Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-04

even get oft the elevator on the same
4, floor.
They began walking toward the
Office building. The center of the
street was not well lighted. and
Standish was confident that they had
not been recognized.
"Oh. by the way said Standish,
| suddenly stopping, II have rather
| important telegram to get off. and
! was almost forgetting it., Was going
| to send it from the club"
| lie took out his keys and handed
them to Brent.
Would you mind just going on up
to my office, old fellow. It's on the
eighth floor at the end of the CORR
| dor. 1t may take me a few minutes
! to compose this blooming thing, but
! I'll promise not to keep YOU waiting"
! He assumed acquiescence and
started toward the lighted window of
! the telegraph office on the corner
/ Brent. with an "Oh. all right" con
/ tinued toward the Hffice building
! twirling the keyring on his finger and
Whistlng.
! AS soon as Standish over his shout
der saw Brent disappear into the en-
trance of the building he turned and
walked rapidly back to where. from
| the pavement, he could see him pro-
coed along the corridor and enter the
! elevator.
| x X k*
4 I that hour only one elevator was
running. He watched from the
| street till it had returned from its
! journey to the eighth floor. The
operator came out and sat down in a
| chair next TO the Waterman. Still
Standish waited. If the elevator bell
should ring he would know ii was
Brent calling the operator for direc-
tons as to Standish's office. for he
had told Brent the eighth floor,
| whereas his office was on the ninth.
But he Gambled safely upon the sup
position that Brent was wandering
about at the end of the long eighth
floor corridor examining the names
on the doors.
He referred TO his watch. and at the
expiration of the period that he had
calculated might safely be allowed he
entered the building, went into the
elevator and said TO the operator:
Ninth floor, please"
AS soon as the lighted cage had de
scended after leaving him on the ninth
floor. he ran down the stairs to the
eighth floor and found Brent just
approaching the elevator bell.
lawfully stupid of me. old chap
he apUlogiZed, smiling. II have just
moved to the ninth floor, after several
years on this floor. and 1 can't seem
10 get my low mind accustomed to
the higher attitudes I hurried down
to find you. Shall we save time and
walk up this one tlight?"
They assembled the stairs to the
ninth floor and walked half way down
the corridor. where Brent gave over
the keys and they entered Standish's
offices.
In the first room on gray rug
stood ii stenographer's mahogany
desk in one corner and five mahog-
any chairs against the walls. 1t was
the reception room for the customers
who seldom arrived. Standish opened
the frosted glass door. at the left and
led the way into his private office.
switching on the light. 1t was a small
room. Mahogany bookcases with
glass fronts lined the wall opposite
the door and the wall on the left. In
the corner was a, bag of golf sticks.
At the right against the single win
dow, over which d green shade had
been completely drawn, a large fat
mahogany double desk left space only
for a comfortable chair facing the
door and one on the opposite side.
On the wall at the right of the door
hung a couple Of framed woodcuts.
Have a seat" Standish indicated
the chair facing the door SO that he
might approach Brent from his right
sde--the side from which Brent. being
righthanded. would shoot himself If he
should commit suicide.
Brent sat down, threw open his top
coat, and dropped his soft hat on the
desk. He was u rather handsome
man. with curly iron-gray hair. the
nose OF a born leader. and prominent
brown eyes.
Standish leisurely took off his over
coat.
Have a cigar" he suggested. He
pushed across the desk a humidor con-
tanning his own monogrammed brand.
blended at the factory according to
his own specifications. Il can recon-
mend them
X X X X
LIE was surprised at his own cool
ness. SO far from being nervous,
he experienced only a pleasant eX-
hilaration, quite novel to his cold and
passionless nature. Nothing he had
ever done before had given him this
thrilling sense of power. He was set
ting his lone skill against all the
forces of organized society. And he
would come off victor. For moment
he understood the blood lust of those
perverts who are led annually to the
electric chair. He could understand
how they might kill, and then kill
again. But that should not be his
way. The gambler who tries to break
the bank always comes cropper. He
would quit on his one lucky play,
nd e,fa al, 0f
Brent selected a cigar.
Where is that coin?" he demanded
| Standish drew open a drawer of the
desk across from Brent and took out a
small oblong box of sandalwood with
| Japanese inlaid work on the cover
Inside was a. coin manufactured to his
design. answering the description that
he had given Brent. But the chances
were Brent would never see it. He
| had selected box with a cover that
was very difficult to open, so as tc
occupy Brent's attention during the
moment he needed to place the re
volver at exactly the correct angle
against Brent's temple.
! Standish slipped his left hand into
the pocket of his dinner jacket unit
he gripped the stock of the automatic
He picked up the sandalwood box with
! Ills IlEIll iIclllO, Shtiuy olCPpAI6 SiOSC ~
Brent's side, laid it down on the desk
There you are" he said, in 6
steady voice.
Brent, with the unlighted cigar ir
his fingers. had difficulty in opening
"the tight cover. Struggling with 1t
! he bent over till Standish could moi
see his hands, though he saw the
Swallowed hollow of his temple just
in front of a patch of gray hair.
With practiced quickness Standisf
slipped out the automatic and hello
it at precisely the upward and slightly
backward angle that Brent would
have held it if shooting himself.
Then, without hesitation, he pulled
| the trigger.
| II ,,-ac cha ra Of ariSfic of SfandiSf