The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-04-19

out of the way of the passers-py they | met. She watched him narrowly as | they went along. What was he
 afraid of? Recognition7 It pug | zled her for a time, and then she un- 1 derstood. It was not fear of recogni- ! tion; the sullen, almost beIligerent l stare with which he met the eyes of
 those with whom he came into close
 contact be1ied that. The man was
 morbidly. abnormally sensitive of his deformity.
 They turned at last into one of the East Side cross streets. and her guide halted finally on a corner in front of a little shop that was closed and dark. She stared curiously as the man unlocked the door. Perhaps. after all, she had been woefulIy mis- taken. It did not look at all the kind of place where crimes that ran the gamut of the decalogue were matched, at all the sort of place that was the council chamber Of perhaps the most cunning, certainly the most cold-blooded and unscruplous, band of crooks that New York had ever harbored. And yet why not? Wasn't there the essence of cunning in that very fact? Who would sus- pect anything of sthe sort from a ramshackle, two-story little house like this, whose front was a woe-begone little store, the proceeds of which might just barely keep the body and soul of it's proprietor together?
 The man fumbled with the lock. There was not a single light showing from the place, but in the dwindhng rays of a distant street lamp sne could see the meager window display through the filthy, unwashed panes. It was evidently a cheap and tawdry notion store, well suited to it's locality. There were toys of the cheapest va riety, stationery of the same grade, cheap pipes, cigarettes, tobacco, can- dy-a package of needles.
 "Go on in!" grunted the man, as he pushed the door-which seemed to shriek out unduly' on its hinges wide open. eff anybody sees the door open, they'll be around want ing to buy a paper of pins-curse 'em!-and I ain't open tonight. He snarled as he shut and locked the door. Pierre says you're grouch- ing about your garret. How about me, and this job? You get out of yours tonight for keeps. What about me? l can't do anything but act as a damned blind for the rest of you with this fool store. just because was born a freak that every gutter snipe on the street yells att"
 Rhoda Gray did not answer
 Well, go on!' snapped the man. What are you standing there for? One would think you'd never been here before!"
 Go oni Where? She had not the faintest idea. It was quite dark inside here in the ship. She could | barely make out the outline of the | others figure.
 You're in sweet temper tonight, | aren't you?" she said tartly. "Go | on, yourself! I'm waiting for you to | get through your speech"
 He moved brusquely past her, with | an angry grunt.
 Rhoda Gray followed him. They passed along a short, narrow space, | evidently between a low counter and a shelved wall, and then the man opened a door, and, shutting it again behind them, moveA forward once more. She could scarcely see him at all now; it was more the sound of his footsteps than anything else that guided her. And then suddenly another door was opened, and a soft, yellow light streamed out through the doorway, and she found that she was standing in an intervening room be- tween the shop and the room ahead of her. She felt her pulse quicken, and it seemed as though her heart began to thump almost audibly, Danglari She could see Danglar seated at a table in there. She clenched her hands under her shawl. | She would need all her wits now. She prayed that there was not too much light in that room wonder.
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