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Show , THE HALF-GOD I In By Albert Porrlngton - J I AuthoorhRdlulTrcrChlloT I Copyright, 111. by Albrt Porrlngton. l the garden. The Jap, Mated near the beehive, appeared coneeiou of th harp interrogating glance from above aad reeponded occasionally with dismal thake of th head. "Something hat happened," he Mated la a voice that reached the listening doctor at the window. "The trick ha miscarried. Comrade Hammmho. We have the formula, but not th million eyed god that could ait on a buttarf ly ' wing. ' The .Tap doctor leaned on the win dow UI and with hi binocular canned the near hedge and garden anxiouilv. "We mnat not dnpair, U Xhm Ma. There is plenty of time for onr little menger to arrive. We must hope and be patient-" "While a vagabond bee gorge at the neck of some flower and fie drank is th morning grass' ' ' O sham retorted impatient! v "A foolish scheme of vours. eomred. thla bee adventure. My blood ran cold. I am developing white man ' nerve through waiting! ' ' A breathless silence enveloped th distant fields and garden. From hi position at the window the Jap doctor commanded an extensive view of the rountrvaide. A flock of pigeons wheeled over the house roof, settling eventually on the eaves of ome farm buildings. The bia oculars appeared to scan each flower and POPPJ within the neighboring neighbor-ing gardens. The slightest ham or tir in the surrounding shrubs or grass brought th glass aa in the direction of. the aound. A door opened behind the Jap doctor; the eound of shuffling feet turned him from th window sharply. A gaunt shape with stooping shoulder and her with a quick stare that almost made her cry out. ' 4 You wars is Dr. Hammer she a company, com-pany, madame, when he wa introduced to Profesaor Oaiaratl How long did yau tav I' "Only a faw minute. I left them together." "la the laboratory!" "No; in the reception room. Dr. Hammeraho wished to learn eoaiething about the profeaeor working methods," meth-ods," "Yea know what happened, me damef " "Perfectly." ' 1 Do you, madame, ' ' he paused to meet her unflinching eyes, "imagine Dr. Hammeraho capable of wounding or killing a mant" "Ys7' Again the detective became lost la thought- She had expected a sudden volley of question. The ensuing l lenee merely heightened the tensenea of th aituation. Slowly, verv elowly, hi eye turned upon Imry in her arm. A light broke the dull gray of hi eyee. "You take an interest in the little fellow!" he remarked casually. "I came this morning to remove him from Dr. Hammeraho' custody." After what hae happened you ar not inclined to leave the boy alone with him again f" Bernice halted suddenly and met th detective' inquiring tare. "I know nothing of Dr. Hammeraho in eonnee tion with Profeaeor Caleret'a murder. I promised the doctor yesterday that I would 'ake Imry and ear for him! " " Yon saw another Jap standing near a beehive in the bank garden!" "Yas." momentarily under the sir em 0f Berr-nioe' Berr-nioe' observation. Once, twiee he ad dreased the Jap below only to receive a sullen monosyllable response With a sigh he turned at 't to Bernice. "T am undecided about my future movement. Mm. Kromer. But tomorrow I may need om money. " "Mow mncht" The word escaped her involu'itarily. "I might ask 1000, madame: 100 may be sufficient. One eannot tell precisely. ' ' "You intend leaving the country!" "It is impossible to saw, The bee nrmg nothing. ' ' he added under his breath. "Something hat happened." For a moment Bernica almost doubted doubt-ed hi unity as she followed his alow, lingering glance toward the garden below. Imrv lay very quiet in her arms, sensible to each movement of her o",ing fiugers. Now that ha nettled net-tled so close the felt each beet of the CHAPTEK V. Continued lie tumid frum her to the opeu window win-dow overlooking the garden. IaatiBct-olv IaatiBct-olv she followed his glance. Seated on a klvs bench shout a dozen feet frorc the bark door was a small, bullet headed Ja;. dressed in a light motor cot. His jpturned faee appeared to be scanning the