New Britain herald., 1927-04-13
NOW READ ON.
CHAPTER NNNIu

II Al ] i-iN -N-n-N'AA
 Walden's distendcd eyes, blood shot, staring. remained fixed. He seemed like a man in the grip of hypnosis.
 Diana" came the call again from the other side of the door, the voice Of Teddy. "let US in, cant you?"
 The words appeared 10 strike in 70 Walden's dazed brain. 10 bring him to a realizing sense of things.
 "Us.' he muttcred, what in hell-'
 He broke off short with vile oath at the sound of a body being hurled against the door. This was repeated twice, three times. and at the third attempt the lock gave way, the door swung in with crash and Dinny Morrison was pre- cipitated bodily into the room. bring ing up short in it's center.
 His gaze flashed around th" place, taking in the situation in one swift glance. He saw Diana, blood streaming from scratch on her check, her tlimsy gown half torn from her body. Four feet away stood Walden. also in a state plain ly indicating recent combat.
 His gaze turned back 10 the girl again, evidently the victim of as sault. Then. without uttering a word of warning he stepped forward, his right fist came up in swift uppcrcut. catching Walden full on the point Of the chin.
 Tn the language of the ring it was | q "haymaher,' or would have been with a man fifty pounds lighter than l John Walden. But the latter's l90 pounds saved him from q knockout lust then, although he went down. knocked backward 10 the wall, whore he sanl; 10 the floor. But Walden was no Quittar what over c.se he was. AstoniShme mt was written plainly on his face as he sat there staring at the slender fig ire above him. This gave way the next instant to a look of wild ra~o IS he clanbered tc his feet and lungod forward, aiming blow. The blow split the air over Din nys left shoulder as he side-stepped. ! Walden whirled with surprising { 4uickness for so big man. This ! brought his left side before the re- ! porter. Again the right came up, , but this time in q half swing. Din ny's fist caught the big lawyer fair | l,.,
 The blow didn't knock him over He just sank down, his knees buckling and hit the floor with a sounding bump. Then his body tol over on one side and he lay there, still but for a choking gurglc ! that came with each breath. "Oh. Dinny. you-you-" Teddy vas staring, not at the form 1 on the floor but at her escort, her ! long suffering, long-loving. would : be sweetheart. There was intense admiration mixed with a vast won | der in her Wide-opcn. fascinated eyes Her Dinny had knocked the hated enemy Of her dearest friend into Cuckoo-land with just two ! blows or his fist. He was hero. Dinny was, even if she couldn't love ! him as he deserved.
 "Oh, Diuny." she gurglcd again. | "you-you darling, In-I'm just 1 going 10 kiss you for that" And she did-hisscd him swiftly and oXplos!Vcly full on the mouth. ! Dinny almost tainted from pure rapture. Gone was all recollection rom his mind Of his recent encoun- fer with Walden. Gone vas every hing but iust the joy and sweet realization of that kiss. If she never kissed him aeain--if he never felt again th" delight that lay in he touch of her lips---hc had at least the memory of that one brief curess-ani given voluntarily. too, That was the joy of it. He looked at hor a1ora'ion in his gaze.
 Then his eyes turned. He looked at the form on the floor. If was showing sy1'.'oms of returning life. The legs iorked; the arms terko3: th" muscles of the face and neck twitched and the mouth twist