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Show t- - MPTFR tmc-TH NMAHy . . i "T pnn't." she answered. "It isn't "Please come tonight," she said "Something terrible has happened and I've got to see you. I can t tell you anything more but you ve got to come!" Nora felt that a message of this sort was mandatory. She and Nick hurriedly got dressed. Leaving their uninvited company to unscramble itself they drove on to Aunt Kath-erine's. Kath-erine's. While Nora's aunt, stern, straight and indomitable, -was the chief spokeman of the Forrest clan, there were many other equally impressive pillars of the family. Nine of them were assembled now for the holiday dinner, ranging in age from Aunt Lucy, who was eighty-four, to Charlotte, who was only a bit over fifty. Selma looked at Nora with pleading, plead-ing, distraught eyes when the latter arrived. But Aunt Katherine had her in tow, and it was obvious that no confidential conversation could take place till after dinner. The dinner itself proved a solemn ordeal Nick had suspected that it would tax his powers of endurance, Selma. "He only married me ioi nmnev He never did love me. Her voice broke and she began to sob. Aunt Katherine led her from the room, and Nora looked at het husband in worried appeal "You've got to find him," she said. "Didn t I tell you I'd retired.' asked Nick, quizzically. ,, "But this is for Selma, begged Nora "This is different. When they left the house they encountered en-countered David Graham. He was a young, well set-up chap who had fofmerly been an ardent suitor for Sel nshand. He still loved he. Nora believed, althougn he was no more welcome at the Forrest home San was Nick. The butler had standing orders not to admit him. "Did you see Selma?" he asked Nora anxiously. "Yes," she answered. She isn t very well." . , -j "How could she be?" cried David. "It's not only her family now. It s some nut psychologist Dr. Kammer. Sits by the hour and asks her about her dreams." David declined to go with the 1 -" . 'V".. . f . -.. i ls"f v V ' . i- -t f - ' - . 4 Y " , ' 1 v j I I - t l J A snaim of photog- f - ? $ S L'i raphe? s and neus I - -,' 1 J hawks rushed down $ h - I 1 the plat fowl hhe a t f ' 1 4 football phalanx. j (I s "-r- .Chapter On The San Francisco Limited rolled Into the Bay City on time. A swarm of photographers and news hawks rushed down the platform like a football phalanx. It wasn't every tay that a famous detective arrived back home. Nora Charles got off the train a moment ah'ead of her husband. But it was not through her own volition. .She was trying to guide Asta, her little fox terrier. Detecting familiar odors, Asta bolted for solid ground, and Nora was whisked along with him. Nick, looking for once slightly confused, stood alone as the cameramen cam-eramen massed around. "Going to keep on with the detective de-tective work, Mr. Charles?" one of the reporters asked him. "No, I've retired," answered Nick. "Just going to take care of my wife's money so I'll have something in my old age." "You said you'd retired before," piped up another journalist. "I noticed no-ticed you took that Thin Man case in New York." "That was just to . please my yife," smiled Nick. Nora had gained control of Asta by this time and injected some comment com-ment of her own as she came back to the center of the platform. "It was wonderful," she sighed. "Two men tried to kill him!" She looked about as she took his arm. "But he's not going to take any more cases." Nick's chauffeur, Harold, a former champion prizefighter, was waiting outside the station. He greeted the couple warmly, and the car proceeded pro-ceeded up Market Street. No imperial cortege in ancient Rome could have attracted more attention at-tention than did the Charles automobile. auto-mobile. In former days Nick had known virtually every cop and eveiry underworld character in 'Frisco. 'Fris-co. Now that tic was back home the forces of the law joined with bootblacks, truck drivers, newsboys nd street vagrants to cheer his arrival. ar-rival. It was not long before a crowd had collected about his car, and everything in the street came to a standstill. A burly Irish traffic officer hurried hur-ried over, ready to hand out a ticket, but when he caught sight of Nick, his face wreathed itself in emiles. He shook hands delightedly, then broke a path for the car. As they approached their home in St. Francis Wood, Nick sat bolt upright. up-right. "I almost forgot," he said, "Know what day this is?" "Of course," laughed Nora. "New Year's Eve." "I suppose you've got ideas?" said Nick warily. "My only idea is to get a good night's sleep," said Nora. "Splendid," applauded Nick. "You're a woman after my own heart." ' Their resolutions were abruptly shattered as they reached their front door. An unsteady figure tumbled out, while within the sound of a fast-paced discordant piano fox trot was mingled with wild laughter and the roll of a trap drum. "Come in, whoever you are!' called the figui;e. "We're giving a surprise party for Nick and Nora!" Nick took Nora through the 'hallway, 'hall-way, and then stole out with her to the kitchen. ' "We'll do our own surprising later on," he said. But Rose, the cook, who was overjoyed to see them, had a message mes-sage .Nora's Aunt Katherine expected expec-ted the couple definitely to dinner. This was a bit surprising inasmuch as Nick was far from welcome in that aristocratic home. His activities activ-ities as an underworld sleuth tended to frighten a housefflbld where everything had remained musty and unchanged during fifty years. : Nick was trying to think of some good excuse for declining the invitation in-vitation when the 'phone rang again. This time it was Nora's attractive at-tractive young cousin, Selma Landis, who lived with Aunt Katherine, and her voice was low and strained. mine-" e i , . , By way of reply he struck hr across the cheek. It was a blow that would raise a email welt. Then, cursing under his breath, he gava her the check and went out. When he met Dancer in the hall he tried to slip