Evening star., 1923-11-12

this man nor any other will live to
got you. His life is snap of my
hngers-so is any other life. It's
you 1 want. and you / will have. And
I'll tame you! Then I'll show you
what love is"
She was moaning now little to
herself. She crept to John Bruce and
stared into his face. Dying! They
were letting this man die. She tried
to readjust the cloths upon the
at her again. 1t seemed as though
her soul was sinking into some great
bottomless abyss that was black with
horror. She did not know this John
Bruce. She had told DR.. Crang so.
1t was useless to repeat it-useless
to argue with drug-steeped brain.
There was only one thing that was
absolute and final, and that was that
mans life was ebbing away and a
fiend, an inhuman flend who could
not touch, stood callously by. not
wholly indifferent, rather gloating
over what took the form of triumph
in his diseased mind. And then sud-
denly she seemed so tired and weary.
And she tried to pray to God. And
tears came. and on her knees she
turned and flung out her arms i'm
ploringly to the unkempt figure that
stood over her. and who smiled as
no other man she had ever seen had
For the pity of God. for anything
you have ever known in your life
that was pure and sacred" she said
brokenly. "save this man."
He looked at her for a moment.
still with that sardonic smile upon
his lips. and then, swift in its transit
ton. his expression changed and cum
ming was in his eyes.
What would you give?" he purred.
"Give?" She did not look up. She
II Il Af -a1f fef do
based the man the more. for it was
evidently money now. but her father
would supply that, She had only to
ask for it. What do you want?"
she :'yonTsa,t'@ asEsd esgsrlY saiS DR.. crang.
She looked up now. quickly.
startled; read the lurking triumph in
his eyes and, with sudden cry of
fear. turned away her head.
"My-myself" Her lips scarcely
Yes. my dear! Yourself--Claire"
Or. Crang shrugged his shoulders.
Edinburgh. London, Vienna. Paris
degrees from verywhere-ha. hal
and l a high-priced man? Well, then,
called mo in, That is my price-or
shall we call it fee? Promise to
marry me, Claire. and I'll save that
man"
Her face had lost all vestige of
COlOl. Sne SIOOu anu
hut it did not seem as though she
any longer had control over her
limbs. She did not seem able to move
them. They were numbed; her brain
was mercifully numbed-there was
only sense of impending horror,
without that horror taking concrete
form. A voice came to her as though
from some great distance:
Don't take too long to make up
YOUR mind. There isn't much time
now"
The words. the tone. the voice
ing swept uuon her. A faintness
unsteadily. but recovered herself.
Something made her look at the up :
turned face on the floor. She did not
know this man. He was nothing 10
her. why was he pleading with her
to pawn herself for him? What right
from her that he might live? Her
soul turned sick within her. II she
refused. this man would die. Death:
1t was very little thing compared
linked, fettered. bound to a drug
fiend, a coward. a foul thing. poten-
tial murderer, man only IN the
sense of physical form. who mad
butte until it had rotted away! Her
hands pressed to her temples fiercely
in torment Was this man to live or
die? In her hands was balanced
human life. 1t seemed as though she
must scream out in her anguish Of
soul, and then it seemed as though
che must fling herself unon the drug
rrazed being who had forced this
torture upon her-fing herself upon
him to batter and pommcl with her
fists at his face that smiled in hideous
contentment at her. What was she
to do? The choice was hers. To let
this man here die. or to accept
living death for herself-no worse
She drew her breath in sharp
". She was staring at the man on
the floor. His eyelids fiuttered and
her, ewes that did not seem to see.
for there was a vacant stare in them
and then suddenly recognition
crept into them and they lighted up.
full Of a strange, glad wonder. He
made an effort to speak. an effort.
hand to her--and then the eyes had
closed and he was unconscious again.
She turned slowly and faced DR..
Crang. o. -
doing" She formed the words with
3oh. YES, 1 do" he answered with
mockine deliberation. Il know that
If 1 can't get out one way. can an
other-and the way doesn't matter
God forgive you, then" she said
in a dead voice. for I never can or
will! II agree"
He took a step toward her.
you'll marry me?" His face was
fired with passion.
She retreated step.
Yes" she said.
He reached out for her with savage
eagerness.
"CIaire"' he cried. "Claire"
She pushed him. back with both
hands.
"Not YETI" she said. and tried to
steady her voice. There is another
side to the bargain The price is this
mans life. If he lives / will marry
YOU. and in that case, as you well
know, l can say nothing of what you
have done tonight. but il he dies. I
am not only free, but I will do my
utmost to make you criminally re-
sponsible for his DEATH
"Ah" DR.. Crang stared at her
His hands. still reaching out to touch
1her, trembled; his face was hectic,
hia eyes were alight again with
the man seemed transformed into an
other being.
He was on his knees beside John
Bruce. and had opened his handbag
in an instant, and in another he had
forced something from a vial between
John Bruce s lips. then an instrument
was IN his hands. The man Of a mo-
ment pe1ore was gone--one Sydney
Angus Crang, of many degrees pro-
fessional. deft immersed in his work,
had taken the others place. "More
water! An extra basinv he ordered
curtly. -
N