Nogales international., 1930-06-10

he calls it-he's an American; at least.
he's been Ia sing Sone4i.. .... Sing.1
Sing, is it, Anyway, rs stir. A
couple Of quid'd get ME out Of Lon
don" ...
II haven't got a couple OF pounds
with me-" said Luke.
| He was already weary Of the COM
panionship, and, but for being in his
present condition, would never have
submitted to being dragged into this
foul little street.
perhaps I can calf at your Office
in the morning." Lewing's voice be-
trayed his anxiety. And then, as he
remembered: II give that ten pounds
to the Gunner"
i "You gave nothing to the Gunner"
said Luke coldly. "Mr. Bird told me
ali about you
There was an embarrassed silence.
Anyway, I'd like you to stay with
me, sir" said the man. Il called you
a busy just now, and you look like
busy. If any of them Connors see me
with a busy they'll"
| They had just turned the corner islto
an even narrower street, and Lewing
stopped suddenly. Four dark shapes,
two on the pavement, two in the road
way, confronted them. Luke surveyed
them curiously. They all seemed to
have caps drawn over their eyes; each
man had both hands in his pockets.
Here, what's the idea, Joe?"
Lewing's voice was whine. This
gentleman is taking me around"
The leader Of the four laughed
harshly. e,9.,efe l.i ,4.o.r.se.sI
you've got to have busy with
you, have. you?'' he said with an oath.
"You amt satisfied with nosing on us
Connors, but you got to carry Scot
land Yard strapped under your arm.
That's yours, Lewing y aIs.e
To Luke it only seemed that the
man had edged a little closer to
Lewing as he spoke. .Lewing coughed
and fell groggily. against Luke.
'1""Get the busy" said a snarling
voice. RH 4 . r-.. ..a4Is
Luke swung back but not quite in
time. He saw the glitter of steel and
felt as though a hot iron had been
drawn across his breast; and then a
curious weakness came on him, and he
leaned back against the wall and gra-
dually slipped into a sitting position
His last conscious, impression was the
Gathering feet of running men; four
dark shapes vanished into a greater
darkness, and he was left alone, with
something that sprawled across the
pavement, staring with unseeing eyes
at the Pickering light of the street
lamps. 4
1t was the thirteenth day after the
disappearance of Luke Madison, and
a day of fate for his wife, since it put
a period to the long and agonizing
hours of doubt and uncertainty, of
self-reproach that at times approached
self-loathing. Twice she had been on
the point of acquainting the police,
and twice had Dainty stopped her.
1t was time of worry for Dainty
also, but from quite another cause.
What had puzzled, and to some de-
gree comforted her, was the fact that
Mr.: Stiles, the manager of Maddi-
sons Bank, had shown no particular
anxiety. She guessed, or knew, that
Luke had told him of her act, for
when she had offered her check it had
been almost peremptorily refused.
What she did not realize was that in
the days before she became factor in
Luke Maddison's life, and largely de-
termined his actions, Luke was in the
habit of disappearing into the blue.
Invariably it was from Spain that
Stiles had received postcard notify
ing him of the imminent return of
his employer. The country had a
fascination for Luke Madison. He
spoke the language ike a native. lie