Evening star., 1923-11-28

insanely up and down. Killing the
| man. OF course. What an inane
thing TO say! Then he felt his hands
suddenly torn away from a hold they
had mad upon something. and he felt
himself pulled to his feet. And then
for little while he stood swayins
unsteadily. and he shuddered, then
ne groped his way over to the chair
oS the table and dropped into It,
! ,. ne stared In front of him. Some
.nlnS on the floor near the door gilt
| 'ereu and reflected the light from the
single. dim incandescent. He mrched
| up from the chair, and going toward
@ 1ne OBJECT, snatched it up. 1t was
lang reVolver-but Larmon was
upon him in an instant.
| man hoarsely.
| his eyes. mama az o9' >
no: not that way eitherr he re-
peated. like a child
| e re went back to the chair and sat
Wv wv II: ne was aware that Larmon
was Kneeling beside the mattress, but
ne PAID no attention to the other.
said. ''' 'iio'i
| John mhn Bruce did not turn his head.
me minutes passed
! John Bruce's brain began 70 clesr.
put the unbalanced fury that haC
) possessed him was giving place now
! only TO one more implacable in its
considered phase. He looked around
MN! MN: Crans. evidently recovered, was
! sitting up on the mattress. The let
ters Larmon had taken from Crang's
| pocket lay on the table. John Bruce
! picked them up idly. From one of
| them steamer ticket fell out. He
{ stared at this for moment A pas
! sage for John Bruce to South Amer
| lea! Then low, an ugly sound, his
| laugh echoed around the place.
| South America! 1t recalled him to
! ms actual surroundings-that on the
/ other side of the door were Crang's
! apaches There was still time to catch
America? IF the bluff work ed''-he
! remembered his thoughts. the plan
| that had actuated him when he had
! crouched there at the door waitin 2
/ Lor CranE to enter. Strange! 1t
/ wouldn't be a bluff any more, All
now, and carry it through to it's
end. was what he had intended to
! blum Crang into believing he would
| 90. And Crang, too. would under
I was-or: misunderstanding, pay for
! il with his life
| He thrust the ticket suddenly into
ms pocket. stepped from his chair.
the revolver in his hand, and con-
| fronted Crarg. The man shrank back
trembling, his face gray with fear.
Stand up" John Bruce com
! manded
/ Crang. Groveling against the wall,
| got upon his feet.
! 1t was q full minute before John
! Bruce spoke again, and then the
words came choking hot from his
! lips.
You damned cur" he cried. That's
what you did, was it? The price
Claire paid was for my life Well, It's
hers, then; it's no longer mine. Can
you understand that. and understand
that l am going to pay It back, if
necessary, to rid her of you? We are
going to walk right out of here. You
I Will lead the way. We are going down
to that steamer, and you are going on
John Bruce's ticket where you pro-
J posed to send me-to South America
Either that-or you are going on a
longer journey. l shall carry this re-
Volver in the pocket of my coat, and
walk beside you. 1t is your affair
how we pass those men out there II
you make any attempt at trickery in
getting out of her. or later in the
street attempt to escape, l will fire
instantly. 1t does not matter in the
slightest degree what happens to me
at the hands of your men. or at the
hands Of a thousand people in the
most crowded street. You will have
gone out first. The only considera-