| Show j. U. I iy i THE MARRIED MARRED LIFE OF AND WARRE t t 9 t 1 7 S I. I J. J I J i- i ii i Wit Warrens atrens c Courage Is I S' S Severely ev 1 Tested T s e d b by Y a Nerve Nerv Nl e ve Sh Shattering t rl g 0 Ordeal r d ea 1 f V I 4 j t J 1 T I f Ho He H went all to pieces es Lost st his Js' erve rv Mr Duncan cUpped tho iho end t ifa a fresh freh cigar elgar Id never have taken i. i ZaI le for a coward I 4 ti Because hed he'd rather give up a a. few hundreds that hilt bO bo be plugged full tull of lead load doesn't him a a. coward dov do- do prove fended tended Warren v x Why Vh It was only a 0 boy with an anold old rusty fusty gun not gun not even oven loaded contemptuously cont con- con t But Edward ho didn't know that pro protested Mrs Duncan The papers pap rs the boy was masked Well no thug could come Into my ic ico and h hold ld me up If It ho he got to tomy tomy dead bod body my It'd safe it'd be bo over my You never know what you'd do HI Ul youre you're up against ll It It Warren reached for ff the ho ash trays tray Hales got sot three children Guess ho thought his 1113 life lito worth more to them than thana a few tew bundred hundred hundred hun bun dred dollars Tho The old gag gag I I did It for tor the tho wife and kiddies sneered Mr Duncan Well Ive I've always found Halo a a. pretty decent sort And we haven't his story yet yet yet-We wo only know what the papers papers papers pa- pa pers say Dear Its It's twenty minutes of ot dl dismayed Helen rising from tho the deep satin couch I Now youre you're not going until youve you've had some ot of our home hom brew Edward tried a new nev recipe recipe recipe-It It turn turned d out won won- I Were not refusing anything along that line laughed Warren as Mrs Dunc Duncan n bustled out She returned with a tray on fl which two frost were four tall glasses and beaded bottles bottie Its It's really the tho best we weve we've e made as she poured out tho the foaming home made beer And Its It's so easy Ill easy Ill I'll give sive you youtha the tha recipe Mr Duncan was still sHII on the holdup The fact tact that Mr Halo ha had 4 lost his nerve and opened up his safe sate to a boy bandit he denounced as an unpardonable act of ot cowardice Dont bo too 00 hard on Hale Hal Warren drained his hla glass I dont don't think any of ot us can tell how low wed we'd act In an emergency Well WelI lell Id I'd keep my nerve whatever happened hap No wonder theres there's so man many holdups hOldups it if its it's as easy as that Well Vell walk down to the subway suba with you suggested Mrs Duncan when Helen made the move for tor de departure de- de Its HIts such a a. lovel lovely night night- oL and I haven't been out all day J Wouldn't you lIl like e to Edward Anything to get you OU out You certainly I need some exercise I exercise every morning bristling oW r- r Yesterday I walked all the wa way down to the first floor twelve floor twelve nights lights The They aay say going up and down stairs is better better better bet bet- ter than anything for tor reducing Well well we'll not walk down tonight into the hall hail R as he l led d the tho way vay They rang three times before creak creak- tug Ing chains announced the mounting Ca car caP caPIt Its It a a. new boy apologized zed Mrs Duncan And hats he's BO so stupid He He- He Step down please for he had not stopped the car even with the It was evident that tho ann anaemic pimply faced youth was not accustomed accustomed accustomed tomed to running an elevator With awkward uncertainty he ho managed tho lever love oJ j The They The were starting down slowly when suddenly something happened A grating grating- sound Bound and with sickening speed tho car began to drop M My God Were We're falling shouted Mr Duncan as the tho boy madly worked tho tha brake V H Helen len clutched at Warren h her r cry drowned by Mrs Duncans Duncan's louder O 0 Godl God G God d I Mr Duncan was livid with terror Bend your knees Warrens Warren's voice olce rang out above tho the bedlam Tongue way back from front your our te teeth lh 4 In In those few tew seconds ds H Helen Hien len felt the they were dropping through eternity Yet she he was vividly vividly- conscious of or everytHing every every- everything everything thing that happened She saw Mr Duncans Duncan's groveling terror terror ter ter- ter- ter and heard the boys boy's sobbing Bobbins prayer Not ot a word came from Warren Warren Warren War War- ren at after r that first shouted command but she felt his firm arm about her ashe as ashe he forced her to bend her knees Was this the end She put up her arm to shield her taco face She must not be bo disfigured by breaking glass There was a hole In her stocking Only a tiny hole Would hole would they notice It when they undressed her How would she sho look in her coffin 7 She wanted anted to bo be killed outright not outright not maimed or crippled A shuddering Jolt I The car shivered groaned and stood still Were all aU right The Tho clutch worked Warrens Warren's reassuring shout rose roo above the tho tumult The Tho sudden ludden convulsive stop atop had I thrown them all In a a. heap on tho floor Mr Duncan was blubbering cally Here Duncan pull yourself to together to- to gether lo tether look k after your our wife wite ordered Warren st sternly Jove the bo bo fainted tainted How dou open this blamed door Open It F For r Gods God's open It shouted Mr Duncan It might start again Let Ld KO go o m my arm ann Warren was still BUll