Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-01-20
BY FRANK L. PACKARD
Author Of THE MIRACLE MAN"
Copvioht feas. bv Pubic Ledoer Com part

There aren't very many OF those
! ten minutes left, Bookie," said Dave
Henderson coTdly. But IL you got In
lucky shot ot---l,ookic---you'd still have
time to get away from here. And there's
the money there, too--you could take
| that with you.n
The man seemed near collapse. Great
beads from his fol ehead ran down and
over the sagging jowls. He moaned a
little, and stared at the revolver that
lay upon the desk, and reached out his
.hapd toward the weapon, and drew his
/ hand back again. He looked ngain nt
! the revolver that covered him. He
seemed to read something irrevocsble
and remorseless In both Slowly, his
mouth working. his face muscles twitch
ing, he reached again to the desk, and
pulled the revolver TO him and then,
| his arm falling nervelessly, be held the
weapon dangling at his side.
Dave Henderson, revolver was
lowered until It pointed to the floor.
wien You lift your hand, Booktc
It's the signal" he said In n mono
tone.
Bookie skarvsn's knees seemed to
bend and sag n little more-therc waH
no other movement.
| ~ "n'hpk' harh baNe TcHucr
son and pulled the trigger Of his rel
volvcr to put shot into the floor.
There was the click of the falling
hammer-no more. A grim smile played
across Dave Henderson lips. II. wns
on well, perhaps, that he had tried IN
that way to etartlc, to frishten, this
| terrified. spincleSs cur who stnod there
into action! The cartridge that he he'd
depended unpn' for his life had missed
, IRE! He pulled the trigger again. The
hammer clicked. He pulled again--hi.
! eyes never leaving Bookie SEsrvan'
face. The hammer clicked.
For the fraction of second the room
seemed blurred to Dave Henderson. The
chambers OF his revolver we're empty
His brain seemed to sicken, and then Ia
recover itself, and leap into fierce, viz.
! ilc activity. lie was at the rucrcy oi
that crtbging hound there-if the other
tut knew IL. II seemed as though MI
the devils Of hell shrieked at him in
unholy mirth. II lie moved O etcp for-
ward to rush, to close with the other
the very paroxysm of fear that possessed
| Bcokie Skarvan would ;nStinctlvely in
cite the mnn to fire. There was ono
woY, only one way--the electric light
switch behind him. If he could reocl
that without Bookie Skarvan realiziup
| the truth. there would be the darkness
and his bare hands. We'll he asked
no more than that--cnly that Bookit
Skarvan did not get away. His bare
hands were enough.
He moved back single step, ~
though shifting bis position, his fac'
impassive, watching the dangling
weapon In the Others sbaky hand
watching the other working lins. Tb,
chamber Of his revolver was empty
How? When? 1t had been fully loadec
when he lSy down on the bel. Yey
Ne remembered! II was queer that i
had twisted like that in his sleep. Dag,
George! II came in a lightning flasl
of intuition. Dago George, cautious
. excite no suspicion, hsd been equall,
cautious to draw, has, Dave Hcnder'
cons, teeth
He edged back another stcp-ant
stopped, as though rooted to the spot
Bookie Skarvan, that dangling revolve
in the other 8 haud, his own peril, ull
everything that but an instant before
had obsesscd his mind, was hlottcd Ou
from his cougciousness as though it haC
never existed. That huddled form, tha
murdered man OF the floor bcniIC
Iiookie Skarvan. that he could gee owe
Bootie Skarvsn 6 shoulder. had RAISED
! his hand In swift, sudden movement
and bad thrust II under the mattress q
the head OF the bed, and had Gnatcl.e,
cut a revolver.
It was quick, quick as thought. ouicl
us the winking Of an eye. \ shout .
warning rose to Dave Henderson, lip
and was drowned in the report of iii,
revolver shot, deafeniny, racketinG. II
the confined space. And. as thougl
thrown into relief by the fash and tin
! tongue flame OF the revolver. q pictur,
seened 70 scar itself into Dave Hen,
dcrson's brain: The upfung arms O
Bookio Skarvan, the CHASTITY surpris
on the sweat beaded face, the fat bod,
spinning grotesqucly like a run -dowt
I top-aud pitching forward TO the floor
And through the lifting smoke. Nrothc
! fare-Dago Georges face, working
livid, blood. smlrched, full Of ilcmonla
cal triumph. And then a surglins pea
OF laughter.
! Yes, aud you, too Con amore =
! gureed nago George. "Iou. too -
The man uas on his knees now
lurching there. the revolver swayin
weakly, trying 70 draw It's bead now OF
him, Dave Henderson. He moved will
!