Evening star., 1927-05-06

are running our profession. Fifty
million dollars!' She literally groaned.
"And I've got 20 tradesmen waiting
on my doorstep and Heaven knows
where the moneys coming from! I've
! never been SO deceived in my life,
, Mr.. Holbrook. He ought to get 20
years for what he did for me. Is
there any chance of finding him?"
she asked, with pathetic anxiety.
| 1.-THE police are trying very hard to
find him."
HAS he any money? I mean, would
| 1t be possible If he is captured for
him to give me a check?" she whim-
pered. I'm sure the police would
think all the better of him if he paid
his obligations. l don't know which
way to turn, and mothers so upset
because her. paying guest has gone
away and the police have been to the
house looking for him. Really, Mr..
Holbrook, I think I shall go mad un.
less something happens"
"One moment" said Bill. ''Did you
| tell DR.. Latin all that Sir Richard
Paxton told you'll mean, about the
money going on the Escorialr'
She nodded vigorously.
'Of course I did; told him on Sun
day night, just as soon as Sir Richard
told me. There wasn't anything wrong
in that, was there?" she asked in sud.
den alarm.
"I don't know what view the police
will take of it," said Bill gravely, and
La Florette went white.
Has he been doing something very
wrong?"
II don't think he could do anything
much worse than murder, and you
know they want him for that" said
Bill, a little irrtably.
"Yes, 1 know. But has he been
stealing money!" asked Florette.
He got rid of her as soon as he
possibly could, promising to give her
the first news of Laff1n's capture and
to inform her at the earliest possible
| date as to the Doctors financial posi-
ton. He himself left the Office a few
minutes after La Florette. and, since
his mind needed the sedative OF ex-
ercise, he decided to walk home.
He strolled leisurely up Fleet street,
along the Strand, still bright and
populated, for the great hotels had not
" discharged their supper parties,
! crossed Trafalgar Square and, acting
upon the Whim of the moment, turned
under the Admiralty arch and walked
along the Mall. AT this hour of the
night even the counting couples had
| NAodpPCcllCh anu OSyOIio IIlC NGiIS anu
cabs that take a short cut to Victoria
Square there was little to be seen.
He saw no pedestrians until he over
took man who was walking slowly
| toward Buckingham Palace. Some.
thing in his gait seemed familiar, and
yet he. would not have troubled to
look ipto the face, but just as he was
abreast of the solitary walker the man
gave a short, dry cough, and Bill
| spun round. For a. second only he
was in doubt; the sallow face and the
short-clipped black beard were wholly
unfamiliar to him. The horn-rimmed
spectacles that surmounted the thin
nose were equally strange. He hest.
tated, facing the man, whose eyes
glared balefully in the semidarkness.
What do you want?" said the voice
and that was his mistake.
In an instant Bill Holbrook had
gripped him.
Il want you, DR.. Laff1nr' he said.
His free hand tore away the beard
that hid the cruel mouth. The doc
tor WINGED with the pain of it: then,
without a word, he struck out. His
blow caught Holbrook unprepared and
he stumbled backward, but before DR..
Latin could run Bill had reached out
and caught his coat. For a second
they struggled desperately and then
over the mans shoulder he saw a DO.