r struggling with tho the door Let go I Itell Itell Itell tell you flinging him hint off as tho catch catch yielded and tho the door slid back They had ad stopped a few tew feet teet below tho the second floor With athletic agility Warren swung himself up to the halla hall ball wayNo way was a N No you OU dont don't as Mr Duncan tried to scramble after attar him Help me with the women first Climb on his back Mrs Irs Duncan I Reach up your our hands That's it as ho dragged eel her up be bc- bc iii him Now Helen Ho Hn easily swung up her lighter weight Then h ho jumped down Into tho car to lift up the bo boy who ho was 1 still In a n. dead faint taint By this time half a a. dozen people had rushed out Into the hall hail and as Warren Warron War War- ren ron boosted tho the bo boy two n men nen e 1 dragged him up Now Duncan swing yourself up up But still trembling violently his nerveless hands band had no strength and Warren was compelled to boost himA himas him himas A as ho ho had the unconscious ho bo boy All AU right No bruises s Warren wan wai 11 again beside Helen f Tho The superintendent night watchman and hall hail bo boy were now all on the scene c nc Tn In the confusion contusion that followed Helen Helen still eUlI dazed sat Rat on tho the stairs stairs stairs' Ill ill I'll Ill I'll walk stammered Mr Duncan Duncan Duncan Dun Dun- can with renewed terror when the freight car cal came to take tako them up un do nothing of ot t tho o kind Vare Warren Warren Var War War- ren e shoved him Into t the e elevator ele Youre ou ro In condition no ng to walk up v I te ten n flights A few moments later lat they thoy were back In the tho Duncans' Duncans apartment Warren arren having Vt dismissed the tho tho curious thet c neighbors with the tho as assurance I that there was Vas nothing they could doGot do Got an any brandy ho he demanded of the excited maid as he lie piloted Helen to n A big armchair In the sideboard Jan Jane Tho The keys are aro In m my top drawer faltered d Mrs Duncan dropping on tho the couch Tho The maid brought bought tho bottlo bottle and Warren po poured red them all a stiff drink Its benign warmth quickly steadied I Mr Duncan's Duncans shattered ner es nerves The ashy whiteness ness left lert his taco face and his i hands ceased to tremble I That elevator ele company compan ought to bo be sued he spluttered his first coherent I comment Well were we're all right That's the main thing Warren was straightening straighten straighten- ing his collar and tie That was a close sha shave I I 1 I guess I got a little excited Mr Duncan achieved an apologetic laugh But Frances has a n. weak heart I I was afraid It would go hard with her Wasn't thinking of at myself No o of ot course n not t observed Warren Warren Warren War War- ren dryly Then Than crossing to the tho telephone telo- telo phone Ill yn for tor a n. taxi You wont won't stay hero all night 1 ventured von ven Mrs Duncan smoothing her hair as ns sho she rose weakly from tram the couch No thank you Helens Helen's pretty prett much shaken haken up up-I'd up Id I'd better get set her home Hello Call a taxi tax will you ou Right away Well Curtis Im I'm afraid you wont won't want to come como see Beo us again not again not until we wo get ct a new elevator Mr Duncan trying to seem at ease poured himself I another drink Might lIght have happened anywhere Get on your hat Kitten Too crushed All right carry right carry ft it Come Como on the tho 1 bo be 0 there by the time we get down Tho The leave leavo taking was as awkward Mr Duncan kept making laughing nervous remarks intended to gloss over oyer his his' collapse In the tho elevator Warren arren was grimly grim unresponsive Helen could see that he was trying not to show his Impatience and dis dis- dain It was not until they ther were In the se seclusion seclusion so- so of oC tho the taxi that ho gave vent to his smoldering disgust That Jelly fish flinging himself back In tho the seat scat Of or all the blooming cowards That scene in tho the elevator shuddered shuddered shuddered dered Helen Ill Til never forget torget It And after tho the way ho ro roasted sted Hale That's what got me m-c Yes I thought of ot that But you pressing his arm Oh I 1 was so 80 proud of or you ou I always alwa's knew you OU were tho the coolest bravest most most most- Oh turn it off always restive o under under un un- der Helens Helen's extravagant praise It was bad had enough for him to go all to pieces but when ho handed out that line lino about Mrs Duncans Duncan's we weak ale heart heart- I could've punched his head Helen was WIlS not thinking of ot Mr Mi i- i iDun Duncan's Duncans Duncans Duncan's Duncans Duncan's Dun Dun- cans can's craven conduct She was as livIng living living liv liv- ing gloatingly l over every overy detail of ot the accident The Tho way Warren h had hafl taken command while all tho the others were Jabbering with terror J You were wonderful nestling against ar him in purring adoration You w pre ro as ns cO copl ll d and calm not calm not even flurried 4 JI i r Dont be bo too sure suro about that I Imay Imay Imay may have have- seemed cool cool but but I J was W pretty shaky inside L knew If It that clutch didn't work before borore wo we struck bottom bottom wp all be pe ready for the tho undertaker un un- un- un That Tha t was as a R. darn close call Next week week Helen Helen the Victim of ot a Mortifying Blunder Cop Copyright 1021 1921 b by Mabel Herbert Harpe c. c |
