Evening star., 1924-12-07

Admission should be charged"
said Wig. Hes worth it."
The chief, followed by Nancy and
Wig, entered the living room.
| LAS l left him-still dead to the
world" commented Wig.
Hes the man ! want-there's a
| thousand reward out for him. an
| nounced the chief.
What's he wanted for?"
"Murder-and a few little things
| like that"
Well" said wig. you can have
him-and keep the change-in ex-
change for five gallons of gas"
do you mean that-reward and
everything"
He's all yours-with the other
two thrown in for good measure
And Wig turned to Nancy Fam
ished?' he asked.
"Why-I am" she admitted now
| that she had time to think of it.
Lets forage" he suggested, while
the chief transfers that promised gas
to my car"
THEY passed out into the kitchen
i The kettle boiled Justify on the
stove. In the chill pantry they dis
covered cold roast beef. fresh bread
and butter and a whole apple pie
made tea. And then. by the light of
| an unshaded oil lamp, they sat down
and ate
One might have believed that they
| were too hungry to talk. But ac-
| tually curious constraint had fallen
between them.
The chief came in just as Wig
thrust back his empty plate.
THE boys have taken the gas out
to your carl always carry an extra
can" he announced, geniaHy. And
We've got handouts on all our friends,
nice and pretty. Say-how did you
get them anyway"
Wig told him very briefly.
You didn't even have a gat with
! you?" he demanded increduously. And
as Wig shook his head. he added,
We'll that beats me. Fools luck-if
! you don't mind saying So"
Il quite agree" said Wig
Where are you going 10 spend the
| night? It's showing harder than
| ever
You tell me" suggested Wig.
| There's a place down the road a
/ bit that used to take tourists-it
| amt much for looks but it's clean.
| OF course they're leery now after
| dark about strangers, but I'll fix it
/ up for you if you say"
| Wig glanced at Nancy. What do
| you say" he asked.
| Anything that you do" she replied,
without meeting his eyes.
You're on, chief said Wig
promptly.
"Tl fix it up" he promised, and de-
parted.
They were alone again. They were
silent for a second and then:
II don't think ii was fair what he
said about fools luck!" protested
| Nancy. 1T wasn't luck at all. You
were simply wonderful
Anything but that he retorted.
with a grimace. And fools do rush
in where angels fear to tread
"It was l that rushed in"
But you are an angel" he broke in
impetuously. which was the last
| thing he had intended to say. Hastily,
he added, Anyway you came aw-
| fully close to being one. And it was
you who saved the day. What you did
took three times the courage that
anything ! attempted did
u was scared stiff," she confessed
Butt couldn't just stand there
| while he shot you, could II"
Il deserved it." he remarked wry-
| 1y. First for not thinking of the
gas in your car and secondly for
scurrying upstairs without taking
that automatic. In fact, / should say
| that everything I've done tonight
would indicate a C-minus intellect at
least"
Nancy said nothing for a moment.
Then:
"Everything?" she murmured, so
low that he hardly heard her.
His pulse hammered s he remem-
bered the kiss he had given her-up-
| premediated, yet somehow inevitable.
He took a swift, involuntary step to-
ward her, only to stop short. She
| she simply couldn't mean that.
The lashes that gave her eyes sane
tuary lifted, she gave him a swift,
| wordless glance.
"No!" he almost shouted. "If --ou
mean that, I'd do it again ,1:a1 -
And he did.
I'm sorry" he apologized, releas-
| ing her as swiftly he had caught
her to him. But you deserved it,
Sorry" echoed Nancy. why? II
| hoped you'd take the hint"
| Hoped I'd take the hint?" he look
ed dazed. "But-but you've always
| detested me"
You never looked as if you cx-
actly approved of mel" she remind
! ed him.
II always felt like-like spanking
you" be admitted, goaded to it.
Nancy's eyes came UP to his again.
| In them there was that which left
| him breathless.
81 wonder" she murmured, "if
what you really wanted TO do all the
| time was toto kiss me. Wouldn't
| that explain everything"
And he knew that it did-so far as
he was concerned. "But--but you,
Nancy?" he persisted, still incredu-
| lous.
"Perhaps-it would explain me too.
| BecauSe-you were so stupid ami
| slow-about doing it."
He took a deep, prodigious breath.
"I," he promised, will make up for
lost timer
And he started doing so, forthwith.
Ii' i'npN right I.tai