Evening star., 1923-04-01

self. of course, but freedom, too. for
the monster. Across the aisle un-
suspecting passengers were settling
themselves comfortably. Humanity!
And the thing shackled to his wrist
| was but biding its time to prey upon
it,
For the law itself Maynard felt
contempt He had broken IL. But for
| those simpler laws which went down
into the origin of mans being. the
laws which proclaimed: Thou shalt
not kill" he was conscious of intui-
tive respect. He had never thought
much about them. 1t had never oc-
Cured to him that he might one day
be brought into conflict with them.
Yet chance had placed it in his power
to kill just as surely as If his own
hand welded the weapon. If he lib
Grated the thing that -tugged sugges-
lively at his wrist, and If the In
evitable happened. would he not be
equally guilty? Would he not be
more guilty? His was the intelli-
gence to foresee.| Would not the re-
sponsibility be his?
The train was carrying him back
to the place from which he had fed.
Il was reducing at the rate of forty
to fifty miles an hour the precious
miles between himself and his pur-
suers. Chance had undone the nearly
fatal consequences of his first blum
der; was he TO blunder second time?
"Now breathed Maynard. mo"
He must accomplish the impossible,
the prisoner must be delivered to the
authorities and he must make good
his own escape.
But 1t suddenly came to Maynard
that his prisoner might be as quick
witted as himself. He glanced into
the crafty eyes. The look that he re-
ceived in return was almost friendly.
AS the train slowed down and slith-
cred to a halt at q station Toselli rose
nonchalantly, and jerked his head In
eloquent suggestion that they alight
here. With violence of which ne
would have thought himself tncapa-
BILE, Maynard leaped at his prisoner
and flung him back into his seat. HAD
| the man read his thoughts! Here
Maynard had hoped the two might
leave the train: here, undisturbed by
prying eyes, he had hoped to turn the
| key in the lock. Yet, single glance
| through the window at the pretty III
| tie cottages, the orderly white street,
had totally unnerved him. 1t was for
him to say whether tragedy and death
were to be loosed upon the unsuspect-
ing community. Liberty, absence or
restraint, the right to come and go as
! one pleased-what was it all worth II
1t meant that he could never again
take up a newspaper without dread
Hing the news it might bring him? From
his human pursuers he might make
himself secure; but the news or the
revolving deed for which he might
make himself responsible would pur-
sue him to the very end of the world!
His prisoner sat hunched together
at his side, drilling him through with
| malignant eyes. He had not spoken
vet. 1t was not necessary. The eyes
| smoke volumes. Here was bewilder-
| ment turned to suspicion, and sus-
picion turned to certainty, and GER
tainty turned again to suspicion. and
suspicion swollen into soul-scorching'
soul-blistering hate.
The momentary struggle between
the men had attracted the attention
] of other passengers. AS the train
started, an inquisitive travelling seles-
man rose and came nearer to inspect
the prisoner.
whats he done?" he asked, ge-
nially.
| Murder" answered Maynard, shortly.
| The travelling salesman moved away
abruptly.
! Maynard, watching out of the cor
| ner of his eye, saw him imparting his
knowledge to other passengers.
| mo, there's no danger" he could
hear him saying; hes got him hand
cuffed."
| Quite unconsciouslyM Maynard squared
his shoulders. Maynard. the fugitive
from society's justice. become May
nard, the protector of society!
X y
PRESENTLY nervous travellers in
/ groups of two and three, found
| pretexts to wander to his end of the
| car, there TO favor the two men with
an impartial scrutiny.