The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-02-06

could not have found Jacks auto
matte pistol in the drawer, for j
WAC not there.
For frantic minute, kneeling nov
beside that pulled-out drawer, sh,
paved among the soiled towels ant
rubber-banded bundles Of ancien,
life insurance literature" but sh,
knew that the thing she had never
had the courage to touch but which
she would now, If she had found it
have Rugged to her breast in .
transport of relief and joy, was not
there-not there.
She heard Jacks voice in the out.
er office. Rose, trembling and nau.
seated, from her kneeling position
Held tightly to his desk for support
as she faced him.
"Hello, darling! Sweet Of you to
pay me a good morning visit" his
cheerful voice began. Then he saw
her white, stricken face, the horror
in her widened blue eyes. "Why-
what's up, Ruth? Wait! Hold every
thing! Jacks here, sweet"
And his arms were about her,
steadying her, holding her close
against his heart. Her fingers dug
into his shoulders. "Mr. Borden!
He's-dead! Murdered! Blood, Jack
oh! What am l to do? The police
oh, Jack!"
The young mans arms went lax
Tor moment, then frightened about
her so that she gasped for breath.
God! That you had to see i'll" His
exclamation, uttered on jerky gusts
OF breath, might mean anything
anything!
Ruth struggled in his arms, hid
her eyes against her elbow. my
fault! III screamed! If only /
hadn't screamed, Jack! I won't have
to tell the police, will l, Jack? I'll
lie! I'll lie. Jack! Nobody will have
to know! I'll lie!"
The man seized her roughly, shook
her bit to stop that hysterical bab-
bling. "Shut up, Ruth! Do you hear
me stop it, I say! You've got to
get hold of your nerves, darling! Oh,
my God!" he groaned, pressing his
cheek hard against the golden curls.
Listen, Ruth! The man deserved to
be shot. Hold fast to that, darling!
He deserved it, tell you! There's
only one thing for you to remember
we love each other. Now,
we'll go-over there" and he
nodded, his face grim, to the win
dow across the airshaft, land face
this thing together. Take my arm,
darling. Hold tight"
The two corridors seemed inf
nitely long, stretching away like in
terminable paths in q nightmare,
but at last they were in her own Of
flee again.
She laid her head on her desk, pil-
lowing it on her crossed arms, while
Jack, in a brisk, businesslike voice,
called police headquarters. Frag-
ments of his conversation pierced
the swirling chaos of her mind
Yes, Borden! Borden. Henry p.
Borden. Murdered in his office, suite
712, the Starbridge Building.
This is John C. Hayward speaking.
-. OF course shall stay until po-
lice arrive"
AS from great distance. Ruth
heard him turn the knob Of the door
which she had closed upon the thing
which had been Handsome Harry"
Borden.
He must be looking. +. Oh, how
could he? His automatic gone from
the drawer of his desk. That
heavy briefcase which he had not let
out OF his possession after he had
returned to her at luncheon, during
the whole of the matinee.
"Check your hat and coat and bag,
sir !. :" Jacks scowl at the bow bow,
his curt refusal. And all the
time, even when they were holding
hands across the briefcase, that hor-
rible thing Of blue steel had been
there.
Oh, no, no! Ruth wrenched her
mind back, forced it to reconstruct
the events Of Saturday afternoon.
But that, too, was more than her
mind could bear, without shuddering
away and being dragged back.
Her bruised lip. Jacks white-hot an
ger against Borden, his refusal to
believe that it had not been Borden
who had hurt her. His threats,
insanely uttered in the presence of
Micky Moran, the elevator operator
She had had to hold him back
with all her strength to keep him
from forcing his way into Borden's
offices. His declaration that he
had forgotten the theater tickets,
his return to his office to get them.
Had he really forgotten them, or
had he intended to do what-oh, she
mustn't say it, even to herself!
Again that agonized wrenching Of
her mind, to bring it back to the
subject, no matter how horrible ut
was. 3. Had Jack seen Borden
across the airshaft?
Oh, God, why had the architect
set two windows exactly opposite
each other, so terribly close {. !.
Had Jack furiously delivered an ul-
timatum to Borden about her? Had
they quarreled then, SO that Jacks
fury became insanity? What easier
than to snatch his automatic from
the drawer Of his desk and fire at
Borden, drawn to his own window
by the quarrel?
Suddenly Ruth's small body was
galvanized with purpose. II Jack had
done this thing, he had done it for
her-for her! He had committed 4
deadly sin, but he had done it to
protect her. And now, before the DO.
lice came, she could do something
for him.
Where are you going, Ruth!''
Jack demanded harshly. "Stay out
Of there!1t's no sight for your eyes.
Stop, I tell you!"
"Oh. Lot ma Onfn Rn%h snhhod