The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-11-28
CHAPTER FORTY

8
was sure would come.
CHAPTER FORTY
nor the space of a breath, Mary
Il could not look. Pure terror, and
the certainty that Dirk was about
70 be killed, paralyzed her.
She heard rush Of footsteps,
then heavy thud, and opened her
eyes slowly.
Dirk lay on the floor, doubled up,
his face contorted with pain. AS
she looked, his face turned dull
greenish white and he toppled
Imply over on his face.
Tainted" MY God, he's broken
his leg!" Get a doctor, quick!" A
chorus of alarmed cries went up.
Several men bounded forward. De
Iona, who was backing slowly to-
ward the door, whirled about. The
sight of the circle of men in eve
ming dress who were closing in on
him gave an edge of panic to his
voice.
I didn't touch him!" he kept re-
peating. You saw mel didn't
touch HIM"
That's all right. Not your
fault" several of them treasured
him "He just slipped. Not your
fault"
But they remained at his elbows,
at least, two of them did. Mary
began to guess they either were
men whom Bates had employed to
guard the exits, in case Of just such
an emergency as this, or employees
Of the hotel
De Iona watched them warily,
apparently feeling a healthy re-
spect for them, for he had quickly
covered that tell-tale reach for his
gun.
NNE of the men spoke to him out
~ Of the corner of his mouth, and
what he said was clearly audible to
Mary: Hand over that gun and
then waltz out of here, and be
damned quick about it."
There was an exchange of some
thing from hand to hand-De Iona
looked about and shifted restlessly.
At any moment he might bolt for it.
She realized suddenly that they
did not know Of the presence of
her handbag in his pocket, or they
would not let him go so easily. It
was up to her to stop him.
Don't leave mel" she cried, leap
ing up and grasping his arm. Help
me get him to a doctor-there must
be one in the hotel somewhere"
Dirk's bloodless face frightened
her. The portly manager arose
from having made a gentle thumb
ing of the hurt ankle and reported:
Hes just wrenched it. Don't try
to bring him tot He's better off
that way until he's moved"
He busted off his hands briskly.
Lift him, you two" he indicated
the stalwart gentlemen who had
been thanking De Iona with gentle
but firm inSistence. Nov, where
to? What's his room number? ANY,
body know? Where've his friends
gomez"
Where, indeed? For the first time
Mary remembered Cornelia and
Ethel They had disappeared.
III take care of him." Mary
put in.
TINE manager caught a glimpse of
pleading, tear-filled eyes. A
glance showed him that Dirk still
was unconscious. The man must be
gotten out of their quickly-it little
mattered where.
Most of the diners already had re-
turned to their tables, but the party
would be ruined if the dancing was
not quickly resumed. Anger followed
alarm, and he fairly snapped out:
We'll, I don't care where you
take him, just so you get him out
of here And you, tool" He whirled
on De Iona, who was standing by,
only too pleased to get off without
a more rigorous calling to accounts.
What was this, puffy little man
ayers ire, against a clean getaway
with the Jupiter rubies in his
pocket? He could afford to stand
and take it; he did so, holding him
self in tightly, the muddy yellow
of his eyeballs showing below the
half-hidden pupils. He looked like
an animal about to charge.
Although he had made no pro-
test, the manager yelled at him as
if he had-mostly for effect.
Il don't know whose fault it was!