The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-03-23


temper.
But more than anything else
Burch Cavanaugh had an over
whelming vanity and there was
nothing in this world that could
make him suffer like an unavenged
insult.
And there was only one man liv-
ing who had insulted Burch and
had gotten away with it. He was
Owen Varden-Adele's husband.
In its way the story was an old
and trite one. Burch liked to
amuse himself with Adele because
she was such little thing and so
obviously frightened to death by
him. Then he went abroad one
summer for a try at the tables at
Deauville and when he came back
he found Adele married to Owen
Warden.
That didn't disturb him greatly,
if anything, it was an additional
reason for making love to Adele.
So he took to dropping around to
her apartment when her hus-
band was away and watching her
squirm with terror. That was the
kind of thing Burch did best.
TIE was vastly amused by it all.
Il 4 Adele was afraid to tell her
husband because she knew what a
big shot Burch was, because she
knew all he had to do was give the
word and Owen would catch plenty
of lead in his stomach.
But this Owen! 1t seems that
they forgot to tell him about
Burchs being a bad man to fool
with, or maybe he was just an ex-
citable Irishman, because when he
did catch Burch in his apartment
he smacked him very neatly; picked
him up and smacked him again.
Then, to complete the job, he kicked
him down a flight of stairs.
At 10 o'clock of morning three
days later Burch, slightly battered
about the head, was having break
fast in bed when Conroy, his right
hand man, came in the room. They
knew each other so we'll that
neither bothered to pass a greeting.
See the mornin gpaper?" asked
Conroy.
mo"
Conroy dropped it on the bed.
'"Your pal Warden made the head
lines"
The headline read:
GUNMAN GETS
BROKEN JAW.
Felix Kurth, eX-Convict, was the
victim of one-punch Knockout
when he invaded the apartment of
Owen Warden. Kurth'S shot
went wild when Mrs. Warden struck
up his arm and Warden knocked
him unconscious.
Damn" said Burch. II might
have known that no friend of
Mates could shoot straight"
CONROY nodded. II was Won
- dering if you had anything to
do with it"
They can't tie it on me. Don't
worry about that" Burch rubbed
his chin. He got up, knotting a
muller about his neck, pulling on
his robe. This Warden guys got
CUTS. And Adele spoiled his aim,
eh?" He laughed. Cuts must be
contagious"
You better lay off them" began
Conroy, when the bell sounded.
See who it is and tell EN- I'm
out"
ConraN went to the door and
Burch looked up from a cigaret
to see Adele come into the room.
The match burned his fingers and
he dropped it with an oath.
'Adelel"
yes, Burch"
She was all in green and wore
wisp of feather on the crown. Her
white knit gloves complemented
the dull green of her suit.
Burch gi3nced at Conroy. "See
you later
They were silent until he had
gone. Then she said, shakily: you
Know what happened last night?"
He gestured toward the paper on
the bed. Il just read it. Too bad
he was such a lousy shot"
she was trembling. but looked at
MN steadily. Did you send that
man to kill Owen?"
LIE ground out the head of his
IL garette without answering
Her LANDS were caught together
plteously. BE honest with me
Burch. Tell me the truth"
Well. well, he thought. inst lilo
the movies, beautiful girl in NV
power and all that. Did YOU come
here to find that out?"
She nodded, never taking her
eyes from his face. Did yorp"
Curious to hear her propos ton
he smiled, answered.: yes"
She didn't say anything for a
moment but caught her fun lower
lip between her teeth. II thought
so but 1 wanted to be sure" She
opened her purse and took out
small revolver. You'll find I'm a
better shot than your killer was"
The gun went off three times and
each shot took effect in Burch's
surprised body. He went over
backward. graphing at his chest
with the blood coming swiftly
between his distended fingers, He
stared with shocked horror at
Adele and she. hands twisted to-
gether, stared in return. The gun
had fallen to the floor. .Burch -
she said. "Oh. Burch. ].
And she fed.