Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-20
|e2 MANHATTAN NIGHTkAta
Il ~ '-- A-.. "'- SYRIN
D. WTHi-n Aims" wsN

Leave that lay-for now. Where was
you Tuesday right-Wednesday MORN
ing, If you want to be fuSsy-between
two-twenty. when you left Sanborn's.
and three-twenty, when you got back
there2" .
give already told Inspector cOn.,
molly" :.
Hey. fella-I don't care what you
told who! I'm askin' you--see? Come
clean! Where was your"
TT was with lady" He looked
at Peter, alphabetically "With--a Miss
Yea? weil-IT say that's damned
liel" :
Eyes? Well, as the lady Is prepared
to swear that was-as she has, In fact,A
already told Inspector Connolly and Mr..
Barclay that was"
"The thing beats me-" said Charley,
his manner altered for the moment Is
the way the women fall for inchworms
like you! Oh, sure she backed you upl :
into his voice. "Only-she was lyin11s
too" He was close to Ross now; his
Jaw was thrust out, so that his hot
breath must have brushed the others
face. "Get me, Ross--I know where's.
she was-and it wasn't with you'll And
know where you was, tool" V
Then why the devil are you asking
ulc, II YOU khlOW 90 =
But that was pure bravado, ana Peterz
knew 1t. Panic had taken hold Of ROSS
again; it was plain in his shifting eyes,,
in the trembling Of his weak. bad
mouth, in the way his fingers played
together. He was in the grip OF
deadly fear, and his fright sickeneo.
Peter 1t would BE almost as bad fors
Martha If Ross had killed Tack as tf
she herself had fred the. shot.
I'm givin' you your last chance 20
come cIean-that,s why" said Charley.
Something about Ctarley's manners
puzzled Peter now. He had changed
again; his voice was gentler; It was 81:
most tolerant He WAS better pSy-
chologist, Peter felt, tl1on he had sup
and respect for the man, in the last
two days, hadn't prepared him TO see
Charley playing like this on the fears
and hopes Of one like Ross.
You're q poor sort Of man, Ross.
III say you arel But God Almighty,
YOU must have some gutsl You know
the whole frame-you've known It for .
voice was full Of an unreasonable con-
tempt. "Oh, know you didn't shoot
Thayer-I know you didn't even know
he was going to be put outl'
Peter jumped. His heart 1eaped n
his relief-for he didn't, even for an
instant doubt that Chofley meant that,
nor, now, that Charley, In very truth,
had solved the mystery. Fascinated
he stared at Ross. He was as much
afraid as ever; that word Of reinsurance
that Charley had tossed him hadn't re-
laxed the grip Of the terror in which he
Let me alone" he said. The
roof Of his mouth was dry; he talked
as II his tongue were swollen. I'll,
haven't anything to say-I've told all I
"Yeah2" sold Charley. "Thats your
last word, Is It? Remember, fe1la--
I'm givin' you your last chance. You
amt headed for the chair-not this
time. But they's other crimes besides
murder, and they send guys up for
Shut upl Get out! I don't know
what you're talking about" 3
You know, all right, fella--you
know. And you know I know you know.
But can't make you talk II you won't
Havestt your own way. Come on, Pete;
He can stew IN his own juice for all Of
ne-nowl"
In the hall, as they waited for the.
elevator. Charley turned his cigar over,
tnoughtfully, IN his mouth.
wrongl" he said, philosophically. !.
What do you mean2" said PeterS
Haven't you got naything on him? was
that ala bluff? f
II got plenty on him." Pete. Only
they's others he's worse scared of than
he is OF me. That's the trouble with
Ross. The way he's sittin' he's damned
II he does and damned If he doesn't. :
Come on-let's CO."
(To Be Ccntinued.)