Show theda 4 ION comER FOLLOW THROUGH by HAL MARQUETTE AND 0 SHOULD you encounter this tian man exercise care he ile s dangerous any further news that comes in will jerry anderson snapped off the rad 0 he d heard the particulars of the brutal strangulation of mrs prescott and the description of the suspect several times this eve ning after that wordy unlovely mor portrait trait of the man he felt that even he would recognize him if he ever co contacted h m but he hoped that he t jerry was no coward but after jerry s recent discharge from the hosp tal he decided that he wanted to live out at the cot tage while making his plans for the future his family objected not without cause and it wasn gasn t until old doc crowder the family friend and physician convinced them that it would be a good thing for jerry to do under the circumstances that they finally yielded to his wishes jerry had spent every summer of his life there until his enlistment and be he loved the old place so when his mother and lucy reluctantly left him this after noon he was glad not that he did not appreciate the things which they had been doing tor for him but he wanted to be on his own he ile had plans to make and this change and the quiet that he would have would be perfect he had tried during his month at home to apply his own self reasoning method but to little avail he felt confident that it could be tested properly by facing his problems independently jerry sat near the window for quite some time trying to make a start at some of that self reasoning but h s mind kept re averting to the broadcast he had heard earlier if the woman only had had a gun he thought she probably would have been afraid to use it though most women were he thought of the empty luger in his bag and wished that he could have tried again to get some ammunition for it he loved that gun a gift from one of his buddies who had not come back jerry went into the bedroom and took the gun from his bag he ile fondled it and then slipped it into his pocket he smiled when be he realized just how foolish that was he came back to his chair and then lit his p pe he had been sitting there tor for just a few minutes when sud denly he heard the back door being opened and then the click of the light switch lie he sat still wondering who it could be a dozen thoughts chasing through his mind he ile felt the useless gun in his pocket and took it out gripping it firmly now it if ever he could test himself on several of the things which he had learned during his reh abili tation in less than a minute it seemed he heard the ice icebox box door being opened and a low chuckle come from the intruder then he heard things being put on the table he knew that whoever was in the kitchen seemed sure of himself he must know he thought that even with the whole house lighted it was practically immoss ble to see in from any side the minutes dragged while he listened to the man eating and drinking from the noise he was making slamming the ice box door and moving his chair the man undoubtedly thought that he was alone perhaps he had seen lucy and her mother leave hours before and had waited for darkness to come after what had seemed an hour he heard the man get up from the table and walk toward the hall which led into the living room jerry knew that h s safety de le upon what he would be able to do within the next few minutes it wasn gasn t a very pleas ant spot to be in but he thought of the broadcaster broadcasters s re remark mark that the killer had not used a car and that it was sus pecked that he was making a get away by the county back roads and woods th s could be the man for as long as he could remember no ordinary tramp had ever stray ed so tar far away from the main 01 P ay iy jerry knew that his safety depended upon what he would be able to do within the next few minutes highway he ile must have come upon the house by accident when jerry heard a hand amov in ing along the wall groping for or a light switch he stood up and pointed the gun toward the door then it happened the living room light was snapped on he ile hard a hoarse cry of surprise the man mans s breathing was heavy as he stood motionless facing the gun he ile had a fear that jerry could sense was ne get em up who are you and what do you want jerry was an off in the infantry again as he made the demand the man was shaking when he spoke you re a cool one brother put that gun down please before you hurt somebody he ile took a step forward and jerry raised the gun and moved it slightly from side to side looking toward the man jerry was not sure of what he should do next then all the admon eions of his teachers ca came me back to him SHOW NO FEAR THINK FAST SPEAK WITH CON REASON FOLLOW THROUGH sit down clown in that chair jerry roared surprised at his loud voice this gave him a bit of conf dence then he thought of h s next move A nut the man ventured halt half under his breath and he obeyed he ile kept his eyes on the gun as though hypnotized by it shut up and sit still you re a smart the man glanced away from the gun just long enough to see it if there was anything near that be he could grab wot you going to do let me go I 1 am t done nothing but eat some of your grub honest mister III get out ot of here quick if you 11 put that gun down this was the voice of a frightened man but not the voice or true dialect of a hobo jerry relaxed slightly and the man in the chair moved this was the time to follow through it U he was ever going to do it get get up and do exactly as 1 I tell you he commanded d the man cringed but rose slowly his eyes still on the gun he hated guns he was afraid of guns and he knew now that this man knew it too it if he could only knock it to the floor keep your bands hands high get to that telephone beside the door and do as I 1 tell you any monkey bus ness the man advanced toward the door and the telephone without looking from to lett left jerry moved to his side as he passed him he ile could feel the man mans s body tremble as though he were having a chill when he tou touched him with the gun now put your left hand on the receiver lift it off the hook and put it to your ear when the op aerator answers tell her to con hect you with the helm gelm road dis brict police when they answer tell them to come immediately to the andersen anderson cottage off helm road the man lowered his arm slowly and took the receiver off the hook he d stall he thought maybe the nut would give him an in but hearing the sound of regular breathing and feeling the pressure of the gun against his back any illusions that he might have had regarding an in were shattered operator gamme the helm road police station his voice quaver ed and his hand was shaking he ile couldn coulden t keep the receiver close to his ear the man was conscious of the gun at his back and he spoke in a deep hoarse whisper come to the anderson cottage off helm road right away what s up jerry heard the officer ask tell him he snapped at jie he man I 1 ive ve got the man you youve ve been looking for jerry heard the quick break of the connection at the police sta tion VISUALIZE CHANCE IT DO FOLLOW THROUGH he had the answer drop that receiver and get your left arm up he ile hesitated then ordered bis his prisoner to go back to the same chair and sit down the killer had a dogged smirk on his face as he turned and moved toward the chair lie ile felt positive that his captor was a nut ant and with that sun gun seconds passed as he continued to glare at jerry then he be thought of an old trick that he would try in order to get jerry off guard he wondered why he had not tried it when he first came into the room st himself and settling back in the chair he broke the silence with a tirade of oaths keep it up and keep them up too jerry ordered this was not the reaction that the me killer had hoped tor for he then quieted and began to talk more coherently and soon was telling of the crime for which he was be ing bunted hunted he spared none of the details then jerry heard the purr of a motor and men s voices A slight wave of relief swept over him almost immediately there was a sound of 0 crackling shrubbery and running feet the front door opened and two officers with guns drawn rushed in they saw their man and covered him good work mr anderson good work when the officers yanked the man to his feet and they had start ed tor for the door one of them said to the prisoner you re lucky to have had this extra living time him spotting you and with every body in the county ready and will ing to shoot you on sight the prisoner did not comment but be he scowled and was wax shaking and snorting with anger the gun was not loaded of aicer and I 1 could recognize him only from his story you see I 1 am blind jerry said ottly softly |