distant fields intently; his limbs and bodv remaining perfectly still. Bersics upr.rcssed a cry. "Who it oat nan?" the demanded " Ii"ow long rta ho !'d there?" Ir. Hammer-hi shrugged- "He is a - omrade wbu expected to make his for tune i this couBtrv." "BtasUst lrom laboratories!" broke unexpectedlv from Bernice. "I assume that he is vrrur partner then." The J:jp doctor was about to approach 'he winnow again: be halted and looked back at Bcrni'-e. "Your words are like ammunition, madame I must hid vou be careful. ' ' The akin of his face seemed to tight-s, tight-s, aa omiaou brilliance infused hi slant yei Bernice faced him trifle desperate-v desperate-v "Let me warn yon, too. Dr. Ham-nershn Ham-nershn xhe police will visit thir house eume time today. Your - mc Ha nurtinued List night in connection con-nection with the shooting of Professor 1 alerel'" He -tared at her "That it whv I desire your help," he stated coldly. 'Our adventure ha:- probably mitcar-Bv mitcar-Bv nd." Kh "Do vou .ail the shooting of an in- nodes I man n adventure!'' Bernice Hung bck. "The theft of hi life' work!" He scanned her through hit cigarette smoke with a certain frigid curiotitv. "I am not concerned with your doubts and prejudices, madame. Professor faleret tut nothing to us. although hit obliteration may seem deplorable from a sentimental point of view. Fortunately For-tunately we do not allow the quality of sentiment ta interfere with our operations. oper-ations. You, madame, who have lived among the Japanese should under tand." opium burnt eyes stood undeeidedlv in the doorway. Hammeraho knit hit brow "This is mv private room. Captain Englebeart What do you want!" 'A toft place for my bones. Dr. Ham merhead. somewhere to lie aad rest, somewhere to sleep without anaoy-aacee. anaoy-aacee. " Captain Englebeart shuffled aero the room, hi Japanese slipper clapping clap-ping th naked board at each step. His brooding eve explored the opes window win-dow and then the empty eat. The sunken eyes dinted instantlv ' 'Imry sou! ' ' He looked st ths Japanese Jap-anese doctor a thoiLgh someone had truck him s Mow. "You knew of this," he added hoarsely. "She hat been here!" "It wa a merejy to deliver the boy to her." the doctor asserted. "He will be cared for. No good would eome to Imry in our eompanv. We are la a flx, Captain Englebeart ! ' ' Captain Englebeart wiped hii brow like one newly risen from a bout of fever and ague. Hit limbs trembled violently. With slow, shaking step be "Do you know him!" "No; he is a arranger to me." " Thank vou, madame' " Baiting hi hat the detective returned leisurely to hi coign of observation near the Jap anete doctor's house. Bernice did net look back ones. Shs knew that her future movement would be under police observation until the mystery of the laboratory crime wa solved. And once Dr. Hammeraho wa identified with the murder her appre bention would be almost certain. Nothing Noth-ing that the could do or say would alter the law's attitude toward her. Of the Japaneee doctor 't guilt she now felt positive. Hammeraho bad used her as an intermediary. Shs had made It pot sible for the head of s criminal gang of adventurere to enter CsJsret't house Hammertho was not working alone. There were others hiding in the houte with the opium sated Englebeart perhaps! per-haps! Imry doted in her arms a thouirh he had not entirely shaken off the effects of the sleeping drsught or powder which the felt certain had been given ncsrt which teemed to have only jutt awal'ened to life. Once in Miss 4-Knghsm's 4-Knghsm's kindergarten there wst nothing noth-ing to be feared. She would never lose ijht of faim again. The Jap doctor spoke aftsr s psinful snencr The sounds of waking life in he road outside nrged him to tpeeeh. He wae like one in a hurrv with hit affairs. , "Imry will be better in an hour. Perhaps-" he paused at though in doubt while the ptlpitstmg Bernlos watched the word t shape on hit Hot. "Perhapa L lt..wiir ?ou should take the boy Then he turned to the window T'hout a look in hr direction. Thr) bees arc dying vsry fsst," is