The Indianapolis times., 1931-11-16

ton. Thank God, thought Mary;
he doesn't suspect. Now if 1 can
only be sure of myself
But De Iona was not looking at
her. After the first swift glance
did she imagine it or had his eyes
strayed to her throat, involuntarily
seeking the necklace?-he gave his
attention to the Countess, chatting
with her in manner at once re-
served and intimate.
Mary looked at Bruce to see how
he was taking it. He was calm
enough. No trace Of jealousy there,
at least, apparent to the eye.
The music started and with one
accord the two stood up and danced
away, almost forgetting to excuse
in their absorption.
The countess was anxious to get
De Iona away, or so it seemed.
Bruce Immediately turned to Mary
and they followed the others to the
dance floor.
n
thought were racing.
1V1 Once she thought of throwing
the whole thing on Bruces should
ers. There is the man who
killed your mother" Bruce would
be equal to the emergency; he
would know what to do. And she
could run away and hide, where
this trembling Of the knees would
not threaten to conquer her at any
If Bruce had been a trife more
size actually might
have done it. But this frozen calm
of his was more than she could
break through.
There was no doubt in her mind
that it was the same man she had
seen at Shay's. She would know
him anywhere. The same smooth
salloW skin, the same jet black hair,
the bold, black eyes, SO curiously
unwinking.
It was disconcerting to meet his
was something rapaci-
Gus, inhuman about it,
And this other puzzle, of his ac-
with the countess.
Where had those two known each
other? The countess was making
her first visit to America, osten-
sibly, and Mary knew definitely
that America had been the scene of
operations of The Fly for several
years mast. at least
Was the countess another whom
he had taken in at some time or
other? Or was she, as the astute
Bates asserted, criminal herself?
Mary resolutely put these
thoughts aside lest they show in
her face as she and Bruce returned
to the table.
The countess had lost her strained
look and was gay, even coquettish
again.
stabbed at the frozen
1V1fruits in her ice unSeeingly. She
was so absorbed that it disconnected
her when she glanced up and saw
her table companions all looking at
her.
She looked around at them rather
wildly frightened at having been
caught off guard
What is it?" she asked.
The countess lowered her eyes.
Enrique merely was saying that
you look exquisite" she murmured
mot at all the jeune
file. 1t is perhaps the dress?
Remarkable, the flair for dress the
young American working woman
possesses. BY day, the grub, Shaving
away at the typewriting machine E.
at night, VOLTA! She is a butterfly,
dressed like a queen! Amazing!"
The scratch was in that, as usual,
but Mary was saved from replying
when De Iona, suddenly leaning
forward on his arms, asked bluntly:
Haven't we met before?"
1t was a challenge, but its swift
ness found Mary ready to meet it.
"You were at Shays, weren't
you?" She laughed, as at an ire
sistible memory. "If I'd known
then"
Known? Known what?"
Mary locked straight at him with
just the right degree of wide-eyed
innocence.
why, that you we're a count, of
She held her lower lip
with her teeth, as if to control her
1--WE thought you we're
know-a racketeer! We
ran from the place.
Didn't you notice it?"
The beady black eyes did not
change expression. AS they bored
into hers, seeming to probe her
very soul for guile, Mary met them
unwaveringly. Of he we're
scared off now if he didn't
believe her .! Her heart almost
stopped for a moment of terrible
THE innocent confusion that
i showed in her face apparently
satisfied him, for he broke into a
grin, and turned to the countess
to speak of something else.
The music began again, dreamy
tango this time and to Mary's sur
prise De Iona abruptly turned back
to her again and asked her to dance.
Her heart plunged once, then be-
gan to thump madly. She felt quite
cold and numb but somehow she
got to her feet. lifted her arms to
him.
Then, incredibly, she was moving
off with him, his arms about her.
her hand in his. 1t was hor-