Evening star., 1923-11-12

that, Who drove your:
Hawkins"
Drunk as usual, I suppose! Brain
too fuddled to ask questions"
That's not true she cried out
sharply. Hawkins hasn't touched a
drop for a year"
IAN right snapped DR.. Crang.
.'Have it tnat way, then! Being in his
dotage, he makes good blind even
sober. And so you went for httlc
ride with Mr.. John Bruce tonight:
Claire VeniZa was wringinS her hands
as she glanced in agony OF appreheh-
sion at the wounded man on the floor.
yes" she said; 'but-bnt won
"And where did you first meet Mr..
John Bruce, and how long ago. he
jerked out. ,,, o,-as
WHY, I never saw him in my HE
until tonight she exclaimed. A.!o
he wasn't in the car ten minutes. nav
kins drove back to the corner JUST as ne
aiurayrs does with father. and Mr.. Bruce
got out. Then Hawkins drove me NUM-
and went uptown to get latAer.
wish they were here now!
DR. Crang was gritting his tteta 70
rether A slight unnatural color was
tinging his cheeks. He moved J" niue
closer to the girl.
.I'na glad to hear you never saw NV.
Bruce before" he said cunninelE. 80 ou
must have travelled fast then-meta-
phorically speaking. Love at hrSt sISnI'
eh? A cooling exchange OF confldTnctS;-
or was it all one side? You toid hll,'
who you were, and where you hVed'
II did nothing of the kind" Claire
veniza interrupted angrily. Il did not
tell him anythirS" -,
coJgs, Just T5ric{!y br Gyang eGGS movsd Step step still
nearer to the girl. "ln that case ne
must have pawned something. and as
Layergne sends nothing but high-prlceo
articles to your father, we shall prooh Gr
bly find quite a sum of money IN ME-.
Bruce's pockets. Eh-Claire?
She bit her lip. She still did not quite
understand-cniy that she bitterly re,
GREETED now, somehow, that sne hau
person; only that the drug -crazedi brain
of the man in front of her was digging
had dug, trap into whlcn sne Wa
falling. What answer was she u
make? What was she to
With A sudden cry she shrank back
hut too late to save herself race
alight with passion was close TO ncr.
now; hands that. clamped like sieG. zee
wise, and that hurt, were upon hei
shoulder and throat.
You lie!" DR.. Crang shouted hoarse
". you've lied from the minute j
came into this room. John Bruce
huh! ! know now why you nave ta da a'waf5 vain
me. That's WHY He loosened one
hand and pointed to the figure on the
floor.
"How long has this been going. on
How long have you been meeting him
Tonight is nothing, though you worked
il well. Hawkins to take you Tor a
little joy ride with your lover, while while
fathers away. Damned clever; You You
left him on that corner-and he's here
wounded. How did he get wounded
You never saw him before! You never
heard of him, You told HIM nothing
about yourself! He didn't know where
YOU lived--he could only find the private
entrance! Just know enough about you
to climb in through your back WINDOW
like a skewered dog! But. OF course
your story is true, because in his pocK-
cts will be the money you gave him Tor
what he pawned! Shall we look and
see how much II was?'
She tore herself free and caught at
her throat. gasping for breath. .No.
YOU needn't look, 1 took it from him,
and put it in the safe over there before
you came-to keep it away from you::
DIR. Crang swept a hand across MS
eyes and through his hair with savage
ierky movement. and then he laughed
immoderately.
then, two can play at the same game:
I lied to you about your lover there. l
said there was nothing could save him.
Yes, yes, Claire, my dear. lied. he
knelt suddenly. and suddenly intent
and professionally studied John Bruce
face. and felt again for the .t.n pulse rear Deal
the limit" he stated coolly. IN IN
ternaI bleeding" He threw back his
shoulders in Il strangely eSotlstlcal
way. Not many men could do any
r Sxydr
could. Ha, ha! In ten minutes he
could be on the road to, recovery
hut ten minutes otherwise is exactly
the length of time he has has TO d i've q,
him. Her mind. reeled with chaos
with terror and dismay.
Then do something" she 1mpioreo
wildly. IF you can can,;;7, save him. 90 II
why should I?' he demanded. HIS
teeth were clamped hard together
why should / save your lover? No
damn him.
She drew away from him and, sud
denly on her knees, buried her face
in her hands and burst into sobs: -,
"This-this is terrible-terrible.
she. cried out. Has that frlghtfu
Lutte fend? Are you no. longer even
human?"
Flushed, a curious look of hunger
In his eyes. he gazed at her.
u6NlllSHtS AL SoiiIo iC-
spects" His voice rose. out of con.
troll II want you! I have wanted
YOU from the day l saw you
She shivered. Her hands felt sud.
denly icy as she pressed them against
Thank God, then" she breathed
for this, at, least--that you will
never get men
Wont II" His voice rose higher
trembling with passion. Wont I
By God, 1 Will The one thing in life
! will have some way or another
You understand? I will. And dc
YOU think / would let him stand ir
the way? You drive me mad, Claire
with those wonderful eyes Of yours
with that hair. those lips, that
stop She was on her feet and
in an instant had reached him, and
with her hands upon his shoulders
was shaking him fiercely with al
her strength. II hated you, despised
YOU, loathed you before. but with
mat man dying here. you murderer
Her voice trailed off, strangled
choked. He had caught her in his
arms. his lips were upon her. She
struggled like tigreSs. And as they
lurched about the room he laughed
in mad abandon. She wrenched her
self free at last and slipped and fell
upon the floor.
Do yon believe me now?" he