Evening star., 1924-08-17
Stephenson

was laid away. Thats the cue.
He began to examine the tea-table
beside the invalid's chair: from this
he went again to the writing desk,
| tossing papers and boxes onto the
floor: he opened and emptied the
drawers. he moved ornaments on the
mantel above the fireplace. In the
corner of the room ne found r teak
| wood cabinet in which ore drawer
was locked. and this he splintered
open with the end OF pair OF steel
pliers. He had left his revolver on
the table while he made his round
and while Lucille pulled down the
rare editions which lined the walls
and peered behind them on the
shelves, and now he came back and
stared down at the little weapon of
death and bit his lip. He raised his
eyes at last and met the gaze of
Lucille. The girl had lost her usual
color. her face was desperate and
drawn and this appeared to anger
| him. The room was a welter of dis
order. and suddenly his face went in
| to disorder too. 1t was as II his
mask had slipped down and exposed
| the real man who lived behind 1t.
Time wasted" he growled with
an oath. IT'S rough work. but it's
! got to be done
He stepped toward the motionless
old lady and closed his hand over one
OF her white wrists. Her fingers
| moved a little.
Huh! There's feeling in this
hand" he said. Il thought so.
Where's the necklace"
No answer was given him. He
slipped the toothed jaws of the pliers
! between her thumb and forefinger
down upon the soft flesh in the
crotch of her thumb and closed the
steel upon it.
Better tell" he said in hoarse
| whisper.
The old lady closed her eyes.
Better tell he repeated.
Lucille shuddered as she saw that
| he was now squeezing the pliers in
his tightening grip.
Curse YOU" said he. "(,ut with il.
Where's the necklace!'
That is painful, young man. saia
Mrs. Simms-Nane. But I have suf-
fered much pain. l shall not tell
you"
stop. Stop" exclaimed Lucille.
The blood is coming. She won't tell.
You're crushing the flesh. Stop.
Stop"
"Ah. she has weakened" said the
old lady. opening her eyes. What
did I tell you? l said you were both
made of inferior stun. This French
you torture an old lady who cannot
make her cry out What pair you
are. You are all boastfulness and
Dragging, but your nerves are made
of shoddy."
The Hawk put the pliers in his
pocket, and looking at Lucille,
sneered.
Don't" the girl said. Don't look
at me like that"
why noto The old dame is right"
OAR away in some distant hall In
the great house there sounded
the soft chimes of clock.
IT'S three said Mrs. Simms-Vane
II ordered my hot milk for three"
Miller wheeled toward the Galliene
girl.
Somebody will bring it up?" he
asked.
Il suppose So Lucille answered
suilenly. Il suppose SO, If she or
dered it. Your guess is as good as
mine"
Quick. then" he commanded Go
down and say she sent you for hot
milk. Quick! Leave the door open
I'll take another look for the thing
Mrs. Simms-Vane waited until she
away, and then she said:
Il would not waste my time look
ing in those drawers. young man.
Come here and stand in front Of me.
Perhaps l will tell you what you wish
to know"
The Hawk found himself once more
looking into the bright eyes.
You are handsome young man."
said the old lady. And you may be
fn
for your willingness to take any step
| necessary to gain your ends. do
not know, young man, whether you
are gentleman or not. But Napo-
leon was not a gentleman. When /
| was a young girl 1 would have been
attracted by you. l have always been
| attracted by ability wherever it
showed itself"
Words" said the Hawk contemp-
! tuously. but he pulled off his hat and
threw it onto the table. He had a
| high white forehead and he felt it
gave him an air of distinction.
1T is not pleasant to have you
here" said she, gazing at him. Il
cannot help admiring the boldness
you have shown. 1t is too bad that
young men of your magnetism and
| power should throw themselves away
| on such worthless young women. Lu-
cille-pah! Why, sir, did you see her
| cringe? A pretty face-that's all,
You who could win and conquer wom-
en- far above the shopgirl class. Did
I say you were lacking in"
"Fiber?" he asked.
Yes-fiber. l was wrong. But
she-that silly little raaid-what has
| she to attract you? She may cost
you forty thousand dollars in the next
| fifteen minutes"
"How's it figured?" he asked, lean
ing forward.
II don't trust her.. said Mrs. Simms-
Vane. II could trade with YOU"
/ Trader" asked Miller.
did it occur to you that forty
| thousand dollars Is very little to me?
If spent it, it would be charged to
| my heirs, my good sir. 1 would will
ingly send you a check for that
amount IL you would go away. But 1t
| Is too much to ask that you take my
| word. l could take yours, however.
But not IL Lucille were involved in 1t.
I distrust her. The stones my hus-
| band gave me he picked out himself
with his own eyes. I love them most
! of all material things. would not
trust them to her."
THE Hawk looked over his shoulder
toward the door. He was alert
again.
"How's that again" he asked.
Talk faster"
II cannot" said Mrs. Simms-vane.
II meant that If I could trust YOU
| and you alone-with the necklace to
keep 1t until we could arrange for me
to buy it back from you, would pay
you more for it then than its ap-
praised value-twenty-nve per cent
more"