The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1937-11-04
By Emile Loring
g Emile Loring.
wNU Service.

shoulders and held her so close that
the scent of the crushed gardenias
was sickish.
'.Sschl Mustn't let him know we
are herel" Mark Trent whispered.
The spot of light illumined the
key in the door, illumined the black
gloved hand which gently turned 1t
and as gently drew ii out.
Mark Trent felt the hard beating
of the girls heart as his arm tight
ened about her shoulders, the soft
ness of her skin against his hand.
He didn't dare release her for fear
she might make sound and reveal
their presence to the unknown per-
son in the hall. What good lit
tie sport she was. She had followed
him into his house with no embar-
rassment, but with a modern girls
Interpretation OF propriety, her ig-
noring of outworn conventions. just
the same, he wished fervently that
she was back in her own living-room
in that chair before the fire, for
there was no lodging the fact that
black-gloved fingers had withdrawn
the key from the lock. To whom
had they belonged? The words on
the scrap of paper he had picked
up from the floor of the storeroom
and replaced on the table teased his
mind.
MAKE X on cover when
That was all. What Govern Much
as he wanted to know, he couldn't
let Brooke Reyburn get mixed up
in the mess. When he had dis
covered the silver, his first thought
had been of her and the thrill she
would get from seeing it. Ii he
hadn't brought her. he would be on
the mans neck by this time.
1t seemed hours that he stood rig
id, listening, with the only sound the
underground roar OF great city.
the faint wall of the distant siren,
and the girls unsteady breathing.
He strained his ears. Was door
being closed cautiously. or was his
imagination playing tricks? He
must find out. He couldn't stay
here forever. He put his mouth
close to Brooke's ear. He felt the
softness of her hair against his face.
Don't move. Don't speak. I'll
come back"
Whenever in after life he smelled
the fragrance of gardenia, he
would remember this night. he told
himself.
He took a cautious step into the
hall. Listened. The house was SC
quiet that he could hear the tick OF
the old clock ON the stairs. He tip
| toed to the door of the room ir
| which he had found the silver and
ran his fingers lightly over the knob
The key was gone.
He felt his way down: he didn''
dare use the flash. The lamp in the
lower hall provided a faint light
Gently he turned the knob of the
connecting door. 1t was locked
Someone had followed him down thu
stairs! He felt presence. Fool, no
to have suspected that an accom-
plice might be hidden in the dark
He shouldn't have left Brooke. HI
must get back to her no matter
who was between them.
He wheeled with pantherlike agil
ity. Raised his fiashlight to bring i
crashing down on head.
Mark Mark"
1t was Brooke Reyburn's voice
her hand on his arm. The stiffen
ing went out of his knees. Relic
was submerged in mighty rusl
of anger as he gripped her shout
ders.
What do you mean by coming
down when / told you not to move
| What do you mean? / might hav'
struck you'll"
but you didn't, Mark. / felt lik
gutter hiding in the dark Will
you came down alone, so | crep
after you. What did you seer"
Nothing here-but the door |
locked" =
"A black-gloved hand did pull tn
key from the storeroom door, didn'
it? ! didn't dream it. did II"
If you did. was in the sam
dream, Brooke. Wonder when the
intend to remove the stuff"
You think someone is plannin
to take it away?"
why else should it be there7
probably was moved from, Lookol
House to this one, which has bee
unoccupied for years. before cam
back here to live. After Aunt Mar
Amanda went. I was the only pc
son who would know about the 81
: yer, and / was far away in Soui
| America. That's why Henri's fac
: turned chalky when he saw me e.
ter your living on Thanksgi
ing day."
"Then you noticed it too?
e thought it might be my imagin
! ton.
: He was white, all right. Con
t on, we can't get back to Looko
House through this door. We'd be
n ter beat it downstairs and out tn
: way. Lucky | pocketed your key
: Hurry Hurry! Suppose 1t WI
t Henri who left those keys in Il
S doors? Suppose he remembered tn