mechanical way. Her brain was
numbed. exhausted. possessed Of n great
weariness. She watched him for little
while. lie flung another order ut her.
Make that couch up into bed
he directed. "Ho can't be moved even
upstairs tonight"
Again she obcycd him: finally she
helped him to lift John Bruce to TIE
couch.
She sat down in n chair and waited
she did not know what for. Ut.
Crang had drawn another chair to the
couch and sat there watching MS
patient. John Bruce, as far as she
could tell. showed no sign Of life.
Then DR.. Crang's voice seemed to
float out of nothingness:
He will live, Claire, my dear! By
God, I'd like to have done that piece
Of work in a clinic. Some OF en-,
would sit up! Dye hear, Claire, he'll
livc"'
She was conscious that he was
studying her; she did not look at him.
nor did she answer.
An eternity seemed to pass. She
heard motor stop outside in front
Of the house. That would be her
father and Hawkins.
The front door opened md closed,
footsteps entered the room-and sud.
denly seemed to quicken and hurry tor
ward. She rose from her chair.
What's this? What's the matter!
What's happened?" tall, white
haired man cried out.
1t was DR.. Crang who answered.
"Oh-this. Mr.. Veniza?' lie waved
his hand indifferently toward the
couch. Nothing of any Importance" "
He shrugged his shoulders in cool i'm.
perturbability, and smiled into the
grave, serious face of Paul Neniza.
THE really important thing is that
Claire has promised TO be my wife.
For an instant no one moved or
sppkc-only DR.. Crang still smiled.
And then the silence was broken by a
curious half laugh, half curse that was
full OF menace.
you lis!" Hawkins, the round,
red faced chauffeur, had stepped from
Dr. Crans. you lie: You ua,nneo
coke eater! Id kill you first."
Drunk again. y drawlcu DR..
Crang contemptuously. And what
have you to do with it?'
STEADY, Hawkins" counscled Paul
Veniza quietly. He turned to Claire
Vcniza. Claire" he asked, 'is--is
this true?"
She nodded-and suddenly, bllndly,
started toward the door.
ut is true" she said.
"Clalre!" Paul Veniza stepped
after her. "Clairc. you------'
mot tonight, father" she said In a
low voice. "Plcase let me Co."
FIe stood aside allowing her to pass,
his face grave and anxious-and then
he turned again to DR.. Crang.
"She Is naturally very upset over
what has happened here" said DR..
Crang easily-and suddenly reaching
out Grasped Hawkins arm, and pulled
the Odd man forward to the couch.
"Herc, you!' he jerked out. you've
got so much TO say for yourself-take
a look at this felow.''
The old chauffeur bent over the
couch.
"My God" he cried out in n star
tied way. ITS the man wc--l-drove
tonight"
Quite So" observed DR.. Crang. He
smiled at Paul Neniza again. Apart
from the fact that the fellow came in
through that window with knife stab
In his side that's pretty nearly done
for him, Hawkins knows as much
about it as either Claire or do. He's
in bad shape. Extremely serious. I
will stay with him tonight. He can.
not be moved" He nodded sugges-
lively toward the door Hawkins can
tell you as much as I can. It's got
to be quiet in here. AS for Claire
he seemed suddenly to be greatly dis
turbed and occupied with the condition
Of the wounded man on the couch
that will have to wait until morning.
This mans condition is critical. /
butt" Again he nodded toward the
door.
For moment Paul Veniza hesi =
ta,cd.--but DR.. Crang's bhch was al-
ready turned, and he was bending over
the wounded man, apparently ob!ivious
of every other consideration. lie mo =
toned to Hawkins, and the two left
the room.
DR.. Crang looked around over his
shoulder as the door closed. A ma
licious grin spread over his face. lie
rubbed his hands together. Then he
sat down in his chair again, and be-
gun to prepare II solution for his hy-
podermic syringe.
eyes. yes said DR.. Crang softly,
addressing the unconscious form OF
John Bruce, "younl live. oil right,
my friend. IN see to that. though the
odds are still against you. You're too
ha, ha valuable to die You played
in luck when You drew Sydney Angus
Crang. NJ. D., Ms your attending ply
sician.'
And then DR.. Sydney Angus Crang
made n little gr!mace as he pune :
tured the flesh OF his arm with tho
needle Of the hypodermic syringe and
injected into himself another dose of
cocaine.
"Yes," said Dr.. Sydney Angus
Crang very softly. his eyes lighting.
"too valuable, much too valuab.c-to
die"
CHAPTER
IIawiiinS
In the outer room, the door closed
,chind them, Paul Ncniza and IInw
kins stared into each others eyes.