Evening star., 1941-05-02

Hildreth gave violent start. "You
can't know!'
81 can know" Nan said. "And I
do know. Eric Fabier is here. I've
just talked with him. He told
me"
80 he told you who killed Car
mody, eh, Miss Bentley?"
Derringer Interrupts.
1t wasn't Hildreth's voice. 1t
was a mans voice. Mans glance
jumped to the door, to Mark Der
ringer, who stood there. He was
smiling in his crooked, mocking
way.
so Eric Fabier, was here" he
said again. And he told you who
killed Carmody Now that's inter-
esting. Who killed Carmody, Miss
Bentley?"
Hildreth had uttered a throaty
cry. She turned and tried to slip
past him, through the doorway. He
put up his arm and stopped her.
Don't go, Hildreth. You're 60
ing to enjoy this" He glanced
again at Nan. Tell us, Miss Bent
ley We're waiting"
Nan was about to say that Eric
Fabier himself had killed Richard
Carmody, but the phone rang. She
turned to it, lifted it. The operator
said, Captain Larsen on the wire,
Miss Mora"
Nan said, "Yes. yes!" Then: "Da-
vid! David, it's Nan. Come right up
hurry" She heard Mark Derrin-
ger mutter an oath, heard him
crossing the room. She turned and
faced him. managed to smile.
Hes coming" she said and saw
the anger blaze in his eyes. His
lips parted as if he were about to
speak, then they closed tightly. He
swung about and walked from the
room. Hildreth had already van
iShed.
David came almost at once. His
brown, lean face was anxious, and
he said, What is it, Nan?" in a
troubled voice.
Eric Fabier was here" she told
him. "He was in my suite when
entered. I don't know how he got
in, for the door was locked. He told
me LYDIA Mora has the papers
the plans you want, think. And
he killed Richard Carmody, David.
He told me LYDIA hadn't done it,
that he had found Carmody alive
after LYDIA had left the apartment.
He"
She broke off, for David was
staring at her in a strange, disturb
ing way.
Don't you believe me, David?"
Eyes, Nan. Yes, of course"
But He Didn't.
But he didn't. She could see it..
In his eyes. He thought she was
pretending, playing a part-or that
she was suffering from a delusion.
Nan felt her courage wilt. She
looked at him a short moment
longer, then turned and went into
the bedroom. And closed and locked
the door.
Nan didn't know how much time
passed until the phone started ring
ing. She had lain across the bed,
in the dark, frightened and fighting
ner fright without considering time
When the phone continued to ring
she rose and went to the sitting
room to answer.
A rich, perfectly modulated voice
said, Miss Mora? Is this Miss LYDIA
Mora?" And Mans ragged nerves
jumped. This was LYDIA Moras
voice.
Nan said, "Yes. Yes, this is LYDIA
Mora"
There was soft laughter. This is
an old friend. Miss Mora Nan
Bentley. Do you remember?"
'Yes. Oh, yes! Can I see you?
I must-at once!"
Yes. I want to see you, too"
There was little pause. Then the
real LYDIA Mora said, II am at the
Hotel Claremont. 1t is nearly mid
night, but I would like to see you."
I'll come at once" Nan said.
A New Crisis.
She put down the phone, stood
moment and tried to stop her
trembling. Here, at last, was LYDIA
Mora, and she would Straighten out
all this insanity Nan returned to
the bedroom and changed her eve
ming dress for plain linen suit,
slippers for shoes. She went out
then and down to the lobby. She
inquired at the desk about the Hotel
Claremont and was told that it was
but two blocks away. She listened
to the directions, then went out.
The street she had been told to
follow was dark and narrow and
deserted, lined on either side by San
Juan's old balconied houses. Nan
walked fast, keeping her eyes on a
distant neon sign that spelled the
word Claremont. Her thoughts were
on this meeting with LYDIA. She
would tell LYDIA that this must be
the end. That she would no longer
keep up the impersonation. She
thought of just how she would tell
LYDIA and she had no thought of
/ danger. Nor any warning.
She didn't notice the generously
DARK alleyWay between two houses.
She wasn't aware that some one
lurked there. She neither heard nor
saw anything The attack came too
| silently, too suddenly.
An arm went about her and a
hand clapped down over her mouth.
/ She was jerked violently into the
| alleyway, into the thick darkness.
/ Copyright, 1941, Chicago Daily News, Inc.) }
Continued Tomorrow
David discovers Mans absence and
Hildreth Walther's.