Evening star., 1938-02-20

WY h8IS "dSu VII. !
blind, you know"
"Yes, yes." Win said, feeling the
knot loosen slightly. That can wait.
Tell me what happened"
Two men were quarreling," the
man continued. II heard blow. Then
a man walked past my door. A little
later l heard a mans voice raised in
anger, say, You double-crosser, get
load of thisr Then l heard another
blow. and something fell to the floor.
Il heard steps running past my
door. took the dog to guide me, and
started for the police. I'd gone as far
as the corner when an automobile
drew up alongside and stopped, for the
red light. l presume. fumbled for the
door catch and asked if they'd take
me to the police station. The man
asked me what wanted, and, as soon
as he spoke, recognized the voice of
the man I'd heard in the room next
to mine!
THAT was where l made my mis-
take showed recognized the voice.
l turned away. For a minute Mimi
didn't understand what I wanted.
There were two men in the car They
got out and grabbed ME. and the dog
jumped in after me. After while they
threw out the dog. They took me
here and
Hurry" Win commanded, strug-
Cling with the knot Il hear steps. :"
This man explained he had to be
here to keep an appointment. An alibi
depended on it. He tried to make me
talk. He intends to kill me, but he
had to wait until after his appoint
ment the alibi >"
A door shivered open. disclosing
hallway filled with light. and the re-
Fiction of that light filled the room.
Dudley Lockhart. standing in the
doorway. said, What the hell's COM
ing off here?" A tall. slender man
reached past Lockhart and clicked on
the light switch. Win Layton. blink
ing in the sudden glare of the lights,
saw Ross Wilton standing behind. the
two men in the corridor. white-faced
with surprise. She saw that Lockhart
was holding blue-steel automatic
in his right hand. He pushed his way
into the room.
Win Layton thought swiftly. There
was only one hope. Run, Rossr' she
screamed. Call officers! Lockhart
murdered Fishbackr'
Lockhart raised the automatic.
Wilton was still standing in the hall
way, his handsome face picture of
startled CONSERVATION. The tall, thin
man was jerking weapon from a
shoulder holster. Lockhart, murder
blazing from his beady eyes, was
stiffening his hand on the trigger. And
the dog. Win saw the dog 60 through
the air, tawny streak of motion. She
saw the jaws clamp themselves on
Lockhart's wrist, heard the roar of
the automatic. Lockhart dropped his
gun and screamed oaths. Ross Wilton
turned to run. 1t was too late. The tall
man whipped a gun from his shoulder
holster and said to Wilton. Freeze,
Buddyr'
Wilton gave one startled glance
over his shoulder, stumbled to a stop
and pushed his hands high in the air
Dudley Lockhart struck the dog a
heavy blow with his left fist The ami
NAL dropped to the floor, crouched.
Lockhart, staggering off balance.
flung up his forearm as the dog
scrambled to another rush.
Win dove for the gun Lockhart had
dropped. She saw Lockhart's foot
swing in an arc. His shoe barely missed
her face, struck the biceps of her
reaching arm. She felt stab of pain,
then the muscles were drained of
strength, leaving her helpless arm only
a limp, numbing ache. Lockhart's
right forearm. interposed between the
dog and his throat, caught the dogs
slashing jaw. parried the rush. Kill