Gunnison news-champion., 1924-02-22
CHAPTER v
Certainly l am" he confet

II happened that the two men, walt.
Ing In the yestlbule for Francis car TO
crawl mp to the entrance through the
fog which had Unexpectedly rolled up.
heard the slight alteration which was
aftcrward referred to as preceding the
tragedy The two young people CON
cerued were standing only a few feet
away. the girl pretty. little peevish.
an ordinary type: her companion.
whose hoylsh features were mnrred
with dissipation. a very passahie ex-
ample OF the young man about town
going n little beyond his tether.
Its no good standing here, yictor'"
the girl exclaimed. frowninr. The
conmissionaire's been gone ages al
ready. and there are two others be-
fore us for taris.-
I'VE can't walk" her escor, replied
gloomily. It's foul night. Nothing
10 do but wait. whatf Let's go back
and have another drink"
The girl stamped her sa'in-shod foot
impatlently.
Don't be silly" she expostulated.
You know l promised Clara we'd be
there early"
"All very WELL" the young man
grumbled, but what car we do7 We
shall have TO walt our turn"
"Why can't you slip out and look for
a taxi yourselff" she suggested. DO,
victor" she added, squeezing his arm,
You're so clever at picking them up"
He made little grinace, but III q
cigarette and turned up his Goa, col.
lar.
I'll do my best he promised
Don't go on without me"
TRY up toward Charing Cross road.
not the other way" she advised earn.
estly.
"RIght-os, - he replied. which illu-
minative form OF assent. word
spoken as he plunged unwillingly into
the thick obscurity on the other side
Of the revolving doors, was probably
the last he ever uttered on earth.
Left alone, the girl began to shiyer,
as though suddenly cold She turned
aroand and glanced hurriedly back
into the restaurant. At that moment
she met The steady. questioning
scrutiny OF Francis eyes. She stood
as though transfxed. Then came the
sound which every one talked of for
months afterward. the sound which no
one who heard II ever forgot-the
death cry Of Victor Bidlake, followed
second afterward by a mufiied re-
port. A strain Of frenzied surprise
seemed mingled with the horror. After
ward, silence.
There WAS the sound Of some COM
motion outside, the sound OF hurried
footsteps and agirated voices. Then a
terrible little procession appeared
Something-it seemed to be a shape
! less heap Of clothes-was carried in
and laid upon the floor. In the little
space between the revolving doors and
the inner entrance. Two blue-liyeried
attendants kept back the horr.fied but
curious crowd. Francis. vaguely rec
ognized as being somehow or other
connected with the law, was one of
the few people allowed to remain
| whilst doctor. fetched out from the
dancing room, kneeled over the pros
trate form. He felt that he knew be-
forehand the horrible verdict which
the latter whispered In his ear after
his brief examination.
Quite dead. A CHASTITY business. I"
Francis gazed at the hole In the
shirt front. disfEured also by scorch-
ing stain.
"A bullet?" he asked.
The doctor nodded
Fired within foot Of the poor fel-
lows heart" he whispered. The muir.
derer wasn't taking any chances, vAs-
| ever he was"
| The doctor rose 70 his feet.
Nothing more can BE DONE" II
prooounced. keep the people cut Of
hera whilst / ge-aRd fetch my hat and