The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-02-07
CHAPTER vII-(continued)

Ruth struggled in his arms, hid
her eyes against her elbow. MY
fault IL screamed! If only ]
hadn't screamed, jack I won't have
to tell the police, will I. JACK? III
lieI I'll lie, Jack! Nobody will have
to know! I'll lie!"
The man seized her roughly, shook
her bit to stop that hysterical Bah
bling. Shut up, Ruth DO you
hear me?-stop it, I sayl You've got
to get hold Of your nerves, darling
"Oh, my Godl" he cried, pressing
his cheek hard against the golden
curls. Listen, Ruth The man
deserved to be shot. Hold fast to
that, darling; He deserved it, I tell
you'll There's only one thing for
you to member-that we love each
other. Now, we'll go-over there
-" and he nodded, his face grim,
to the window across the airshaft,
and face this thing together. Take
my arm. darling. Hold Tight"
The two corridors seemed infin-
nitely long stretching away like
interminable paths in a nightmare,
but at last they were in their own
Office again.
She laid her head on her desk,
pillowing it on her crossed arms,
while Jack, in a brisk, businesslike
voice, called police headquarters.
Fragments of his conversation
pierced the swirlins chaos of her
mind-"Yes, Borden! Borden.
Henry P. Borden. Murdered in his
Office. suite 7l2, the Starbridge
building. This is John G.
Hayward speaking =. Of course
shall stay until police arrive"
S from a great distance, Ruth
A heard him turn the knob of
e door which she had closed up
the thing which had been
handsome Harry" Borden.
y 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
Rad returned to her at luncheon,
during the whole of the matt
nee. -.
Check your hat and coat and
bag, sir >. =" Jacks scowl at the
hoy, his curt refusal. And all
the time even when they we're
holding hands across the briefcase,
tlat horrible thing of blue steel had
been there.
Oh, no, mol Ruth wrenched her
mind back, forced it to reconstruct
ne events of Saturday afternoon.
3ut that, too, was more than her
mind could bear, without shudder-
ing away and being dragged back.
Her bruised lip.
Jacks white-hot anger against
Torden, 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 Of
fees.
His declaration that he had for
gotten the theater tickets, his re-
turn to his Office to get tlemI
Had he really forgotten them, or
had he intended to do what-oh,
she mustn't say, it, even to herselfl
Again that agonized wrenching of
her mind, to bring it back to the
subject, no matter how horrible it
was. 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-
5imatum 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 Ruths small body was
galvanized with purpose. II Jack
had done ii for her-for her!
He had committed q deadly sin,
but he had done it to protect her.
And now, before the police came, she
could do something for him.
Where are you going, Ruth?"
Jack demanded harshly. Stay out
of there! It's no sight for your
eyes. Stop, tell you'll"
"Oh, let me go!" Ruth SoDned,
tearing at his hands. 1--WE got to
go! I've got to do it before the po-
lice come! Don't you-understand?'