said half aloud. The bullet headed Jsp bslow looked up quickly. "Ae, Ussn.l We cannot help - r7 Hi voice was thl . and scarcely reached Bernice. Dr. Hammertho opened the bedroom door, listened to the sounds in the road Mdnoil in s earce audible voice. ' You had better go, madame. Yet," he made a awift gesture, "I bid you reapect my affaire. Do not feed those London police with etories about ma. reached a chair and dropped into it with s cry of pain. Dr. Hsmtnersho regarded him with slow contempt. "'Yon indulge too much in the drug, my dear friend. Jutt now yonr feet are in Iceland, vuur bead in hades' " "That's so. Hammerhead, that's so!" A drv lsugb escaped Englebeart. Ghilp-iag Ghilp-iag down a glatt of water from the wathttand. he steadied himself in the chair. "I've heard people ssy you're the limit in nastinest and temper for a Jap." Dr. Hammeraho looked out of the window quickly, at thouirh a sound had attracted him. Tt proved to be merelv the fluttering of the pigeon flock dlt-turbed dlt-turbed from the ad.ia-ent eaves. He eame back tlowly to the center of tho room. "You know tlitt Professor I'aleret it dead!" he ttated snavelv, "and that our chancel of gettino out of this country are remote. You know these things." be insisted with another side glance in the direction of the window. Cantaln Inclchenrt blanched beneath the sieklv vellow of his skin. He half rose from the chair, but the sudden action ac-tion rsased a reeling sensation In the limbs that forced li"ii zisiing and trembling trem-bling into his scat. "Don't be too sudden Hammerhead." Hammer-head." he responded boskilv. "You throw your itntements about like 'ith hooks. Now." he ermrlrmed holding tightlv to hit seat. "ti Professor Csl ert wat a friend of Bernice. Am j rie-M!" ""erfsetlv. " "You took me lstt night into a gar den adioining hi laboratory And " let ms tee there wa. shot fired through the lsl window W bed n arerment about th 'irine eh. Hammerhead!" Cantain En"lehert leanad from his chair, his left hand pressed to hi brow. "You were not nnite yonraelf," the .Ten doctor volunteered. "T have eon-tsntlv eon-tsntlv warned von or the iHnm haMt. Tt will lead tn dtngerrm. hallucinations, mental instahllitv. mariner ' " 'To b continued him. At Mies Allingham't Bernice paused near the gate to adjutt hit hattily arranged elothee and to whitper a few final words of advice. "You are going to a nice tchool, dear, where there are other little boy and pleaty of nice food and caket to est -every day." "Every day! ' Imry appeared vaguely vague-ly interested ss he stared up at tha manv windowed kindargarteu with its spacious lawns snd park like ineloturet. "Will the EngHth boyt teaae me and call me names!" he asked after a final eurvav of the house. "No. dear; you will fled the English boyt nice and gentle. Have you ever been tessed in school!" "Yes. st Mitt Thornycrof t 't. Whsn they knsw I came from Japan they said funny things." "Were you ever hungry at Dr. Hammertho 's, deary" Imry pondered deeply over Bernice 't question, hi brow puckered, hi lip tightened In tha effort to recall the nesr put. Bernice prompted tkilfully. "There were times, desr, when ht left you slone, eh! Who gse you food then! Were there women to help tou!" "No. Dr. Hsmey always pnt me to bed. Psp wst alwayt sleeping always. al-ways. ' ' "Did hs make you drink any mix turet. deary Dr. Hsmey, I mean!" "Every night out of a spoon," Imrv confeeted glumly. "Shall I have to drink things out a spoon here!" "No. no. dear! Now kitt me and I will take vou to Mitt Allingham." Mist Allingham betrayed some surprise sur-prise st Bernice' esrly ante trance with Imry. The kindergarten had sot yet breakfasted, but th voice of the ehil drsn were plsicly beard in the upstair rooms. Ths form of entering Imrv' name in the books wst gons through Nothing appeared simpler than providing provid-ing for a boy 'a future at to short a notice. no-tice. At the kindergarten the would be sble to tee him st si hours, to tske him for drives in ths eouatrv and indulge in-dulge him in the hundred little pleas urea to dear