away. Dancer was co-owner of the Lichee, a youngish fellow of foreign extraction with impassive penetrating eyes. Seizing Phil by the arm, he demanded an explanation of his presence. "I was just seeing Polly for minute," Phil said. i "I warned you to stay away," said Dancer. "You may be her brother, but you can't ride too far on that ticket." He pulled him towards the stairway stair-way and propelled him with such force past the upper railing that he half-fell downwards. Nick and Nora were just coming up at the moment, and the former involuntarily j blocked Phil's stumbling progress. Phil glared at him, then slunk out of sight. Dancer was none too happy aa 1 he saw Nick arrive. He had too e keen a sense of observation to suit h him. But with forced politenese ha drew the couple inside. On the way toward a table, th trio encountered a stout, middle-aged middle-aged Chinaman. Dancer halted him n and turned to the new arrivals. "I want you to meet my partner," he said. "Bum Kee, Mr. and Mrs. r Charles." When Lurn Kee bowed and stepped along, Dancer paused u make a comment to Nick. "You sent his brother up," he said, 3 "Remember? Bum Ying." i Nora overheard this and glanced :; about uneasily. But now they were in the midst of the crowded floor. They stepped on toward a ringside spot, dodging gyrating bodies and :I waving bottles. Suddenly Nora stopped. She had caught sight of a familiar figure. Seated alone, ob- ' viously a bit the worse for liquor, was Robert Landis. His rather handsome face was bloated and he showed only a nicker of recognition . as Nora waved to him, ' "Selma is terribly worried," she I cried, getting as near him as she could. "Don't you think you should go home?" . Dancer said nothing, but his sharp black eyes darted back and forth from Robert to Nora and ' Nick. When he had seated them he hurried to find Polly Byrnes. "Get him out as soon as you can he told her. Polly was apt at following instructions. in-structions. She slipped over to Rob- l' ert's table and whispered some- r thing. A moment later he clam- j bered to his feet. He went out to the hall 'phone and called David : Graham. "Bring what you said you would," he said. "Yes . , . the bonds ... I told you I'd give Selma a divorce." Robert and Polly, slipping furtively fur-tively out of the club, did not gee the shadowy figure of Phil, down the street. In five minutes they had -met David Graham who turned t over the package he had promised. Then Robert told Polly he must get I some clothing at, home, and . wnuW- r meet her directly afterwards. I When Selma was roused from -slumber to find Robert in the room -she gave a cry of fright. He was r putting a jewel case in his pocket. I "Be quiet, darling," he said, with a menacing inflection. "Where are you going?" shi asked wildly. "A little trip," he answered. She . leaped up, tried to bar his wav. It was useless. He pushed her 5 back and slipped out. With frantic J haste she slipped on her dress and i coat. She unlocked a drawer, took out a revolver and hurried to the street. Bells and whistles were every- where screaming out a welcome to i the new year. Selma thought she k saw the outlined form of Robert J foS there was a low-lying; All at once came the sharp report of a pistol. Selma rushed forward, ymg on his back in the snow was Robert. She bent down. He waa dead. D 1836 Loew'a Incorporated v (To be continued next week.). so he was not surprised. Each venerable vener-able member of the Forrest dynasty stared at him in a way which meant, "What in thunder are you doing here?" They all felt sorry for Nora, married to such a notorious character. When the meal had been completed, com-pleted, Nick and Nora were able to get Selma alone for the first time. "It's Robert," she said tearfully. "He's disappeared. He hasn't been home for three days." "Have you notified the police ?" asked Nick. Aunt Katherine had slipped in the doorway and gathered all her dignity dig-nity together as she came toward him. "Certainly not!" she frowned. She glanced at Selma. "Her husband is safe, I am certain of that." "Safe!" echoed Selma protesting-ly. protesting-ly. "Ho might be kidnaped, or lying dead, somewhere! But, oh, no, we mustn't do anything to gnt our precious pre-cious name in the papers" Aunt Katherine did not like this speech at all, but before she could say anything Nick waa questioning Selma again. "Have you any idea where he miaht be?" he asked. "He's with some woman," answered an-swered Selma. "They sent me a vanity case once, from a Chinese restaurant. One of his woman left it." "Selma, you know Robert worships wor-ships you," interposed Aunt Katherine. Kather-ine. "He doesn't, he hates mcl" cried Charleses on a suggested tour of the night clubs. Parting from him, Nora leaned over and told the chauffeur to drive to the Lichee. Nick heard her and smiled wryly, "You're trying to get me into this, aren't you?" he said. The Lichee was one of the noisiest noisi-est spots in 'Frisco's Chinatown district. dis-trict. Nora had been prompted to go there by Selma's casual mention of her husband's fondness for Chinese places. Tonight the cabaret was packed. A heavily drinking New Year's Eve crowd drowned out the tin-panny tin-panny orchestra with shouts and a hubbub of talk. The only person who could gain some degree of order or-der from the crowd was Polly Byrnes, the featured singer. She had a fairly good voice, a great deal of personality and o. vast amount of self-assurance. She needed all these assets at the moment, for she had just had a mosfc unpleasant encounter with a long-missing relation. Everyone at the cabaret knew she had a brother called Phil, and he was credited with being a pretty slick character. For the rest, it was all a mystery. He encountered her when she retired re-tired to her dressing-room between numbers. Hiding himself behind the door, he had awaited her return, and when she came he thrust forward for-ward a check he had taken from her pocketbook. "You'll cut me in on this." he said, his small, thin mouth twisted in a dominating: lee& |