The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1922-09-13
The Probationer''
BY MAX MARGIN

/ 11SAe' OoifOu SroW10u.
Inc captain turned from his suboS~
| dinate with a gesture of impatience
| show them the way OUT he order
| ed.
| ''Of course. there is only one thing
left to do West announced. at Is
| a. disagreeable duty
| West looked inquiringly at Carroll.
THE order was to arrest her on
! sight" the detective snarled.
| That was a long time ago." COM
mented West.
But it stands to this day." insisted
| Carroll.
ut will stand three days longer"
Lake pleaded.
mo, it won't!" Carroll growled.
This is too big case for me to take
| any chances. She's got to come with
| me tonight"
The words reused in Lake Q resent
full fury that he could not suppress.
The very manner C the detective was
an irritation.
This is an outraged" he cried, "It
| IS not Justice. It is a crying shame
that this man Carroll, from a motive
| known only to himself should be per-
mitted to turn the merciful intent of
| the law into a. crushing tyrrany. Who
| gave him the right to perpetrate so
grave an injustice in the name of the
| law?'
She broke her PAROLE Carroll
snapped; 81 was asked to arrest her
| on sight. I've found her. I'll carry
out my orders. I'm not here to ar
| que l came to get Margaret Case
Mrs. Lake. And 1 want her right
| now"
II am powerless." Captain West
| declared in response to Lakes appeal
ing glances.
| Where is she?" demanded Carroll.
| caf hn,- Ie1 he
| The eyes of Captain West and Car
| roll followed him as he approached
| the door. He walked timidly, with
| hestitant steps, as if to Iengthen, even
! by short moments, the time of her
freedom.
mo price is too high-nothing you
| may ask will be refused, for three
days of grace" he suddenly flashed
1t was the last effort of a. drown
ing man to clutch the straw.
II don't bend that way Carroll
| retorted.
Lake permitted the door to swing
free on its hinges. The darkness of
OF the room was dispelled by a shaft
OF light that flowed from the sitting
room He stood as though he had
been suddenly petrified
The detective moved in to position
before the open door. Lake turned
around, his eyes protruding, his lower
lip pendant.
''She's gone" he said
Carroll sprang forward and brush
ed past the amazed husband. He
pressed a button, flooding the bou-
doir with glare.
she slipped through the door
there" Carroll said, pointing to a |
panel set with a long mirror. With
qu1sk twist, he turned the catch
and found himself in the narrow pas
Inn
-Four short strides brought him to
the end of the passageway, and the
next instant the door banged behind
him.
Lake sank Imply into chair his
head buried in his hands. In his be-
wilderment he didn't hear the pound
ing on the door. Not until the can
tain had opened it and Carroll burst
into the room did he look up
Come and help mel" Carroll cried. |
Come and help me carry her back,
She's lying on the rear stairs-the
servants stairs Come on, will you?
Hunry-she's lying there. two flights
below"
Lake lifted himself painfully and
lurched forward.
He saw the officers lift his wife's |
inert form and carry it back to the
apartment. They stretched her on a |
sofa, where the light from the dus-
tered bulbs fell directly on her face. |
her color was like a thick, chalky |
paste Her muscles were relaxed Civ
Ing her features a strange, peaceful |
aspect.
you've bounded her to DEATH"
Lake groaned.
West bent over the seemingly life
less body.
"She amt dead" he pronounced.
Just tainted
Il
the sofa, trying by such methods as
occurred to him to restore her to
consciousness, while West teIephoned
for the physician whose name he had
obtained from Lake
once Mrs Lake opened her eyes
while they waited for the doctor, and
her lips moved in an effort to speak.
But she reIapsed into unconscious
ness before she was able to utter n
sound
when the doctor arrived he ordered
her to bed. He remained with her
half an hour, but it seemed months
TO the anxious husband
shes conscious now" the physi-
clan finally said, "but hey condition
is serious. She must not be allowed
to leave her bed without my permits
SON.
Carroll and West disguised the
situation in subdued tones in a corner
or the room.
The doctor retired, after giving
directions as to the care of the pa
tient.
she must be kept perfectly quiet"
he admonished. mo excitement of
any kind"
of course, we cannot Override the
orders of the DOCTOR" West told Lake.
. we oont want to excite her or re-
tara her~recovery. But I must insist
that carroll be permitted to remain
here"
Lake assented. In his wIfe,s coll
lapse he found a hope thst steadied
him.
Sapta1n,' he said, sit may not be
TOO late to save her from the humilia-
llon that seemed inevitable only a
lew minutes ago. Every resource viii
.pe utlilzed to lay the facts speedily
before the Governor. simnlv AL,
now that we ha ..a.,xs ~ !,