Evening star., 1932-12-18

She knew at once it. was he: there WAS such
debonair surety in his manner. He gave the
impression of a man accustomed to rugged
sports, yet who was almost too faultlessly turn
ed out from the fastidous cut of his dinner
clothes to the sickness Of his black hair. He
paused and although apparently losing
nothing of his manner, for the fraction Of an
instant his eyes swept the street Constance
caught an odd wariness in the glance. THE
mans married." she thought, Mortified that
the possibility had not occurred before. A
Penrose in such predicament! She longed to
tell the chauffeur to drive even now; but
Hanson was coming toward her.
Miss WilliamS?" he asked delightedly.
YES" she said, managing to return his
smile. Isn't this silly of us?"
Il think it's charming. But surely you
aren't going to insist that spend our few
precious minutes on the curb?"
"Oh, yes, am. 1 only stopped for mo-
ment because it did seem fruitless-our holding
telephone conversations without much ss
a glimpse Of each other"
And now that you have had your glimpse"
he said with an easy smile, you will drive
on. Hasn't 1t occurred to you that you may
leave me feeling your glimpse hasn't been en-
tirely satisfactory"
1t was amazing to find a man so self-con-
fident that he would allow such an open lead.
We'll, yes-it has" she replied, enjoying
herself now.
"Why?" he asked. surprised into bristing
defense.
ITS your face Oh I'm sure you've had no
complaints about it. But it doesn't quite go
with your voice; for me it's little too-go-
getterish"
Il like that" he cried. Really could
be awfully good friends Why won't you let us?''
Constance's heart sank. They were back
where they started and she felt Unexpectedly
helpless about it. She knew that she must
get away.
A IL at once she had choice. The man
across the way had spoken. 1t was sort
of warning exclamation. Instantly, Hanson
was on the alert. She followed his eyes down
the street to where the sedan with drawn cur
tains was again approaching. But not as it
had done before. Suddenly. with accelerated
speed, it was coming directly at them. She
Hanson glance back as if gauging the dis
tance to the apartment house door, discard the
possibility, and spring into the taxi beside her.
Drive FAST" he shouted Lose that sedan!"
He was crouching low looking back. She caught
the gleam of gun in his hand; but he- scream
was lost in the violent jerk of the car.
so this is your game, sister!' he said
grimly well, III beat you at it. I've beaten
your gang before!"
Gang? Gang? She had neither. She was
being abducted! sharp report behind them
was more than echoed as bullet struck one OF
their rear tires and the taxi careened and
crashed against the curb. Again Hanson was
measuring the chance Of gaining a doorway.
Just as the sedan came abreast of them he
sprang out. and, using the taxi shield, made
a dash for shelter. Constances frozen senses
heard more shots; vaguely she saw Hanson
crumple-then she was running along the Side
walk and some one was running after her. She
turned a corner. The space between two apart
ment houses was guarded by high iron grille
whose gate was ajar. But she didn't know
this; she merely clutched at a shiny brass
knob and stumbled down into the pasSageway.
Fortunately. the gate locked behind her. few
seconds later she saw the man who had been
across the way try the gate and. finding it
locked run on In search of her. Even had he
peered into the passageway, however, he could
not have seen her, for Constance Penrose Mel
den was crouchng behind several ash cans.
IT was not until the following morning after
] she had the morning papers before her that
she fully recognized the connection between
herself and the world she lived in Because
yesterday he had been .lured to his possible
DEATH 1t had been disclosed that the socially
prominent Mr. William Hanson was also
known as Lucky Billie" leader of one of the
largest beer rackets. And the police were look
ing for fashionably dressed woman wearing a
nile-green evening gown and moleskin coat.
She could understand things more clearly
now. The man across the way must have been
a guard-a henchman. she believed they would
call him. But how was she to explain her in
nocence?
She had, luckily, found a door that opened
into basement passages. Creeping stealthily
along these, she had finally come to stairway
that led up to an apartment house lobby. She
recalled the heartening feel of thick pile rugs
under her feet. The lobby empty for the
moment; the attendants could be seen grouped
on the sidewalk, looking excitedly down the
street. She had taken deep breath, wonder
ing at her strange calmness, and walked to the
door,.
Taxi, please" she had said, if she were
repeating line in a play.
"Oh, beg pardon, madam" apologized one