Evening star., 1923-02-18

from his wagon. 4 few PAGES behind
TINS a snort. stout man OF middle age,
clad in stained and wrinkled gray
suit, was cranking "a weather-beaten
automobile. At the corner below two
boys were hawking morning news
papers.
These persons and objects failed to
excite even casual interest in RennI-
sons mind, however. and his gaze
passed over them quickly. With
rather more care he scanned several
persons who were standing still. He
looked speculativeiy at three men
! front of tobacco shop. then his gaze
wandered TO a loutish- looking fellow
who was leaning against an electric
Light pole. little farther to the
r.snt. however. he saw face that at
/ the face Of q negro.
The eyes of the negro were turned
toward II c window at which Renni-
son was sanding. The man, who ap-
peared to be about thirty years old,
was little above medium height. He
| was clad In suit OF blue serge and
also wore blue-striped shirt, a green
necktfe. high white collar and a
Panama hat. For a couple of seconds.
! skinned lounger met that of the Army
lean fairly, then it fell to the roao-
way.
/ AS the negro turned and moved in
SlOucil.HS Bdll toward tne corner
! below. 1t occurred to Rennison that
! somewhere, in the last three or four
weeks he had seen the man before.
He still was trying to identify him
when. after a few steps, the fellow
half turned and looked over one OF
Ils shoulders. Again his gaze met that
| of Rennison
You're a bad actor. my dusky friend"
! the Army man muttered. That first
/ look you had at me should have served
Shn IoI hnnn
| enough for You to know j was up and
! stirring and was sizing up the situation
| on the street. That's going to be the
substance of your report to the chap
| you are going to meet around the COR
ner. Then he'll make a signal or two
to associates on the street and tele-
| phone messages will warn other con-
! federates inside this hotel TO be on
| tlitir guard-'est get away unseen.
That's all right-as far as it goes. But
you should not have turned to take
that second squint at me. know you
now. You used to be waiter at the
! Cicister Club. Well. get them all guess
ing. 1t will do them good
The negro had disappeared around
the corner by this time, and again the
gaze of Rennison began to wander. 1t
| halted at the wide glass window of a
cheap restaurant opposite. Through
this he saw two men sitting at table.
The eyes of both we're upon him. His
observation Of them appeared 70 be
little more than momentary. but the
brief period was enough to enable him
to make a mental photograph of each
Only amateur detectives would look
like that at a man they were shadow
ing he reflected disgustediy. Well,
We have the description of three, at
least, OF the Brotherhood men who are
to be trailed by our boys today
Dropping the curtain he had held
aside, he left the window and returned
to his chair beside the table. After
Teseating himself, he took a memoranda
book from one Of his pockets and jot-
he had taken TO be Brotherhood watch
ers. AS he returned the book to his
pocket. his glance fell again on the re-
cumbent figure of Miriam Warburton
and there was little doubt that the
actress. completely exhausted by the
long ordeal through which she had
passed, was sleeping.
My wife. eh!' he muttered. And
while she sleeps here, in my hotel room,
| watching over her am the only pro-
tector she has in the whole. wide world"
A strange feeling of depression came
over MIN; The light in his pipe went
minutes went by. he sat, leaning for
ward, with his elbows on his knees and
his chin resting on one of his hands.
AT length the sleeper stirred. low
cry issued from her lips. then, with
quick movements. she rose to her ell
bow, and. Glancing at him over one of
her shoulders, turned toward him a
blanched face and wide. terrified eyes
Rennison rose and stepped toward her
The terror on her features gave place
to an expression of wonder =
fou-you are here?" she faltered
What did Hayden mean when-oh. 1t
Was--Was just a dream, of course
She was breathing heavily. and Rem
nison placed an arm around her to aid
her In her attempt to sit up
You have been dreaming?" he ask
ed, gently.
Yes" she murmured. II thought
heard the sound of struggling in an
other room. Then. it seemed to me,
Hayden came to me and told me you
had been killed-that he knew l had
deceived him, and that as result of
my baseness to him ]. too, would have
to die. But Hayden has not been
here?'
NO. dear, he has not been here"
Rennison answered. patting her head as
If she were a child.
pened?'
Nothing
Reassured, she sighed and grasped
one Of his hands.
1T is good to know" she began.
and stopped
What is the knowledge that makes
you glad?' he asked, as she continued
silent.
TT is good to know that you are
with me-that you believe in me
that you are my friend" she Vent
on abstractedly. Il have known of
you for long. Ions time. 1 always
thought. though, you were man to
COULD be kind-like this" 0
My friends would tell you that I
am not a hard man." Rennison pro-
tested chidingly. THE work l have
to do is not of my own choosing. If
"Ah. you are more fortunate than
], then-if you have friends" she
sighed. Il have none. For years
Did you not tell me 1 was one of
sleep?"
"Yes-yes, told you that, for last
night you laid bare my soul, and
after you saw it you said you still
believed in me-"
You believe I did not mean to kill
poor, Channing?'
Il believe you did not mean to do
And that have not been a bad
y am certain you are a good
Slipping her hands over his shoul-
ders, she clasped them back of his
neck ~
Something may happen-some-
thing may take you from me before
wake" she whispered. '"Sfnce we
met YOU have not looked at me the
way other men have done You have
been stern, kindly and then. stern
again-like a brother who corrects
his sisters faults. Perhaps the cir
cumstances in which you found me
made you that way. But am trying
TO think differently. Instead Of treat
ing me like a criminal when you
found had done wrong-that I had
been led into error-you made me,