Evening star., 1931-12-01
FoRTY-EIGHTH INsTALLMENT.

NJ
with her to the Express Of
flee. Later they were to join
Paul Allison and friend in restau-
Y.Sse1t In Mulberry street famous for its
italian cookery.
you'll stay in the executive depart
ment," Julia told her:
What makes you think SOP" Cathleen
asked
Don't know. Just have q feeling this
s one of your lucky days"
Cathleen found the editor OF the Ex-
press in a state Of frank 1ubilatAon.
Action at last!" he greeted her.
You mean you've found the sling
shot man?" Long since she had lost
Eope Of such an eventuality.
mot yet But we're getting warm" "
The editor chuckled What we have
done, we have discovered the identity
OF the two woman witnesses whom
Nielsen has ready to swear you spent
the night with them instead OF IN the
park"
Cathleen was suddenly impelled to
beg this man not to tell her their names.
She did not want to know which Of her
friends had been so treacherous But
she must know. For her own protection.
And for the sake of those six innocent
men locked up in cells
do you know family by the name
hf Nolan?" the editor asked.
The Nolans. Ellen and Mrs. Nolan
Ind Ellens father, Big George"
Yes" she said. ELLEN Nolan has
been friend of mine since we were
Riddles and played with dolls together.
Adrs. Nolan is a friend of my mothers. >"
The editor shook his head regret
fully. Il told you there was . sur
prise coming to you," he said. The
Nolan women are the two witnesses who
Rre prepared to make a first-class liar
gut of you"
"Oh, mol" Cathleen pushed the In
formation from her. 1T can't be.
you've made a mistake"
II think not"
II tell you, it's impossible" Cathleen
insisted. II did think Of going to Ellen
Nolan's that night. But the reason
didn't was because Mrs. Nolan is quite
q gossip. ] didn't want what had hap
pened to be spread through the neigh
borhcod-about father and me quar-
ceiling"
"Inveterate gossips are essential liars"
Said the editor. However, we'd better
make doubly sure. We have q tip that
the two witnesses are coming down to
the district attorneys ONCE for q con-
ference this evening. The appeal in
this case is due for q decision In q
couple of days. They have an idea we're
going to spring something on them.
They're getting everything set"
You're prepared to-f1ght them?"
I'VE will be in another 4S hours. The
conference at the D. AS is for O'Clock
this evening. I want you to meet me
here at a quarter after 8. Wen get a
look at those witnesses when they report
% the D. A" ~. att
It was only few blocks to the Ex-
press Offices from the restaurant where
Cathleen and her friends had dinner.
Cathleen explained her purpose to Julia
and excused herself in time to meet
the editor as directed. Her friends were
TO wait for her.
Later, as she stood with the editor
In a shadowed niche In O., hallway In
the building housing the district at
torney's Offices, there was o. prayer In
Cathleen's heart that the persons for
whom she watched would not be Ellen
and Mrs. Nolan. She and Ellen had
been like sisters until they grew up and
their interests followed separate chan
nels. Why should Ellen want to hurt
her now? Or Mrs. Nolan, who was so
flowery in her protestations Of affec-
tion for Margaret Carroll?
Cathleen heard footsteps coming
elcng the hall. Even before they turned
the corner she knew that the prayer in
her heart was not to be answered. It
was Mrs. Nolan whose tongue Wagged %
incautiously to the man accompanying
her The third person In the party was
Ellen Nolan.
Silently, with the editor, Cathleen
stole out into the street. He had no
need to ask her If his information as
to the identity Of the witnesses was
correct. Her face told him the answer.
Things like that-things that destroy
our faith in people-come hard at firBt,"
he said. Money can be the great de-
gtroyer. You're wondering why your
friends turned wolf. George Nolan's
been put on the Nielsen pay roll. The
Eee-dan and everything"
Riding to glory in o stolen car" !"
Eathleen murmured, her lips curling.
They'll be riding in q black maria II
they don't look out" the editor said,
and snapped his jaws with determi-
nation.
"Good-night." Cathleen offered her
cold little hand.
Call me up day after tomorrow" he
advised. Late in the afternoon. I'll
have news for you"
Cathleen rejoined her friends in the
Mulberry street restaurant. She tried
70 be gay, to contribute her part to
the cross-f1re of conversation. But the
attempt was q dismal failure. All the
Joy had gone out of the evening. She
felt hollow inside.
Cathleen reported at Drew g. Co. the
next morning to find that the stenog-
rapher whose place she had been called
20 fill was still absent and might be
away indefinitely. Mr.. StebbinS, who
apparently arrived at his ONCE at the
crack of dawn. was already waiting with
o fistful of letters to be answered.
Shortly before noon Cathleen finished
the letters and took them to Mr.. Steb-
bins for instructions.
They'll have to be signed by Mr..
Drew" he said. He'll be busy. His
son arrived from Europe this morning.
Tell the man in the outer Office they're
yush."
The man who held sway outside Mr..
Drew's private Office and who seemed
to harbor a grudge against all demand
ing to see the head concentrated his
disapproval on Cathleen.
Mr.. Stebbins says the letters are
vush," she apologized.
The man grunted. stuck his head into
the inner ONCE, then motioned Cath
leen to enter.
Mr. Drew was not alone. A young