The Washington times., 1933-09-23
CHAPTER XIII

whiskey. Durant opened the
bottle Of soda, poured the whis-
key, and was stirring ice into
the mixture when Gertie came
through the bedroom door into
the living room. She stared at
him.
Going to get soused, eh?
Well, it's a funny thing, but
every time I meet suspicious
guy I meet a man that hasn't
CUTS, if you don't mind the
word. You can't take it? Be
cause I'm a double-crosSer you
have to get yourself stewed. I
didn't think I was important
enough in your life, Mr.. Durant,
to drive you back to the old
stuff"
Durant looked at her. "You-
re not" he said. Shall ring
for Layton to carry your bag?"
Crimson stained her face.
That's it, be calm and collected
and Indifferent so you'll live up
to the picture Of yourself. Well,
that picture doesn't fool me. A
person that was really calm and
collected wouldn't change his
mind about a person so quickly.
You know what's the matter
with you?"
nuPanf Gets Told
Durant smiled. He lifted the
high-ball glass to his lips. Like
a cat the girl sprang across the
room and knocked the drink
from his hand. Her bosom
heaving, she looked down upon
the amazed Durant.
You're not going to take a
drink while I'm in this place!"
she cried. MAKE a tramp of
yourself after I'm gone if you
want, but you're going to be
dead,cold sober while you listen
to me. You're the great Mr..
Jackson Durant, the Park Ave
nue. swell who got so bored
with his ordinary law practice
that he had to step over to
Broadway and make himself a
hero to the underworld. Okay.
You've done a swell job. The
racketeers say you're the great
est mouthpiece in New York;
the police say you're the great
est detective that ever hit the
town. Okay again. I think
it's better life than following
the old-fogey career expected of
you.
But when you were Of Park
Avenue you didn't distrust
everybody, did you? The
trouble with you is that for a
year or so you've been mixing
with gyps and crosses and two
timers until you don't believe
anybody's on the level. Just be-
cause girl ditched you, you
think that all girls are ready
to switch you. Well. they
aren't. Here's one that isn't.
I'm going to tell you some
thing that you don't deserve to
be told. You saw me in that
Thirtieth Street speak-easy with
Murtoch, and you thought I
was down there to tip him off
about you. My God, can't you
tell when somebody likes you?
Are you so dumb that you'd
think a girl would give the
works to man that acted the
way you acted toward me?
why, you poor suspicious
unhappy man, I went down to
that speak-easy to hold Muir
toch there. Did I want him
going back to his apartment
to find you there? Did 1 want
that crazy gunman to put a
bullet into you? I didn't tell
you what I was going to do for
fear you'd not let me. I thought
you thought enough Of ME to
refuse to let me take a chance
of getting hurt. And with all
of Crelliman'S men ready to do
things to me, according to your
own story, I took the chance
of going out so that I could
keep Murtoch in play.
And what do I get for it?
I get treated like a stepchild.
I'm told to take the air. And
that's how you feel about me,
is it?"
The First Kiss
Durant rose to his feet.
Hardly knowing what he did
his arms went about her and
his lips met hers. For a mo-
ment the embrace and the
caress lasted. Then, as suddenly
as he had seized her, he re-
leased her and stepped back
from her.
Tim sorry. didn't mean
to do that" he stammered.
I'm awfully sorry"
The lips that a moment ago
had been warm and delicious
curled in smile. "Is that so?
Do you know, I'm awfuliy glad"
'Now I've got to go in there
and unpack that darned ola bag
all over again." she said. "Un-
less that kiss didn't mean any,
thing"
1T meant that I've been a
stupid fool" he told her
"Is that all it meant?" Her
voice was quizzical.
He lored again. She
couldn't be lovelier, and he
hadn't known that any woman'S
lips save Sues could thrill him
as had hers. He leaned toward
her. Why not take the gifts
the gods provided? She sWayed