Show the 3 T OF I 1 AUTHOR or THE cd 0 Y CAVENDISH CA X T N 0 4 0 0 illus illustrations yf alme WEIL fl jf BY RANDALL PARRISH CHAPTER X continued 15 my lity glance fiance wondering wandering about the room aimlessly altal esaly fell upon the valls valise e in one corner it was just where I 1 remembered leaving it aben I 1 went vent out yet I 1 saw something which surely resembled a slash in the leather I 1 crowed over and bent down it was a slash clash tile the clean cut ot of a knife running from end to end penetrating through both leather and cloth whoever had done the dead had been unable to operate the lock and had used the blade OR as a lost inet resort allt ting the entire bag wide open I 1 in felted nay iny hand and felt within nothing seemed missing or greatly disturbed I 1 explored to the bottom and then sprang to my feet in startled amazement the dagger I 1 had concealed there was gonel good godl god I 1 what could be th the e meaning of this she had worn that ornament in her hat openly purposely to foot fool mo m into believing her innocent there could be no other explanation she had contented being at tile the hotel seeking to locate me and the number of my room what would prevent her coming up here unobserved then while I 1 was out and gaining entrance and who else elo would have any reason to thus search arch through my things and abstract this important evidence of crime yet hoy how did she know I 1 had it how did she ven even suspect I 1 was the first to discover dl scorer tile the dead body and bear away with me the tell anle weapon with which alva ahn had been murdered I 1 had no means of knowing liew how only she alone had find special reason to regain possession of that knife and che had even en dared later to flaunt it in my very face to show it to me in her possession just as though it had bad never passed out of her hands 1 here was revealed a depth of duplicity a criminal audacity not to be ex pressed in words this soft spoken girl this woman to whom I 1 know knew I 1 had given my heart stood revealed now tn in all her hideousness a murderess a thief a scheming erli ninel coolly concealing conceal lug the troll trail of tier crime and using tier her very charms of face fac e and manner to conceal from me her true mature perhaps sho she would see sec me again perhaps the lie wits yet et warm upon her lips she had find gone away laughing at the simpleton who had believed her the dupe who had so easily been deceived by tier her sint smiles les the chances were sho she had disappeared already vanished left the city assured that no 0 evidence now remained behind to ever connect tier her with this terrible teril ble affair she cared nothing for me I 1 hurt barl been a vic mere re tool pliant in tier lier the dagger I 1 had concealed there was gone land band I 1 remained merely in her memory as aa something to laugh about another victim B R blind groping fool with whom she had played to her hearts desire I 1 sat at with my head tn in my hands fearing at th mutilated bag racked with linger anger std nl misery I 1 had been may easy a mark of derision and ridicule a mere screen for her to hide behind while her accomplice it if slip had find one escaped with the spoils then the reaction came caine the thought that perhaps I 1 had net read the story wholly aright the faint hope that it might not p prove rove exactly as aa I 1 had pictured in my firt fir t wild burst of passion it was as too infamous too unthinkable why italic if abe was guilty should she have remained in new york why should she ahe have sought me out or li listened stend so ao intently to the quarrel of those two x faco at Peron ds what could she ios po sibly gain by thus overhearing me tale of their failure if the nhe already knew who was aa the murderer of alva aiva ant and abut had find become of the spoils I 1 could ask these thee questions but not one was answerable they merely mocked tile me with their emptiness then shrill and insistent tho the tele phone phon rang my ally heart was beating like a hammer as I 1 took down the receiver who could be calling me at this hour who except she alone in this sity city knew rny and hotel 1111 hullo ullo A roans mans voice spoke huskily this you daly yes hastily instantly aware of who was on the other oilier eni end of the wire yet feeling feell nir it best to dissemble until I 1 learned the purpose who la in speaking the ite follow fellow you biffed biffel with a bottle tonight no I 1 aint got no hard feelings Be besides aldes I 1 got something else to think about than a cracked dome say I 1 tot got some dope on how that job was didt did an maybe could tell you something thin C else elm of interest I 1 sot got to talk with you privately what its ita a matter for the girl as well as yer self im playing square ai long as TO you do the right thing thin but I 1 know w who h 0 the dame Is ii an am liable to squeal it if I 1 alet a raw deal put tine it straight might harry you know who the she 19 1 you say sure I 1 to do old pierre over oer at Peron dt ds told me lie ile never forgets forg ets it a face or a name that old duffer lie he knew you the minute you blow blew in fit and he knew tier her too shed been there be before fore slumming who Is nhe then au all right I 1 know but I 1 aint fool enough to blow it over the wire if conic come over here and I 1 11 have anve B n talk ill split spill a few things in lour ear make you wise where are arc you at Wh itts become of your partner chos that waldron ilo ile aint no partner of mine say you must have handed that guy some seine jolt the lust last I 1 saw of him lie he wits laid out on a bench in Peron ds buck back room breathing like a stuck pig dead to tile the world will you come over here what have you got to tell me well theres the domes dames name for one thing ril bet you dont even know who she Is 1 or how bow ashes string in you sou then im on to whore a pint part of that boodles boodler bood les planted ted anyhow ive got a hurich hunch if we turn it up tip im still strong on the fifty fifty proposition 11 I 1 turned it over swiftly lit in my mind the re receiver celver still at my ear I 1 felt no particular fear of harris to be sure in nil all probability lie was only feeling about in the lark dark hoping lit in this way to learn something of value yet et it might be that lie he hod had accidentally uncovered the girls identity and that alone was vas inducement enough to urge