Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-03
CONTINUED from yesterdays Staro
INSTALLMENT XVIII.


sI'm wondering, Brainard." he
said. "how you knew that Homer was
7 made a-record Of HMM the
cabin" 81,
"Was that before, or after, you left
The bomb In his fireplace?"
Brainard did not know how to answer
"of course" went on Ballard. you
killed Homer, Brainard-likely with o
ghost out of that bomb. But I'm not
Interested in that. I've got you by
better hold than that. OF course you
know that can't look at the real
memorandum Homer left me without
your seeing the record there, too. But
/ won't need to now. I'll just go back
tn INV office and wait there till you come
to me begging to pay for the privilege.
And the more trouble you make me be-
fore YOU come, the more 1t will cost
you"
He was walking toward the door. He
Ws going! Brainard stood up.
Just q minute, Ballardv' He
coughed. You're fooling yourself now.
But-youil find that out, in time. Just
ask nv secretary to-call the doctor.
will you? Are you-familiar with the
the pain that comes with-gallsto
Ballard turned and hesitated. Then
he smiled. Rather eleverly conceived,
Brainard, for a man in your condltion.
But, II you want doctor, 1t is not Tor
the malady you mention, eau nun
yourself" And he went out.
AS the door closed, Brainard sank
down, his head pounding on his desk.
He sat stunned. Presently he heard The
door open again. In another moment
he felt hand touch his head.
mfr. Brainard! Are you mp
It was Miss Arden. He did not an
swer. She became alarmed. Mr..
Brainard!" she cried. She started
away from him as if to summon help.
He managed to speak. Wait" ne
gasped.
hand. After a moment he sat up
slowly. She looked into his face and
suddenly dropped down beside him,
clasping his hand against her breast,
then against her face.
"Oh, you are I'LL" she cried. Let me
call helpl What shall I do oh, let me
help you'll"
He shook his head at her weekly.
She fell to kissing his hand and Groom
ing. He could not stop it; did not want
to. 1t vaguely comforted him. He
knew this girl perfectly; she looked upon
anything as opportunity that would give
her an excuse for forwarding intimacy
with him. But she was gentle, and
solicitous and feminine.
I'm all right" he told her at last,
and took his hand away from her.
"Ch." she said. II know! It was
that horrid Ballardl knew when he
went out that he-that he'd done some
thing terrible!"
She was scanning his face. Brain
ard was wondering how long it would
take her to be on her knees to Jerry
Ballard If she knew how near she was
to the truth. Perhaps, like Ballard
himself, she was testing his spiritual
knee-ierk to learn if his powers as q
dictator were still alive.
NO." he said. bringing smile to
the surface by great effort, ut wasn't
Ballard-though nothing would please
him better. I'm subject to-these at
tacks lately"
"Let me call the doctor!" She sprang
mo. I'll go down and see him. he
answered. Il know what he'll say:
Sleep up"
His strength was coming back TO him.
He wondered now at the profound effect
of his crisis. 1t was not natural, was
it? Perhaps there was more benefit
than he had thought to be expected
from sleeping UP.
He left the girl in his office and for
got her before he reached the hall.
There he went directly to his studio
and shut himself in. He had a de-
canter and bottles in his tray closet
now, and he took a long drink, and
then another. before he dropped into a
chair.
OF course, Ballard would be as good
as his word. It might even be that the
man had no other envelope from Homer
than the one which had been shown to
contain nothing! Perhaps he had
never had anything from Homer but
the hint that Homer had something
that Brainard wanted. But thinking
so would not alter the case; for Brain
ard could not prove whether or not an
index had been left by Homer. So long
as he suspected that it might be In
there! Would the day come when he
would beg for 1t? He was trembling
now with the hope-the miserable hope
that the thing existed that made that
q possibility! What did Ballard want In
exchange for it? Brainard's power, OF
course. And the day Brainard should
admit that he wanted it. his power
would be gonel Had he admitted 1t?
Why must he have that fateful in
dex? Why must man have anything
he desired with his whole heart? OF
what use to canvass that again? She
was his Gree: and he was no Ulysses
He was no demigod, and mere mar
always bought what he wanted most al
the price of all else he possessed, How
long would 1t take Brainard to conclude
that such a price was not too much;
And yet, what was this that he wanted
TO buy? Perhaps not even anything
that could belong to him! No man
ever followed an emptier reward-ever
q follower of cocainel But no lover oil
cocaine was ever more In love! Here
was man with world power In hi;
hands heartsick for mere woman
yes, for wrath of woman-yes, 6
wrath of a wrath, vibration, a mat
ter of gases, breath of ARA thing
without cyYhctaFap xhodAut Ia haf