Evening star., 1923-11-25
CONTINUED from Yesterdays Star)

" stairs" Mrs. Hedges stared
incredulously. That's very
stranger She turned and
ran back into her room and to a rear
window Look, Miss Claire: Come
here, You can see" And as Claire
ioined her: "The door of the shed, or
the eradge as he calls it, is open,
and YOU can see for yourself it's
I empty. If he's upstairs what could
he have done with the car: 1t aint
out in front Of the house, is 1t, and
OH" She caught Claire's arm anxious
Ilv There's been an accident, you
mean, and he's
| Il am sure he never left the house"
said Claire, and her voice In It's COM
| posed finality sounded strange even
| in her own ears. She was thoroueh-
| ly frightened now, and her Tears were
! he ginning to take concrete 1or1n'
! There were not many who would nave
| any use for that queer old car lnat
| was SO intimately assoclteed VIII
Hawkins. She could think OF only
one-and Of only one, one reason cas- come
| pulled at Mrs. Hedges arm ooiiie
/ upstairs" she said. :.
Mrs. Hedges reached the door oi
J Hawkins room first -io6
/ ooh heavens" Mrs. Hedges crieo
out. wildly. He amt dead, is he:
| NO" said Claire, in a stFaimep iet
to drink. Help me lift him on 'hs
II taxed the strength of the two
| women. ,Irs
! Hedges. fighting for her prea.h raid
| yes" said Claire; 4 am airaio
"Then wen get the police at once!
announced Mrs. Hedges.
| Claire looked at her for moment.
! NO" she said, slowly, shaking ne.
| head. You mustn't do that. lit
Come back Mrs. Hedges stared
| heluIessly 1T amt a cat. ou-
you amt quite yourself. are you. MISS MISS
| Claire? Poor dear, this has upset you
| 1t aln't a ft thing for young eyes
| like yours to see. Me-Tm used to II.
| II am quite myself" Claire forced
| \ calmness she was far from feeling
| into her voice You mustn't notify
| the police, or do a thing, except JUST
| look after Hawkins. Tits father
1 car. you know, and hell kho" oes'
Well. maybe that's So admitted
! DO YOU know who the men were
! who were here with Hawkins? Clare
asked.
No. 1 don't" Mrs, Hedges an, n .
:, devils coming here and getting HaW-
kins off like this. 1 just knew there
were some men up in his room VIII
| him because / heard them taiklng
| during the evening. and then WheI
heard them go out and get the car
J thought. of course. that Ha"hihs hao
| gone with them.
II see" said Claire. striving to
| speak naturally. I'LL go back to
| father now. ! can't leave him alone
! very long, anyhow. I'll tell him wna'
| has happened. and-and ne II d9oiue o
| what to do You'll look after Haw-
kins, won't you. Mrs. Hedges?'
| YOU run along. dear, said Mrs
Hedges. reassuringly. Who else but
me has looked after him these ten
years?"
!, claire ran from the room and down
/ the stairs and out to the street. me
! one thing left for her to do was tc
| reach home and get to the telephone
get the Bayne- -Miloy Hotel-and John
Bruce. Perhaps she was already toe
| late. She ran almost bl1ndiy aiohs
I! the street Her intuition, the forebou-
ing that had obsessed her so heavily
! ali evening was only too likely now
| to prove itself far from groundless'
What object, save one, could any
body haze in obtaining possession OF
the travelling pawn shop, ana at the
/ same time Oh Keeping nav MUS sN4i+
porarily out of the road?
II had never seemed so far-Just
! that little half block and half way
| along another. 1t seemed as thousn
| she had been an hour in coming that
] little way when she finally reached
her home. Her breath coming III nara
| short gasps. she opened the door,
/ closed it and. with no thought put
one in her mind. ran across the room
| To the telephone. She remembered
! the number of the Bayne-M Miloy- she
snatched the telephone receiver from
the hook-and then. as thousn iea !
arm had suddenly become incapa bic
| of further movement. the receiver
i remained poised half way to her ear.
! DIR. Crang was leaning over the
i banister and looking down at her.
I With a stifed little cry, Claire re-
placed the receiver.
| Paul veniza's voice reached her from
above.
/; yes, father she answered.
| DR., Crang came down the stairs.
! II Just dropped in a minute ago
not professionally''-as snarl crept into
his voice-'for I have never been in
| formed that your father was ILL.,
Claire did not look up.
Tit wasn't serious, she said:
/ "so." Crang smiled little wicked
". II wonder where you get the gam
bling spirit from? One of these days
you'll find out how serious these at
tacks are," He took step forward.
Your father tells me you have been
over to Hawkins room"
There was a curious hint of both
challenge and perverted humor in his
voice. 1t set at rest any lingering
doubt Claire might have had.
Yes" she said. and faced him now.
her eyes, hard and steady. fixed on his.
! poor Hawkins" sighed DR.. Crang.
hos of he a
our vices. 1t should teach US to be
tolerant with others.
Claire's little form was rigidly erect.
Il wonder if you know how much ]
hate you?" she said, in tense, row
voice. :,
| savage. hungry look came into
CRANES eyes. But you're mine, for
ali that. Mine. Claire! Mine! You
understand that. eh?'
He advanced toward her. The door
of the inner room, that for weeks, un-
til a few days ago. had been occupied
by John Bruce. was just behind her.
and she retreated through 1t. He fol-
lowed her. She did not want to cry
out-the sound would reach the sick
room above, and, besides, she dared
not show the man that she had any
"Dont' follow me like that" she
breathed, flercely.
why not?" he retorted, as he
switched on the light and closed the
door. 'Ive got the right to. even II
/ hadn't something that I came over
here particularly tonight to tell you
about-quite privately"
i She had put the table between them.
That he made no effort to come nearer
TOURS
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