me to take tho the risk if lie actually knew who site she was lie was the lie kind that might become ugly rind and however much I 1 su sit her in my mv own mini mind I 1 had no desire to leave tier lier undefended at his mercy guilty or not guilty my inclination was as to protect her to tile the last Ile resides sides I 1 wits was eager to obtain the lie information he claimed to pos possess gess indeed nil all progress on the case was blocked until I 1 did obtain it As to its his boast that he knew where the stolen money was concealed I 1 took little stock in that doubtless lie he merely threw that in for good measure hut but the lie other looked reasonable enough she hail had confessed being at Pe Peron ronda ds before alerre was fully full as likely to recall her to memory as he was to remember daly and harris could never have made so shrewd a guess unless he had really been told the facts another thing gave me courage to go to CD I 1 wa was 1 still accepted by these people ns as harry daly crook I 1 would undoubtedly be so received so treated under these circum circumstances there could be no personal danger I 1 held the whip hand the advantage harris was endeavoring deavo ring to see what he could get out of me he had abandoned abando nid force to resort r sort to diplomacy all right I 1 said ill run over there if you vou want to play fair ril ill meet you half way oh im on the square old man and lie le got some good dope lie he insisted ill blow it when you ou show 1 up ul I 1 returned the receiver to the hook uncertain whether or not ot I 1 hat had 1 decided I rightly yet set determined to carry out tile the experiment alve al at ve vc nil all elso else I 1 wanted to tn learn who arle arfe gessler u was n 9 N nothing el else e mattered antti red so much for on tills this discovery nil else hinged if violence or treachery was intended I 1 would be found prepared and well mile to defend myself the neighborhood into which I 1 was venturing induced nie me to take a taxi and within ten minutes minute I 1 was iva ie da vos itei nt at the door of tile the sulton i A pressed pres nd open the swinging Hul nging door and stopped slipped into the brilliantly lighted bar loom was waa behind the bur bar but at sight of me rounded the end and hands cordially cor dhilly removing hta his apron and slipping into a cout in token that ali it lie he had changed his occupy alon better It elter call charlie lie mid to a in 1 n beside film aliu for ill be off for an hour or so you lou cattle came to see bee george yes rs ile he telephoned ne me sold said lie li was coln to lies iles waltin in the office there ill go along with you on lie pushed a passage through the crowd his breadth of body according tile ine ample room la in which to follow without being obstructed and opened the closed door with a passkey pass key to a wave of his hie big bond I 1 passed confidently fi past him and entered the next instant lie ho bad pressed me f forward orward came in also and closed tho the door the sharp click of the lock sounded like the report of a pistol one startled glance at the interior told UK me I 1 was trapped and the swift instinct of defense led me to step nolde so that I 1 should have haa my anck to the vav harris sat flat in the swivel chair with feet elevated on the desk sardonically grinning at me over mer a half chewed elgar cigar tilted between hla him teeth A white rag was bound round his him licad fiend through which n few drops of blood had oozed leaving a dark stain leaning against the i wall vail opposite was waldron one eye ee half closed and nd his lip split giving to his 1 ill bet you dont even know who she la ia fuce face a look of savage brutality rendered peculiarly sinister by a gilm effort to smile costigan remained motionless with back against thedoor the door as though thus barring nil all possibility bill t y of escape I 1 had walked into their trap tind and the jaws jas lind had closed clo seil tile the grin aln on harris face maddened nia dwelled tile me well I 1 said coldly it was ft stall wits was it what Is the idea lie ile laughed without changing his attitude this happens to be our turn to play daly lie returned apparently well satis satisfied fled with its ills bin stil artness then you ou have nothing to tell me oil oh yes I 1 have hae ive got a li 1 of a lot to tell you ou hut but ali first st of nil all you vou tire are going to tell tile me a few things push hack back your right sleeve to the elbow shirt and all that for never you mind what its for you vou do what I 1 say if you know what Is best for yourself I 1 looked at the faces of tile the others but they were hard as s flint my aly hesitancy caused harris to lower his feet and sit t up angrily push up that sleek you ou or ill have waldron to do it for you weve got you foul you ou fool I 1 I 1 back my sleeve exposing my m right forearm yet ct never removing nii my eyes from froin their faces harris and costigan bent forward for Mard intent on I 1 the operation but waldron never 1 shifted his position harris slapped a hand band on the desk and gave utterance to tin an oath ly illy G d don dan were right this birds not dalal not in a thousand years he aint iles hes sure aure a dead ringer though harris straightened lightened up tile the same hateful grin still exposing his teeth weve got your number this time son he announced Il harry larry daly has a tattooed anchor on his right arm I 1 know it hut but pan dnn did ill tell you oi what ht made hindu us ua wafe lse in the shindig over at Peron ds tonight a card ense caff caf f was wa jarred loose from your pocket there was only one ona kind of card inside and that daly by a d n sight I 1 told dan about it and lie ho was for getting it squint at that tight light arm said for me to call you von up at the number you gave me bell wring that if I 1 threw in con pronh li aoud come over here I 1 asked basked for 0 1 the operator abere named yer ier ind it was the same naino what wits vas rn them cords cards so now we know berve n dirty liar ilar and rpy mister philip severn 1 I in u culled called me daly yourself ilar har ris I 1 said quietly realizing the game gaine was up lip but bat not yet sure of their intentions tent ions 1 I merely let it go sure but what was the game you aint no fly cop nothing of the kind then you was after the he dougli dough what I 1 thought you and girl nrc are in cahoots well what did dl you ou do with it TO UZ |