Henderson daily dispatch., 1940-10-04
Bel FORE IF ELL X
10 ~ RUPERT GRAYSON
RUPERT GRAYSON &.

lieve me, it puts US both IN rather
Il mess, doesn't it?
ut isn't a question of not belieV-
ing, l promise you, Miss Coral
said Gun, with the utmost polite
ness. 1t is merely that l am afraid
that 1 haven't the least notion OF
what you're talking about. that's
all. And now, if you'll excuse me,
l think l hear our-ahem-guests
returning, so I think I'd better join
them"
Gun turned abruptly on his heel,
and walked back to the bungalow
with his mind in something of a
Whirl. If the girl was an impostor
and how could she be anything
else, in view of what he and Pres
colt had seen-hoW the devil did
she get to know as much as she
had? Was it possible that he had
run up against her at some other
time, when engaged on some other
business, and that she had recog-
nizcd him, or thought she had?
So far as he could see there was
only one comforting thing about it.
He had not given himself away at
all, and if it was only suspicion?
He went into the empty room and
flung himself into chair. He
poured himself out a Whiskey and
soda, and lit a cigaret. And it was
just as he sent the first puff Of
blue smoke curling ceilingward
that a rather startling thought
came to him:
If this girl knew him, or sus-
pcctcd that she knew him, why
had she approached him, instead
of going to Otto or Trent, who
would have had no hesitation in
cutting on the merest suspicion
that he was a secret agent?
If, on the other hand, her story
was true, he was deliberately
throwing away his great chance of
getting the better of the gang.
And, in any case, even if she
was one of the gang, the fact that
she had approached him direct
argued that she was, to some de-
gree, his friend.
Feverishly he sought in his mind
for some theory that would ac-
count for the situation if what she
had said was true. And almost in
stantly he hit on one.
KS COMPOUNDED habit of never
letting his right hand know what
his left was doing. 1t wouldn't be
the first time he had found people
who were complete strangers to
him working on the same job as
himself.
He remembered then how X had
shown that he knew quite a lot
about Pullinger when he first went
to him with the story. Of course,
that could have come from this
girl. The fact that she was with
Otto, and that she had been to
Watson's house, could mean MOTH
ing more than that she was work.
ing on KS behalf.
Gun realized tully what a thin
chance he had of getting free in
time to stop the crime that was
contemplated by the gang without
outside assistance. He suddenly
made up his mind that he would
take O chance on it. After all, he
might Just as well. It seemed about
the only chance, and even if the
girl betrayed him, he might as well
be dead as useless.
Confound it, he'd do fright
away.
He got to his feet and was just
moving to the door to go and find
the others when the door itself was
thrust open and Otto and Trent
stood on the threshold.
"Hullo!" said Trent. Where are
the others?"
I'm the notwithstanding to
program" Gun answered.
Good" said Trent. Let's hope
she's having some luck with your
rather difficult friend"
Otto nodded, and grunted a sort
of Amen"
AS they came into the room Gun
was thinking how he could possibly
get one word with Coral to ;st her
know that he was prepared to
trust her. He got an idea.
"Shall I go out and fetch them
in ?" he asked.
Otto shot a quick glance at him,
that might have been one of sus-
picion. Otto was the sort of man
who was suspicious of almost
everything.
NO." he said shortly. I'm a min
ute I will call out to them myself.
Pof+o, rr;,,o +Ioo,,, tiron %