San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-11-01
(Continued from Page H.

flung. The man was a beast.
l had realized it too late, but | was
determined that he shouldn't get
away scot-free. He began to
whine"
Lady Pinter tapped her wrist
with her lorgnette.
Gam | to be further insulted,"
she demanded of Mr.. Baxter, "by
being compelled to listen to these
lies? When we arrived at the
inn"
you came just in time" said
Tina; you saved him. Another
minute and l think Heaven would
have given me strength to kill
him."
Charlton yawned behind his sal
low, cigarette-stained hand.
Really" he said languidly, lis
there any necessity to indulge
this obvious hysteria? / thought,
sir addressing Mr.. Baxter), that
| was called here today in order
to arrive at settlement"
That's coming" said Mr.. Bax-
ter, graphically.
Game just in time" said Tina,
again. "Does he deny that l at
tackled him?
Lady Pinter turned to Charlton:
ooh, give her the lie direct"
she said. 1--WE have been de-
ceived, tricked into coming here.
These people are intent on making
fools of US"
John Humphreys voice broke
in:
"Tina," he said, 81 think you
told me that in your distress that
night you struck this apology for
a man with a weapon taken from
the wall in your room?'
"a farpa--a dart used in the
bullring." Tina's eyes were aglow
now. 81 hurled it at him."
Rubbish" sneered Charlton.
at struck him full in the back!
The barb was buried in his flesh.
He bled, horribly"
Charlton laughed outright at the
absurdity of the story.
Humphreys voice silenced the
laugh.
"The mark of the wound must
be there now" he said.
And with that John Humphrey
grasped Charlton by the coat col
lar.
Lady Pinter and Marie cried
out in alarm; Tina would have
leaped to the aid of her husband,
but Lord Purton laid a restraining
hand on her arm. He had known
that this was coming and so had
Tina, but the act, when it came,
startled the natural fears in a
woman.
John Humphrey had the strength
of three such as Charlton. He
ierked him out of the chair, twist
ed him around so that his back
was turned towards the little COM
pany; then, with one rip he tore
the coat from the struggling,
squirnling wretch. He reached
again for the under garments.
Charlton kicked viciously at the
shine of his tormentor and re-
ceived a sound cuff on the side of
the head. He might have been
refractory schoolboy wriggling in
the grasp of an irate master in
tent on melting out condlgn punish
ment. Rip, Rip! Waistcoat and
shirt were torn away until at last
the sallow back was laid bare. The
back and the bluish-red scar be-
tween the shoulder blades where
the farpa had struck. Then, with
another twist of the powerful wrist
Humphrey flung the miserable
wretch back in his chair. He
looked at Groves, the inquiry
agent. as if he would like nothing
so much as to give him similar
handling. Lady Pinter, passing
from hygteria to open challenge,
cried out:
"Well! What does all this vul-
garity prove?"
Lord Purton said:
"Part of the plot, Madam, con-
ceived by you and the others. God
forgive me for this attitude TO-
wards a woman, but ! regret that
it is not within my province to
hand you over to the police"
Tnsulted. Insulted" she cried
indio,nantlv. "This is a base at
tempt to transfer responsibility
for the ubiquitous conduct. >"
Zone moment" said Lord PUr-
ton, who had been glancing out Of
the window. 81 see that my agents
have been successful. Ny witness
L. r.,.,.;,-ol f,.n,,n nhrnnd y