The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-10-23
CHAPTER xxx


also swung down and was now at his
elbow. to keep his gun on Higgins,
Kelsey sprang into the car and gath
cred Hope in his arms.
And as II to confirm the dream
like character Of the affair, on top
of the Wallets abrupt transformation
into Kelsey, the chauffeur at the door
disclosed the lean, dark face and spoke
with the levil-may-care drawl of the
motor-cychst Hope had sent for doc
tor the night before.
Higgins seemed unable to compre-
bend. Adolf Bennett He called
the names of his valet and chauf-
feur.
The rats as usual deserted the sink
ing ship"
'Humph, And who are you? He
peered from one to the other with
! his dim-sighted eyes.
Nobody in particular, Bill. Just
Juarez Charlie and George Kelsey"
Hold on there!' he interrupted the
little flourish of this announcement
as Higgins involuntarily dropped his
hands. Keep those hooks up above
your head. Kelsey, frisk him.
He waited to see that the search
was thoroughly made. No weapon
was found on Higgins person; but
| still not content. Charlie himself care
fully Investigated the lining and cush-
ions Of the car. and as an added pre-
caution, made the old man change
places with Hope.
Higgins slumped down In his cor
ner Of the car, seemed grinly to have
accepted the situation. Hopes breath
was coming in long. broken sobs;
she was trembling violently from head
to foot.
Don't try to be calm" Kelsey
urged. Let yourself go, dearest. Cry
if you can. Everything's all right
row. Juarez Charles driving, and l
am here with you"
But how? How" She chung to
him. He told me that you were at
the old house."
Who, told you that? The old man
here?"
No. no. 1t was DR.. Bristow-be-
fore he was killed.
KILLED. Kelsey cried
That clear. practical brain OF hers
vas once more proving itself superior
. the weakness of the flesh. With
| narvelously steadied poise, and with
scarcely a quaver in her voice, she
went into all the details, the quickly
| shifting tscenes CT that crowded half
hour.
| Higgins, leaning forward. his ear
bent to catch every word, neither in
corrupted nor made any comment.
| Charlie, driving steadily ahead, was
| turning over the information in his
mind, wondering what effect IL any
this might have on their program; for
Kelsey had lowered the sash between
them so that he might overhear Hopes
story.
Lucky thing. Juarez," Kelsey
turned his head and spoke to Charlie,
| that we decided to play your hlInch'
Charlie nodded, looking straight be-
fore him; to drive through a thick
night requires ones undivided atten-
| toion.
| After Morton had met US secretly"
lie went on, II could see that Charlie
was not entirely satisfied"
Kelsey he said, I'm figuring on
taking a chance. Did you hear me
asking your friend about the menials
that are closest to the noblesse over
at the sanitarium?'
81 had; and 1t provoked me that
ne should be fiddling around with such
| irrelevant details, when time was so
| important.
But he soon showed me that he
had a reason for it. That chauffeur
| OF Hobo BilFs,' he said, Slim Bennett,
| is an old acquaintance OF mine, al
though I didn't tell friend Morton So
| It strikes me, Kelsey. that j. might be
good thing to hook up with Slim
| dangle immunity from arrest and a
bunch of jack before his eyes, and see
| what happens. Hang it, I can't feel
sure in my bones of this Morton jas
per-
| Il agreed to that" Kelsey said, but
I wanted to know what sort OF fell
low this Bennett was. Can you trust
him?' asked.
Sure, Gorgio. All we've got to do
Marse has. lost out
but how can you get in toucn
with him.? 1 asked. Are you going
10 take the risk of telephoning again?
mo; 1 can beat that, he told me.
There's a kid fooling around down
there in the woods; I've seen him
several times from the window. I'll
get hold of him, and have him carry
a message. Here; give me a pencil
and-some paper
1T struck me as a rather risky
thing to do. A note might so easily
fall into the. wrong hands. But when
, pointed this out to him, he only
| laughed.
" 'Nobody's going to read this. he
said. except the man it's intended
| for, unless it might be Higgins HIM
self and we'll have to run that risk
IT saw what he meant. when he
showed me what he had written. One
could hardly call it writing at all; it
was just a few criss-cross lines, with
a rude drawing OF combination safe
below them.