New Britain herald., 1928-03-14

nctent rage that welled up in his , heart at thought of the g, ,0oe his good ln'e ntion was costing him. Then he noted the slnmped shoul- aers and general air of detection dis closed in the slim form Of Nita Ra- Felle, a.s she stood there, fello" sufferer of his own worthy, but, ronetheIess, misguided efforts.
 Shes in tll' same boat with me, ha was acknowledging to himself. Only he continued, holding to the thought, ''her position Is even worse than mine, Her reputation Is a' stake. also. in addition to her loss Of thousand dollars. And it's all my fault And vet, If she hadn't asked 10 ride home with me"
 He stepped over and laid hls hand on her arm. Jack was of that tenn pcrameut that invariably feels the need in moments Of distress for some sort Of personal touch, He was sorry for her, and sorry for himself, and t vas this sentimental situation they faced that made matters the more difficult.
 Tn his mind Jack vas thinking:
 This is 'Enncrys apartment-or that of one Of his friends in or near town, OtherN lse 1t wouldn't be so well stocked with food and drink q bles. He certainly couldn't have fixed things mp for us for he didn't know l was to he at tn Casino to- night. I didn't know it myself until after 3 o'clock today. Wen just sit tight and we'll get a line on Mister Emery yet''
 Something akin to the following was stirring in Nlta $ thoughts,
 What q merry time there would be, snappins around this joint if this man Jack were 70 be put sud- denly wise to everything. I wonder if he'd slap my face, or just tell me a thing or two2 Can't tell. He's Scotch, and he's got a bad temper; besides, he doesn't take se much stock in this chivalrous bunk. It's hard to guess what he'd do. And I wonder how hes going 10 behave to- night? Has he decided to forget that time In Pittsburgh? ? He never makes the slightest reference to it Will he confess to Jil about this, I--'
 She was standing directly under the cluster of rose-shaded lamps, suspended from the ceiling. The soft, mellow glow from the bulbs brought +i, j., l,,,e pleNlon. and "the light that Hes in a woman's ey.s' was no lie just then in Nita's. Passion sm ouldcred there. needing only a breath to fan it into a flame.
 Looking into those eyes suddenly as she glanced up, Jack stuart caught a flash. S if were. of that smouldering fire with which he was pla ying, consciously. almost, he took a grip on himself Something like q vague premonition seemed to shoot through him, heart and mind, recalling another occasion, lt was just flash, gone instantly. But it left an impossible memory of something happened. He must watch his step this night, he told himself and made a resolution, The woman. her dark, magnetic eyes smiling into his. caught on the waves Of her intuitive mind the import of that resolution.
 "I must go 10 work the inner voice whispered. "But--" She stole ., .-v+1 1ro nf h i'm slow One wrong move just now would blow tn whole works" What was it he had asked her"
 CHAPTER NLIlI
 ooh. d cocktail. Jack. by all meanS," was the answer she made to his question, her eyes looking gam into his. Suddenly a quick red stained her brow and neck, as if sine had inadvertently given him flash of her naked soul He turned hurriedly and began to build the cocktails. She watched him for 2 moment in silence. Then she moved toward the door
 Bring 'em in the other room, Jack" she said, softly. ''We'll make a little ceremony of drinking to the health. the wealth and the happiness of each other"
 Two minutes later. and just as he oas placing the drinks on the tiny silver tray he had found, the tinkling melody of q harp struck on his ear from the adjoining room, Then came the sobhing notes of violin@ and q cello and the deep dlapason of bass-ylol, all blending with the voices of singers.
 He carried in the tray and placed if on the table in the room s center. Nita sat in heavy leather chair nearby. The music seemed fo come from the very center Of the room. but Jack could see no phonograph The air was that Of the beautiful Tn the Valley of the Moon He looked at the woman in the chair. Sho was sn1llinr--as a woman smiles who has just acquired the key to nystjfying cross word puzzle.
 "Nbers is it?" he asked. his curi. osltv intrigued hy tho ingeniousncsa of tho thing She glanced at tNr rahto on which sat thc tray of cock tails
 "Mha's the idea ?" Sl7e rountsred smltjnc still, her saze fastened on tho -Ias'aea. Are they iust for dec. or8fIon- CT do YOU expect me 10 do fhe scryrng?''
 H. stared a' her. puzzled at her answer tn hIs ten'ati7" query. Sh sullNi agalu at him Then. as her glance turned again to the tray, he her mcantNE Ihc* were 70 drink first, tetore st0 told hum ho~ sha had discovered thc secret Of 'he