Evening star., 1927-11-13
A CLEAN COLLAR

! question her further. He heard a
clock boom eight times. The scruo-
woman gave him scowl, ana, PICK
| ing UP her bucket and mop, truogeo
down the corridor. Pride watched
her 60. He was without plan or hope
now, and almost without power of
movement. He slumped down against
| the Dashboard in a shadoWed corner.
, feeling that he must rest.
But only for a moment! The sound
of footsteps along the corridor
brought him to his feet, alert and
frightened The scrub-woman was
coming back, and she was not alone.
A tail man in a uniform with shining
buttons was walking beside her and
glancing about. Bedford Pride turned
and darted into the first tunnel.
| LIVERY hall was like every other
- one on the floor, and they all
| formed a battling pattern of directions.
| He ran around and around. dodginc
| into new, interminable alley as his
| pursuer entered at the other end. But
| always he clutched at his coat pocket.
| He must not lose that collar, no mat
| ter what else happened.
He was watching for, searching for.
praying for a chance to slip through
the doorway with the little red light
above it. Once in the stalr-Well he
could hide away in any of the build
ing's IS or 20 stories. Then it would
not be difficult to elude the watchman
until daybreak should bring the open
ing Of the building, but he could not
| find the right alley. He might be go
| ing over the same route. for all he
knew, without coming any nearer the
stairs.
! That realization almost made him
stop running. lie might as well give
up. He was caught, anyhow. This
| horror would have to end. At the
police station he would telephone to
Mrs. Harris; perhaps John Allen would
come and get him out. A man could
not run these corridors all night.
His pursuer was now very close be.
hind him and shouting:
"Stop, or l will Shoot
| At the word Shoot" Bedford Pride
leaped TO one side, in obedience to an
impulse. Without knowing what he
did, he smashed against an Office door.
A light showed through the glass.
| The door opened, and he fell into
the room, plunging sidewise across the
| floor and striking his head violently
against a corner of the desk. After
that, he lay helpless on the floor.
| a mddle-aged man who had been
writing at the f1at-topped desk, stood
up and peered across at the limp fig
ure lying on the floor. In the door
way stood the watchman, his pistol
pointing waveringly at the PROSTATE
| figure. The middle-aged man walked
slowly around the desk and knelt on
the floor beside Bedford Pride, wiping
the blood from the cash in his fore
head with a clean handkerchief. He
was the substantial type of business
man that Bedford Pride had envied
all his life. He had kindly face
and gentle manner.
| Bring me glass of water, quick
and come in and shut the door," he
said to the watchman. "And please
put the gun away. l am afraid you
might hurt somebody"
| WHEN the watchman reappeared
w with water, Bedford Pride open.
ed his eyes.
"Ill call the wagon" the watchman
said.
Don't be in hurry"
The middle-aged man soaked his
/ handkerchief in the water and
bathed the wound, saying nothing,
looking, from time to time, meditative-
ly into the lined, white, thin face
Concluding that Pride could sit up,
he gestured to the watchman to come,
and together they lifted him to a chair.
The middle-aged man sat down oppo-
site, waiting for him to get his bear
| inGs.
"You don't look like bad actor"
he said presently: whats the
trouhle."
Pride looked at his questioner, hold
ing the handkerchief to his wound.
MY wife's sick, and I'm out Of a
job
That's what they all say" put in
the watchman. Better let me call
the wagon, Mr.. Smith"
The man at the desk silenced him.
Whats the rest of it?' he asked
gently. leaning back in his chair.
There's job l can get tomorrow.
I was going after it. I'm the only
one that knows anything about it,
But what were you doing prowl-
ing around this building?"
That was logical question. Pride
had not thought of it. He should
have explained his presence ins the
building, in the first place. He had
bungIed his opportunity. He was si.
| lent, looking at the watchman in the
| doorway.
| Don't mind him. Tell your story"
II was running from the police"
"See! What did tell you?" The