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Show THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, SUNDAY MORNING, APRIL on the Roof cumstancea. Elisabeth (sit that resentment, at the (lath o( her eye and the Utt o( her chin plaint ahowed. Her very pose demanded explanations and apologies; or. perhaps, simply threw White aids out without waiting (or explanations. But he did There was a dogged misery in his eyes which seemed to ' make apology superfluous.' I knew from the detectives report that you came here Saturday, he ssd, with a kind of hopelessness. . I was afraid, youd - come sgaln and you did. You know its no place (or you. They know It, too." Whoever they might be. It makes me sick. Nobody else cares about you. AU they care about is the money. But 1 cars-- " There was misery In his voice; altogether he seemed so wretched tfiat attacking him was something like striking a cripple. But her required.that she strike. - To . be spied upon this way! insulting! Ive a mind to go back," she said, she did have a mind to .go back to knock on the door and tell Krom that she was coming back to read the newspaper to him, to take dinner with him. to spend the evening, if she hadn't had that theater engagement. No young woman could tolerate this idea of needing to be spied upon and saved from ruin! Decidedly she did have a mind to go back to Krom's ... - .. tocirw . .... Krom's no more sick than I am," said Whiteside, in the subdued voice he had used He's been talking to my uncle 'before. today. I dont believe It! said sha. Im going She seemed an the point of turning back! again to Kroms door. The misery was still In the young mans WHAT HAS HAPPENED THUS PAR: TTATHANIEL HARWOOD, a hand. mm lawyer of 43, lul dissipated most of the big fortutse left him and hi daughter by hi sria. To recoup ha practically engage hiuuelf to Mr. Letitin Belknap , a widow worth ten million. Then Adolph Krom and a Professor Steuunam interest Harwood in an invea turn to produce motion picture w natural color end in relief. This invention they have ttoltn from their former employer. pair Sum Carlin. Harwood inttall theretreat in the room m the roof, a curious above hi office in Chicago tkytcreper. Later ha lake the workmen to Slow River, Mich, hi home town, and ettablithe their plant ip an old factory. In Slow River he meet yotmg Elizabeth Malden and fall in love with her. Elizabeth tee Simon Curtin and hi nephew, Robert Whiteside, ejected from the Slow River factory. Whiteade interatt her. After the battle Elizabeth find a revolver dropped by Curtin, . She leave it tit a desk in the hop. Elisabeth goe to Chicago a Harwood secretary. Hi titter, Sarah Otsoell, introduce Elizabeth to society. Harwood propose and Elizabeth accept him. Mrs. Belknap, angered, summon Harwood and shows him she know of hi financial dtfficullie. - Exploring- the room on the roof, Elizabeth find Curtin and W hiteside trying to break into the safe. Whiteside tell her they ere treking (men end plena stolen from hi uncle by Krom end Steinmon. Elizabeth permit them to deport. Stein, men disappear. Krom reappear in Chi. ca go and those the new piettsres for Harwood. He demand the lawyer buy hit interest at once, for $250fi00 cash. Krom relate thet in a drunken frenzy he killed Steinmon and buried the body in the Slow River factory. Harwood pay Krom S3dfi00 on account. The lento ere intrusted to Elizabeth, who is to hold them from both Harwood end Krom until the patent are secured? Feering lest Krom go on a spree. Elite-bet- h permit him to lake her to the theater end to supper, Whiteside warn her against Krom, but Elisabeth rebuke him for haying Krom shadowed. Krom tee Harwood hi Elizabeth and believe the it leagued with the lawyer to defraud him of the invention . He phb u revenge. Harwood persuades Elizabeth to, turn the tense over to him, a he scant an expert to pas on their worth before further dealing with Krom. , Sha doe to, but pretend to have forgotten the combination token Hortcood ask her to open Krom'i safe in the room on the roof. Krom phone Elizabeth that hit eye are affected and that he it confined to a darkened room in hi hotel. goe there to get hi technical description of the lenses, which they rued to- - secure potent. gin-dee- - , INSTALLMENT IX. Krom's Beal Purpose Bared. ? ELL, I guess it must be about five "I Krom remarked. oclock, mustnt keep you. Probably it seems slow to you; but it aint Youll such a bad day'a work. come tomorrow at four? Yes, at four, she replied. , " I reckon a couple of days will about finish It up," he said. Mr. HarwoodTl be glad of that. Your notee, now I guesa it would be Just about as well for you to leave em ' here." Yes; that would be best," she said with relief, for if she did not have the notes Harwood could not ask her to turn them pver to Prof. Kersten. They talked on a few minutes, and Krom changed, the subject.' Have you heard afty thing from Prof. Stein man lately? " There was p. somewhat anxious not in his voice. Steinman? " Bess repeated. 