The Indianapolis times., 1924-04-08


ney appeared. His hawk-like face was
set in lines of almost ferocious inten-
sity and Salies heart quailed at the
look he bent upon her but his toie
was as dryly composed as ever.
so it appears" he remarked. Let
her go, SlOat, and lock the door. Now,
young woman. suppose we come to
an understanding"
I thought we had yesterday" Sal
lie retOrted with a brazenness she was
far from feeling. "Whatshave | done
in all this. anyway. l should like to
know? l got hit on the head in a
train smash-up and wake up to find
myself kidnapped and brought here.
with everybody in a game TO call me
'Alva Copeland and make out I'm
crazy if l don't agree to it. Mean
time ] get news of another kind so
l let that GO for a day and tnen l
ask Mrs. Copeland to wise me up to
the lay. She tells me I'm this here
Sarah Peck from Shaftstown, that
you know all about me. and I
/ worked in d storethere. All right, I'm
/ agreeable, and 1 wait to see what new
monaker is going to be pinned on me.
8 Then you explain the little trick you
want me to turn here for you and 1
/ take it on, so I'm 'Alva' again. Now
/ Mr.. Sloat tries to palm off a phoney
rock on me and when I call him for
/ it he says I'm this Diamond Bess'
/ somebody y-or-other."
/ Do you admit or deny that you
are the Hilker woman?" Bellows
thundered in his best courtroom
style.
Il don't admit or deny anything!
I amt on the stand yet. but when
am-if 1 am-it's going to be in
teresting for all concerned. Salne
smiled. 'I told you l wasn't any
squealer but if you try to send me
up for something else there's few
of you who'll do stretches for-what
do you mouthpieces call it?-attempt-
ed conspiracy with intent to defraud,
amt it?'
She had remembered a case in
Shaftstown which Mike had ex-
planned to her and now she plucked
pp courage as she saw that the shot
went home.
The attorneys Hps were twisted in
an unpleasant smile and his cold,
penetrating gaze neved left her eyes.
Would you be willing to face the
lady Mr.. Sloat mentioned. Mrs.
Louis Delapierre?"
would you be willing to face me
with her and tell her how I got here
and what I'm doing in this house?"
Sallie countered swiftly, advancing
toward her inQuisitor. IT'S a stand
off. amt it, Mr. Bellows? A case
where we've gotta trust each other,
like you said yesterday? What's the
odds who I am? I'll lay low and
work the game on the old dame up
stairs and then beat it where you'll
never"
Sloat uttered Mortified ejacula-
ton but Bellows held up a silencing
hand.
What you propose is impossible"
he declared. You said a moment
ago that when you woke up here
and were called 'Alva Copeland you
permitted the mistake to go on be-
cause in the meantime you had news
of another sort. What did you
mean?
Say, If 1 should happen to be this
Hilker woman and there was a big
reward out for me, like Mr.. Sloat let
on, do you s'pose I'd be travelling
around the country without a pal
or two trailing?' Sallie grinned. IF
you say that 'Alva Copeland PROPOSE.
ton is off. we'll and good, I don't
hold any grudge for being kidnapped
the way I was; you just help me to
make my getaway and I'll forget
was ever here so long as you all
forget you ever saw me-"
Sloat started forward, but the at
torney's manner changed suddenly.
THAT is a solution which had al
ready occurred to me for as you say
it is a stand-off between US. Unlock
the door. Sloat. must confer with
Mrs. Copeland, of course, but have
no doubt that the matter can be ar
ranged to our mutual satisfaction.
will send a message later to your
room"
Sallie encountered no one as she
mounted the stairs with a sinking
foreboding at her heart. Bellows
manner had changed too suddenly at
her proposition; his tones had been
just a little too cordial and hiss de-
sire to rid himself of her presence
without discussing her suggested get.
away was significant
Once alone in her room fresh
horror gripped her. In that confer
ence which she had overheard Friday
night between these people who held
her in their hands. DIR. Qualters had