to ehildren of bis 'age CHAPTER VU. Aftsr Bernice hsd gons Dr. Hammer ,ho returned to ths bedroom overlooking Go and the 100 must not b forgotten." He spoke from the ttsir-head ttsir-head at the detcended with Imry held tight is her arm. Hii psrting wordt were onlv bslf hesro above the elamoroua tnrgings of hsr heart. The sweet breath of the countryside met her with the opening of the ront door. Floods of sunahine ;nundated the overhanging trees; the fieldt beyond the white duetv road teomed to have taken on a freeher ver-dure ver-dure since the had entered Hammertho Hammer-tho 's houte. Imrv turned and looked up. " Where are we going!" he asksrl In s whisper. By wav of answer Bernice Mated him ano hurried down the road. CHAPTER VX A man came toward her from an opening in a field tome distance from Dr. Hammertho s house. Ha wore s abort beard and a dark tweed overcoat. The overcoat showed aigna of contact with the earth aa though h had been kneeling behind a hedge or clump or bussr. Something warned her thst he wst a detective. "Excuse me, madame,'' he began. "I notice that you have just left the house occupied bv Dr. Hammeraho." His manner, although strictly interrogative, inter-rogative, wa devoid oi rudeness or vul. gsrity. Bernice drew a sharp breath. "I had some business with th doe-tor," doe-tor," she admitted and waa silont. The detective walked betide her tapping tap-ping hit boot reflaetlvely with a cane at he fell into step. "I suppose Dr. Hammertho is sn old acquaintance," he went on, "snd thst this it not your first visit to hit house!" "I have known Dr. Hammertho for tome years. He bore an excellent name in bit nstiv land. " "You knsw him, than, in Japan, madams!" "Yea." Bernice fait that the mutt answer hit questions. Her whole fu. ture might depend on the detective's yes or nay. He did not speak for a while, but seemed lost in the routemplstioa of a rook infested elm at the end of tke road. Ths cswing of the birds filled the morning sir. Then hs looked st Hi cold precision quickened her to a sense of inttsnt peril. Here wat ons of s gang of man who fesrsd nothing in the accomplishment of their dastard-lv dastard-lv crimes. The thought of how nesr she had come to hit criminal confidence" confi-dence" set her brain at the leap. She mntt be gone and with Imry. His finger threatened her at aha moved to the bamboo cot. "Take care. Mme Kromer, what vou do! You are too fearful of those stupid London police!" po-lice!" "I want to go from here at once with my child. Dr. Hammerthst" "If vou were interrogated by the police, po-lice, with Imry dead in your anna, might it not be awkward!" he put hit question without a getture- Bernice tteadied heraelf against ths window. "Yon ssid thst Imry was," she faltered end stopped, k "Not to be moved at present, " h affirmed steadily. BBV Again sad is tpite of Imrv 'a almost motionless figure in the cot. Bernice 't glance want down to the Jsp tested on the hive bench below. For the first time ths noted the gratt at his feet wat strewn with dead bees. They las' in all direction around the hive. Beet warmed over the adioining hedcei only to tpin and fal drunkenly on the gratt. And aa each insect fell ths Jan looped and examined it earefullv, east-tag east-tag oblique onward glances st the window win-dow ss hs did so. Bernice wss puttied snd interested at ths ttrsngs tight. The Jsp doctor leaned over the bamboo cot. his hand sacking Imry's wrist; thsn he nodded toward ths garden. "We have a plague among our beet." he informed her. "They die in scores." "Does yonr comrade do nothing but wstch them die!" the atksd. "Ws cannot prsvsnt it." Imrv showed signs of waking, aad Ida first move ent drove all thought ef ths bee out of her mind. The rhiM appeared dated during the first half minute of waking; Bernice contented pj. herself with stroking hit hand and ttSjfp hair. Hamrrersbo watched them gloom-ily gloom-ily si hs pseed the small sosrtment. halting st timet to contemplsts the dying dy-ing bees sad hit bullet headed coun-trymsn coun-trymsn bslow. His impatience appeared to increase |