White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1930-12-05
CHAPTER XII
"There Is No One"
wNU Service
copyright by Evelyn Campbell.)
49,


elevator and an obscure exit. Linda
had changed to street dress while
the man waited outside her door.
There had been no excitement about
1t though a house detective came and
lowered about uneasily, claiming the
wardrobe trunk with sort of tri-
umph. The two men whispered to-
gether while she dressed and she could
hear scraps Of their conversation
through the open transom. Such
things happen every day, they said.
1t was common occurrence for peo-
pie to "beat'' hotels-nearly always
they were good lockers" also. But
the law was making it pretty serious
the new laws-they couldn't get
away with it any more. and the law
had no mercy!
Mercy! That was not strictly true.
The man who came for her had mercy.
He had allowed her to go down and
break ruthlessly with Brian before
Brian could ruin himself over her. She
knew what would have happened If
Brian had heard about her first! In
spite of her misery this thought sent
a little wave of warmth and happiness
over her. He would have been true.
When she came out Of her room she
was white but entirely composed and
Detective Jimmy O'Hara was politely
thankful to her for not making
scene.
It was bad night, slippery with
light falling sleet, and taxis moved
like careful ghosts, feeling their way
along on clanking chains. Under
street light the officer saw her waxen
profile outlined against the dark lin
ing of the cab.
you're sure there amt gentle
man you'd ask to see you through
this?" he muttered clumsily. He had
asked that question before and she
had told him no. But he had known
women to take that stand often-de-
clare utter friendlessness when they
had an army of rich relations. Women
In trouble were a lot like birds-they
fluttered and tried to fight off the
hand that was helping them. Con
trarily he persisted: "That young fell
low-he'd a been glad to back you up
If you hadn't bawled him out so
strong"
That made her smile-a queer twist
ed lift of her drawn lip. Ibid l? Was
1t really strong?" she questioned with
q curious childishness.
ic pn
head. "If dame ever talked thata-
way to me I'd have passed her up in
the first five seconds" He ruminated:
"But he hung on like bull pup. You
couldn't hardly shake him Off"
Her head sank forward and he heard
her sigh. This affected him strangely.
Policemen must guard themselves
closely against pity and he confined
his to kids and stray kittens. For
women like this golddiggers, con-
fidence molls, he should have no feel
ing whatever. But he slipped glance
at her and found that her profile-the
delicate outline he had marveled at
was now in shadow. She was dull
blur In the corner Of the cab, but one
hand, bare little above the wrist, lay
on the cushions between them, and in
the semi-gloom it looked dead white
and limp. He wondered if she had
tainted.
"It's a bad night under the wheels.
he said to try her out. II hope we
don't bump another car"
She did not answer though he knew
she heard and at that moment the car
did skid and her weight was thrown
against him. He grasped her hand to
steady her.
She turned her head slightly and
spoke "You were very good to let me
60 down."
That embarrassed him. 81 hated to
hang around, lady, listenin' to you an
your sweetie, but l had to keep you
in sight"
"Why-do you call him that?"
His embarrassment grew; he hadn't
meant to use just that word to her,
but there didn't seem to be any other.
"Well, anybody could see that he was
that you was Anyway, had to
be there. l felt kinda foolish"
81 know. You have to watch people
who are-arrested." She tore the
word from her throat, but once spoken
her head went up. ut was your
duty"
1t made them both feel better. ~
wish you'd let your friends know
about this" O'Hara persisted. "Ex
cuse me, ma'am, but don't think you
know how to manage business like
this. The res got to be somebody"
.There is no one" she interrupted
with a touch of impotence.
He was perplexed. He had the
warrant in his pocket She was
charged with defrauding hotels-some
Of the big ones in Chicago and New
York-a tidy sum, too-more than 8
pood man could earn In year. He
Ind been rather proud Of the order t.
bring her in-he'd always hated
cheat worse than any sort OF law