Evening star., 1927-10-25
THE BLACK JOKER
BY ISABEL OSTRANDER.

| trate on a book when he came slowly
| In and after a few commonplaces
| asked:
Miss Dane, do you still believe
what told you during our truce yes
terday? You don't think / told you
| about your father in order to persuade
you. that your cause was doomed
to failure and lead you to give us the
the information we must have from
youo"
''The truce is ended, them" Janet
smiled. NO. l never thought hat
Mr.. Marriott, and / don't now. If my
| fathers disappearance should mean
that anything had happened TO him,
anything dreadful. I mean. | should
still keep any confidence which might
have been given me. l would owe that
to others, wouldn't II"
He shrugged.
Even il You knew that i: was
wrong, utterly despicable and low? II
YOU knew that even the thief who
breaks into your house and takes
your money would turn from you in
disgust.
But l don't know that" Janet in.
terrupted, quietly. Nothing could
ever persuade me to believe it. Mr.
Marriott. for you see, / know my
IaIneI. kIlOW tfldl Niidl IC-"V az
doing is just and right and honest.
Il thought so"' he cried eagerly II
knew you couldn't be as hardened as
YOU would have me believe, l knew
| that you had been deceived about the
whole affair, used as tool, your
ideals, even the love you bear your
father, played upon Oh. it is vile"
please stop. / cannot listen to any
more" Janet exclaimed. II can't
help feeling that you-you think YOU
are right, too. and that there is a ter
rihle misunderstanding somewhere,
but am here in your house and it is
| not kind to abuse my father and his
friends"
Forgive me-" He rose and came to
her side. Il am sorry. | forgot my
self. but if could only tell you. What
is 1t. Sayre?'
The butler had appeared in the door
way with a tray on which stood a
steaming glass of milk.
Your hot milk, sir. I will bring
the tea wagon at once. l did not know
the young lady was here"
He placed the tray on the table and
as he left the room Marriott took a
small vial Of brownish liquid from his
pocket and poured three drops care
fully into the glass.
MY medicine: you will pardon me?"
He smiled at Janet. Sounds like
dyspeptic old woman. doesn't 1t? This
stuff's pretty powerful, l understand
an overdose would give one a rather
long nap and teaspoonful -
THE phone, sir.'' Sayre reap
peared and there was a note Of sup
pressed excitement in his tone.
You're wanted on the telephone at
>nre "
With a muttered apology Marriott
put the tiny bottle down on the table
and dashed from the room and Janet
clutched the arms of her chair in ex-
asperation. If only she might over.
hear that message! That it was i'm
portant to the mysterious thing for
which they were both striving she
could not doubt. The telephone must
be well concealed about the house, for
she had not heard its ring, yet Mar
iotts own words of few moments be.
fore returned to her mind. showing
that up to the present he had not
gained the information he sought.
She must sit here helpless, unable
even to discover what he was learn
ing.
Her agitated thoughts were inter-
rupted by the abrupt entrance of
SdyIe once more. Inc Dutlor muf-
INJURED an excuse and rushed to the
writing table. fumbled for pencil and
paper and hurried from the room. and
Janet sat up suddenly in her chair.
A pencil and paper! Marriott was
going to take down some message he
was receiving over the telephone! 1t
could not be simple one, that he
might have carried in his mind-what
il it We're a code? He would put it In
his pocket afterward and return to her
if only for moment. How could she
get 1t from him?
Then her eyes fell upon the tiny
vial of medicine beside his tray.
Powerful stuff, he had called it; an
overdose would produce long sleep!
But she could not! She was guest
in his house-no, not a guest, pris-
oneri He had declared that the truce
was over, he was ready to fight her
with every weapon that came to his
hand!
Without daring to think she reached
over, seized the vial and quickly
poured six drops into the milk Six
drops would never be missed from the