Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1934-07-06
CHAPTER VIII

hung on the back OF cnalf. Mics
swept it up and it fitted once more
on his own head "Got it," he NUT
tered, "just as I'd hoped and plan
ned" Gimpy had been too loquacious
about his living quarters. Now he
was plunged into stupor that could
have only one cause-drugs. Nothing
could wake him. There was some
thing else that Niles wanted besides
the card of mystery. That was Gin
pys gun. In half-light he saw its
barrel on the table and reached for it.
From the direction of the labora-
tory came sudden cry of pain in a
woman's voice. He whirled with a
savage exclamation on his lips. The
automatic lay right at his hand, but
it was worse than useless. 1t had
been taken apart and butt, barrel,
springs and magazine were scattered.
had not put it together again. Now
Niles had not a second to waste if
he were to save the girl. He darted
for the door and sped down the pass
age, racing fast and without noise.
The laboratory door was half open
and he saw the scene within clearly
Anita under the blazing lights with
Benton still gripping her arm. He
must have given it vicious twist to
make her cry out.
"That will do, Benton" Doctor Wes-
ton said cody. "Let the young lady
60. l shall attend to her."
In immaculate evening dress the
doctor stood in front of the girl, his
deeply-lined face as hard as stone.
81 have called you here for a final
accounting, my dear Anita. I do not
think it will be necessary for us to
go over the ground again."
"You mean TOTO do away with
me?"
Exactly. You are in no doubt
about that, are you? First you and
then the detective, after / have used
certain methods of my own on him
in order to make him tell what he
has done with the ace. The code of
the underworld may be harsh, but it
is necessary. You have given aid to
an enemy and, living, you will always
be menace to me. You are too soft
hearted to be criminal, my dear
Anita"
"a criminal?" The girls voice fill
ed with swift scorn and contempt.
"Never that, Doctor Weston. SIM
ply have played my game and lost.
No, I am not crook and never was"
An extraordinary fire smouldered
in the doctors eyes. His accents
cracked like whip. Behind the half
open door Niles went rigid. "You
never were a crook?"
The girls head lifted proudly. 81
have just said that to you. Think
back over our acquaintance. l came
to you as visitor in that prison in
Ohio little over year ago. Yes,
I gave you to understand then that
l wanted to join you in any enterprise
you might start after your release and
you were glad to have me. was use
full to you in many ways on the out
side before you were released and
took care that you should never sus-
pect my real motive-to get in with
you and work with you until it was
time to expose YOU"
Doctor Weston's face became ghast-
ly with fury. His long, white fingers
were twitching.
$3.50 you want to expose me?"
Il did. l knew your criminal car
eer would never be halted by a term
in Jail. 1 meant to see that the world
was protected against you and your
schemes. You remember why you
were in that penitentiary? For for
gerry. You passed fraudulent check
for 100000 at a bank in a certain
town after you had built up deposit
there and become friendly with the
cashier. You were going to pass 9TH
ers when you were caught and then
you swore that it was the cashier who
had planned the whole thing. You
threw the blame on an innocent man
and he was arrested and he died of the
disgrace before the trial. You got off
with a short term because you testi-
fled that you were not the prime NOV
er in the affair and the dead man
rIS RI TO ha
was that cashier who died as the re-
suit of your crime?"
There was silence in the brilliantly
lighted laboratory and every word of
the girl fell clearly.
HE was my father"