Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1934-06-22
,u STEUART M.
EMERY

hind bars again. Instead of one body
in the East River there will be two"
Niles plunged forward, such fury
as he had never known before poss-
essing him. The gesture was Useless.
The hard muzzles of automatics jam
med into his sides and an arm, flung
around his neck from behind, held
him pinioned in his chair. The girl
stood quietly, white and compose i.
She had heard sentence of doom pro-
nounced upon her and received 1T
without a culver.
"It will do you no good to make
trouble" said the doctor to Niles. Il
might let you go free if you give me
the ace, but the girl must face her
punishment. She knows who 1 really
am and some of my great plans, but
not all. / am the only one who holds
the secret of the ace of spades and
the way it is to be employed. can
not risk betrayal, as | have said"
81 can't give you the ace" grated
Niles. Fright now don't even know
where it is"
mo-" inquired Doctor Weston, cold
ly. "Well, you shall have the time l
promised you in which to think 1T
over. The nearness of eternity may
prove spur to your memory"
Niles relaxed in the grip of his cap
tors, breathing in short gasps. He
could not take on a roomful of men,
all armed. In twenty-four hours he
might be able to evolve some desper-
ate plan that would give him chance.
1t would be slim one, the forlornest
of forlorn hopes, but for the girls
sake he would have to take it. He
was up against veteran of science
and crime, a man who by his own adj
mission had served time behind prison
bars. And the girl? Niles stifled a
groan. The doctor had met her, he
had just announced, in a Western pen
itentiary. She was to be victim of
the ruthless mob law that she under
stood and bowed to. Her moment of
mercy in coming to his aid was going
to cost her her life. They were to-
gether in a net of deadly peril, both
helplessly enmeshed.
He met her gaze and tried to flash
to her signal of sympathy and pur-
pose. While there was breath left in
him he meant to fight on. Anita
smiled wanly and took a cigaret from
her case. She lit it and let the light
blue wreaths drift ceilingward in the
glazing white laboratory. The first
impression that Niles had had Of her
on Broadway when she had been try
ing to break away from the big gang
ster came back more wildly than ever.
What was a girl like this doing in a
gang of criminals, dancing in night
club that was nothing but cover
for some tremendous SCHEME?
"Take them to the upper rooms,"
said Doctor Weston CURLY. "You can
give the gentleman back his clothes
but he is too be guarded both inside
his room and out. He is not to be
left alone for a moment. do you
the compliment, my dear Mr.. Niles,
of considering you from now on as
highly dangerous antagonist. You
have been quite close tonight, but not
close enough, to the secret of the ace
of spades"
The gangsters moved in on him
and Niles got to his feet. He had a
last glimpse of Doctor Weston in his
chemists smock standing under the
laboratory lights, smile breezing on
his channeled face. Then he was be-
ing taken down a corridor and up
steps to hallway. The girl brought
along behind him. Up more stairs
they went, until finally they were at
the top of the house and Ramos open
ed door with key.
"Vou go inside with our friend,
Gabriel" he said. Il shall make my