The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1936-10-29
CHAPTER II-Continued

"Lanny!" Stephen reproved her.
Then to Dan Mcnamara. do you
mean to tell me you left her out there
unguarded7 How would you explain
her escape-if she had chosen to dis
APPEAR"
Il don't think she'd duck, Doc. But
even II she tried 1t, got plain clothes
man on guard"
Please bring the patient In, Lanny."
| Stephen pleaded. And then you
might" he glanced eloquently at their
empty glasses. Lanny glared at him
80 he smiled-and she ceased to glare.
| But she went on mumbling.
Dan Mcnamara shook his head sage
ly Nothing wrong with that woman's
thinking apparatus" he informed
| Stephen
And then Lanny ushered the new pa
tient las She paused just inside the
door, swept the room with slow glance
and permitted her gaze to come to rest
on Stephen Burt. who rose and bowed
to her. Instantly the frozen hos
tllity In her glance faded and she
smiled. Reminds me OF a gargoyle.'
Stephen reflected.
Meet my friend, DR.. Stephen Burt.
Nance" Dan Mcnamara introduced her
airily. doc. this Is Nance Belden.
alias Dorothy Case, alias Fay Barham.
alias Elizabeth Vernon"
Stephen said politely that he was de-
lighted to make her acquaintance, and
Nance replied with acrid directness,
'Why7" Whereat Stephen Burt laughed
and set chair for her. Nance pumped
herself down In II with a weary sigh.
jerked of her 1aunty hat and threw 1t
on Stephens desk. "All right, Steve.
Shoot What's the idea OF the big
convention7 Another fishing expedI-
tion7''
Now. Nance" Dan Mcnamara.
soothed her. you cut that out. You're
not talking to Doc Blethen. Doc Burts
gentleman"
Nance remembered her manners.
MY error" she apologized.
From the doorway leading Into the
waiting room, Lanny gazed upon the
girl with frank dlsapproval. Over
Nance's shoulder she caught Stephens
eye and shook her head sorrowfully.
1.-THE old girls shocked" Nance
laughed softly without looking around.
while Lanny disappeared.
How do you know. Miss Belden 7"
Stephen inquired.
Mirror" and Nance Belden pointed.
"Close your eyes," Stephen commend
ed, land describe this room to me"
All right. There are two empty
highball glasses on the telephone stand
back Of you" She shifted. Bourbon.
The stands three feet high and tho
telephone book Is In the compartment
under the top OF the stand. The tele-
phone Is one Of those combination re-
ceiver-mouthpiece things like they use
In English stage scenes, and the tele
phone cord Ii white. The desk Is solid
walnut, | think, fiat-topped and clean.
You have a bronze combination ink
we'll, pen-rack, and pln-tray. There Is
blue crayon pencil and a red crayon
pencil and black. gold-banded foun-
tain pen on the pen rack. The foun-
tain pen has green ink In It. know be-
cause on the calendar pad ON the desk.
which Is opened at November GAL
though this is the 24th-you've writ.
ten something with the pen very re.
Gently. You're sitting in 4 walnut
swivel chair. brown leather uphol-
stored. and high back up to your
shoulder tops The Chiefs chair Is
an over stuffed rocker. and X you give
him another drink he'll fall asleep In
1t. On the wall back OF you. there Is
a framed diploma In Latin. issued to
Stephen John Burt by Leland Stan.
ford Junior University Medical school.
and about four feet from II Is the Oath
OF Hippocrates In a black frame, like
the diploma. The print Is old English
and done In black and red. Across the
room, Ia back OF the chief, is a walnut
bookcase. built In detachable tiers, and
there's a white washstand In the cor.
ner close by It The rug is beige col
ored and Chinese. and on the wall In
back OF me. where you can look at II
readily, Ia framed photograph OF your
father. II must be photograph OF
your father because he looks a great
deal like you. In back OF me door
leads into the old lady's den and
here Nance opened her handbag. took