Evening star., 1923-06-23
t,sontinued from Yesterdays Star,
Planning an Efopement

N<OulIIActl IEOu1 xcStST0&S . $500
Planning an Efopement
There was some sort of tele'1ath1,
or some subconscious inapulsA tha,
made Anita Austin open her bedroom
door In response 10 hght tap. sl-
though she had resolved to talk tic
nobody just then.
But when she saw Gord1,n Look
wood She was glad she had. and,
without waiting for an invitation, he
stepped inside the room. and closed
the door.
He looked att her with q face full
OF compassion and love, but he spoke
an one who must attend to an ims-
"Anita." he said. speaking very
low, the crisis has q ome. they nave
learned of the chg ok DR.. Warns
gave you that night and 1t IL the
last straw. Stone II, already. think,
convinced of your guilt, and thaf
Young chap, McGuYre, will get at the
bottom of everything Tn sure"
.H What a,,j you Slans msan look n,ss on
her face. .,
Don't equivocnte with me. dear"
Lockw ood laid his hand gently on
hers There's no time now to tell
~
Now, we can only assume that 1t Is
all told. that. we are engaged. ana
that we are to be married at once.
We % are going to- elape, anita Anti hu. her
eyes grew soft and her pale cheeks
flushed. What do you mean?
1T isn't q pretty word" Gordon
smiled, pvt it's the only thing 70 90,
H arrested. ted II Il ySS yoa ssoy ga: "s GO with YOU,
So-we tRith go, and that makes 1t a q
elopeme0t"
But, Gordon
quest'Sn-do you love me?.
~ As," with an adorable upward
glarIce and smile.
More than you loved DR.. Warirs?"
ri inscrutable face was desperately
Eager. and his deep eyes showed
smoldering passon. He held her by
the shoulders, he looked steadily at
her awaiting her answer.
YES" she said, at last, her lovely
That's ali I want to know" he
whispered. triumphantly, as he kissed
the scarlet lips and drew the slender
form into his embrace
You must know mo re" she be-
gan. "and-and can't tell you. Oh.
Gordon"
She hid her face on his broad shoul-
der. and ne gently s1roked her hair,
Don't tell me Anything now, dear
est Don't ever tell me, unless you
choose. And, anyway, I know 1t AL
know you had never known the doc
tor before, and IN tell you how
know. I found in his scrap basket a
note to YOU"
"A note to me:" Fresh terror
showed in the dark eyes.
saw IT. 1 burned it. But it sad.
Darling Anita. Since you. came ihto
my life, life Is worth livtng-or soAne-
thing like that
Some time on that fatal Sum lay. I
suppose after he met you IN thf after
noon and before you came thAt eve-
ming. Remember. sweetheart II ever
late visit to him. do so. Butt IL not I
shall never ask or expect You to. But
that's all in the future-out dear fu-
-ture, which we shall spend together
together Anita? Are you 81 ADJ
"Oh, so glad" and the soft arms
crept round his neck and Miss Mys-
terry gave him a kiss that thrilled his
very soul. Will YOU take care or me,
Gordon?"
'Take care of you, my little love!
Take care of you,' IS it? Just give me
the chance!"
ehsRss 7fsR lsRt tS have .ns RTssty fsss sss
reached up to his But" she
seemed suddenly TO recollect some
thing, about a dhecF didn't give
Lockwood laid a. hand over her
mouth
~IIush. dearest, Gnn't tall me things
that aren't-aren't So. saw the stub
out O thtoA to Anita AN an Aus I in tn and dated that
very Sunday. Now hush, as she be-
gan to speak. WI We NO time TO talk
these things over. / tell you the police
are no your track They will come here,
they win arrest ou-try to get that in
your head. l an. going to save YOU
first for your on N sweet sake' ana also
for my own"
But, GordorL wait a minute. Do you
believe killed. John Waring?"
Lockwood DGked at her.
Don't ask, me that. Anita. And,
it or not. J,now you have told false
night. I knd W of his letter to you, OF
the check an Of the ruby pin and the
msnsy tan You ed h% rhs2e ss aas s1e man nn9w
other theortf g possibfe-there's Nogt-
but. my da1f ing. it all makes no differ
ence. l loVe you. I want you, what
eyer the trsumstaness or eGndstioas ,naa 1as,
so that want you even IL You ara
a crimin' h7-for in that case 1 want to
portect sh5i save you. Now don't tsii
for. gave her a whimsical smile,
81 couldn't believe you in either case!
I've not imuch opinion of your ver1city.
and. too, it's too big a matter to talk
about n wv. OF course. I don't believe
you kill ed him. You, my little lovei
And YET the evidence Is SO overpower-
ing ttI t believe you did kill him!
There hows that for a platform? Now,
let ala those things be, and get ready
to co. away with me. 1 tell you wehe
goin to e1ope and mighty quickly, too.
T ns diff1culity is to get away unseen.
BuA it must be done. Pack q small
hf mdbas-a very small one. I'll plan
@ hr way out--and If we. can make a
fetaway under the noses Of Stone and
his boy wen soon be all right. I've
"a friend who will motor US to a nearby
has known and loved me from boy
hood, will marry u.s.
Doesn't he know about-about nne?"
my little girl. leave all the details
Of this thing to me. Don't bother your
lovely head about 1t. It will be all
right-trust me-if we can escape"
"Is II right for me to go? Oughtnr
I stay and-what do they call tt7 Give
"Anita, if didn't love you so. I'd
scold you, hard! Now. you obey your
future lord and master and get ready
for hurry-up wedding. Tm sorry
that you can't have bridesmaids and
choir boyA-but. you'll pardon me. I
know. Il I remind you that that Isn't
my fault
Miss Mystery looked UP and broke
into laughter. Truly. she was . uys-
terry! Her gayety was as spontaneous
and merry as II she had never heard Of
crime or tragedy.
Lockwood gaxod at her curiousfy. and
then nodded hts handsome head as he
said: you'll do, Anita! You'reha little