Henderson daily dispatch., 1937-05-10
CHAPTER A


JUST AS Jacqueline felt that
she could not draw another breath
when Joplin's huge hands began to
squeeze her throat, the pressure
was relaxed and she sank into a
limp heap on the floor.
THAT'S what you'll get-see ?"
came Joplin's voice.
Jacqueline attempted no reply,
and after a moment the man went
on.
"Iisten." he said. THAT'S what
you'll get an then you'll go over
board. twenty-five hundred dol
lars I'll get for doing it. Get me?"
He stirred her with his foot. Get
me?" he repeated. "Tha's the
offer the gentleman made-$2, 500
to put you out and keep me mouth
shut"
Jacqueline gazed at him with
mortified eyes.
"You were offered $4,000 TOTO
get rid of me?"
"Ah."
"By Colonel Lutman
mo Names" said Joplin. "Incog,
see? Turned it down, did. Kill
ing amt my line. Twenty-Five dol
lars a week, I said, an I'll keep
FER till she pegs out but no kill
ing. Tha's me. Gentle, I am"
Jacqueline's fingers touched her
Throat.
"But no larks-see ?" added Jop-
lin. mo hollering. No whistling.
No nothing. twenty-five dollars is
$25, and I amt losing it. Any
more larks and I'll -" He raised
his hands again and moved them
toward her throat. Get me?
And then overheard you go.
twenty-five hundred dollars-see? ?"
He turned, numbered to the door,
and paused.
"Get me?"
Jacqueline nodded.
"Well, that's huff, then"
The girl climbed back into the
bunk, lay down and closed her
eyes.
| Mrs. Smith was not in the best
of moods. To begin with, dawn,
when she opened her eyes, greeted
her with a reminder that the pleas
ant future to which her thoughts
had lately flown as soon as she
awoke in the morning, no longer
existed as a possibility. Jacque-
line, with her blunt refusal to
marry Jim Asson, had completely
shattered all prospect of the COM
Portable, carefree life to which her
mother had been looking forward,
and the future now simply would
not bear looking into.
Mrs. Smith, with an uneasy feel
ing that fate was about to deal
her another blow, set down the cup
of tea and proceeded to investigate.
The fact that Jacqueline's pajamas
were not in their case on the pill
low caused her quick stab of fear
and sent her hurrying to the dress.
another stab. Brushes. comb and
hand mirror were missing. She
crossed to the wardrobe and peered
inside. Several frOcks, she real
lied, were not there; and when the
chest of drawers revealed that
most of her daughters under
clothes had disappeared, there
seemed to Mrs. Smith to be MOTH
ing for it but to believe the incred-
ible. Jacqueline, without a word
Of explanation or warning, had
gone away. But why? And
where?
It struck Mrs. Smith with sud-
den devastating force that Charles
Stuckey might well be the cause of
all the disasters that had over
taken her since she had so salts
factorily arranged her own and
Jacqueline's future. And the more
she thought about it, the more
feasible that explanation became.
Jacqueline obviously liked the man.
Even at Cobenzil, when he had
worn those preposterous plus
tours and that ridiculous hat, she
had been far more charming to
him than she had ever been to Jim
Asson, and it had been quite evil
dent that the Stuckey person had
been very much attracted to her.
She remembered now that during
the journey to England .Jacqueline
had taken no notice of Jim and had