The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-05-11
CHAPTER xL

In some cn0&fm Lanyard crossed
to the window-doors. Black night
pricked with . myriad Of man.made
stars met and defeated eyes keyed
to indoor illumination. He pushed
the wings farther apart and stepped
out. But the dusky terrace with it,
array Of outdoor furniture and
plants in tubs drowsed all deserted.
He lost . minuts there, less IN
disappointment or disconcertion
than in marveling on the sight that
opened beyond tho ruled black lip
Of the parapet, the spangled spread
Of urban night, patterned in lights
like = vast shield. internally lurid
1t it, midtown boss with lines Of
fading CLEAN radiating in untrace-
able confusion to the far shimmer
OF its broken silver rim. And to
every light that burned below, q
hundred hearts that beat in love
and sorrow, despair and hope.
And somewhere, near one Of
them, his son and. perhaps, Fenno.
With . gesture Of Illustration
Lanyard turned back, only hating
to peer up to the parapet Of l.
quith's terrace.
A glow beyond made this last q
dense black mass-and proved. or
seemed to prove, that the tenant Of
the upstairs premises was 1t home
And Tess Boyce, no doubt, up
there with him. No telling what
they were schemin9, between them,
or how or when their designs would
manifest In actionl
Time TO have another try for
Crane BY telephone: but Lanyard,
moving quietly back to the draw
ing-room, was halted short Of it BY
. little shake Of throaty laughter il
the hush overhead.
He slapped quickly aside and out
Of the light shed BY the windows.
In another breath something
plopped on the tiles ct his feet, fell
and rested just inside the edge Of
the stencil Of light.
The shagreen-bound case Of the
Habsburg emeraldsl
Something else fell from imme-
diately above Lanyard's head the
next instant, but only TO his ears-
feminine cry Of vaxstion.
~, I.ye ..!sc on:: aud dropped the
"Well, don't worry The amused
Injunction was unmistakably, BY its
hammered accent, lsquith's. "You'll
ind i down there. al right wait
ing for You"
u know. But Il makes me mad.
I'm al the time dropping things.
Why i it,"
"Your amazing nervous energy,
little one, your impotence that Is
always trying to make . gesture do
instead Of . finished performance.
Never mind: you have virtues that
make up for your failings.s
.I'vs got s0katl"
"stsrlisnaG qualities. thsn-h you
that's more like Il. thought
for . minute you were trying to
make up 70 me-. Gave me- quite .
ut ought to-when or II ever.
Easy nowl Don't 70 romping down
that ladder u II It was . staircase.
Il You let 60 Of that, butterdngers.
next thing you know they'll be
s .;9S = f-o you . up Oh the Avenue
"Not . chance. I think moro Of
my life than ] do Of any mess Of
"But give . thought to me, dear.
Is you break your pretty neck, you
know, ] can always get another
sweetie, but I'm apt to 60 Ill the
rest Of my life without another shot
1t the Habsburg emeralds."
"You don't have to tell me.
That's the way II IL with you men,
always-seliish beastsl Just for
that, I'm going to keep tight hold
and disappoint you"
The di6used light picked up
silken ankles upon . spidery iron
ladder that linked the terraces at
. point . ono side Of the Windows
the wall like . lizard. Lanyard
waited.
The shagresn case now lay. not
whore e had first fallen, but
squarely "a the middle Of the light
ID aEea-4ar enough away 70 mini.
nlize the risk Of her becoming aware
Of his presence, there IN the dark.
ness. when she paused 70 retrieve
Il.
"All very entertaining, my dear.
I'm sure" The light Satire key
betrayed how well lsquith fancied
himself - tho most polishsd a.