'Why, dont you know where he is? " Her voice the note from anxious his. caught Krom explained; Well, you see, when we got this business finished, he was mil tired out. He wanted to go away for a while by himself. You know what a queer, kind of Josie be la. So he went away. ,1 heard from him once Just a postcard. But I aint heard anything elsei Last Saturday I had a line from the men down In Indiana . where he went, saying Steinman had gone tpfay the Tuesday before without saying .anything to anybody and hadnt paid his beard. I didn't think much of anything about it at the time hes such a queer old bird. Of coarse, hes all right; he must be. Only. I thought you might have heard something from him." Why, no!" said Bess. Of coarse, hes all right," Krom repeated. Probably Just walked off somewhere No Tpxybe got a sick spell or something. use stirring np a disturbance over nothing. But if you should hear anything from him I wiah you'd let me knew." " Yes, I will." she replied. If you should not hear soon we must look him up." O, hell be tuAing up all right, Krom assured her. Queer old duck. Well, I believe about two more days will finish this up. The doctors coming to see me tomorrow, hope he'll have a good word to say." Of coarse, Bess hoped so. They talked a few minutes. It was then nearly half past five, and she had a bad conscience; really she ought to stay half an hour longer and read the newspaper to him. But there was a little theater party that evening, and to stay half an hour longer meant to hurry ; later. Shis glided over to the Morris chair: 'Here's tbs notebook. Will you put It in your pocket? - she placed the paper cowered book In his upraised hand, Dont get up, please, I can find my way out better than you can. I hope youll be ever so much better tomorrow." She was standing beside speaking down to him smiling, although he couldnt see that Tomorrow at four o'clock. Good-by.- " At that dose tenge the low voice could hardly Mind the doctor, help sound caressing.. now!" She stepped oer to the door, opened and almost bumped into Mr Robert White-side- . There could be no doubt whatever about the situation. .Whiteside had been loitering in that hall, perhaps pacing back and forth stealthily; and in pacing slowly past room 11 his ear had been inclined toward the door, as though straining to hear a sound from within. Opening the door she caught him- red handed; and qaickly shut e door behind her,, although Krom was lindfolded, with on instinctive idea of keeping the shameful sight to herself. There is something about the idea-obeing spied upon of an eavesdropper that arouses a natural resentment under any cir-- Ob I I t " v I 1 j f 1 , hls-cb- alr, it - f Tomorrow. face and something else now. He was lookto ing at that door. It was suddenly clear her that he forming an Intention of his own. "We may as well Settle it; hes got to let you alone, he said, and put forth his hand toward the door knob. His intention was to go inside and give Krom a licking. She caught his hand. The (necessity of subduing her voice brought a little break in It that sounded almost like a sob aa she dare! Ill never forgive cried;- "Dont-yo- u She fairly pulled him you! Come away! down the hall. How dare you treat me so?" she demanded, with that little catch in her voice. What have I ever donego you? What right have you to interfere? I'm 'hero on business. She was trembling, and he perceived that in an instant there might be & mist of angry tears in her eyes. It somehow flattened him out; punching Kroms head would settle nothing. It Forgive me," he said unhappily. makes me sick. Nobody cares about you. And as be subsided she gained control of Have you never beard herself, demanding: of minding your own affairs? What right have you to spy on me? I tell you Im here on busineei. If you ever do it again Ill never speak to you! He made a gesture, both ot protest and , helplessness. , You go down; Ill follow," she commanded. He hesitated over that a moment, but she had said she would follow; her eyes made it a teat. He plodded heavily away, dejection in his big figure, and went down the stairs without waiting for the elevator. When she left the EUenborough a minute later he was ou the sidewalk perhaps waiting to see that she bad followed? She stopped in front of him, her voice perfectly controlled and so mach softer, it seemed! but firm: ' You must neVer do this again, Mr. White- side. I cant allow It." Thejwords were uncompromising and her voice was firm. Yet there was something behind words and tone; a mother who had spanked a child might speak so when her temper hod subsided. He gave a wry little smile and replied, I Ill be good." A minute or so biter she was getting into a cab; and in spite of herself his words sounded in her ears; Nobody else cares about you, but X care." Bhe had cost this young man out, but somehow he was always coming back. Left to himself, Krort presently found consolation in whisky and water and cigar. He didn't know definitely that he was shadowed, yet he played his rfile carefully, keeping tb his room all the remainder of the afternoon and early evening. About eight o'clock another knock sounded on his door. Krom the gentle sound one might, perhaps, have inferred something deferential. Krom was so sure of the knocker that he went to the door without bothering to put the ban" dage ever his eyes. Peter Green was there, his pugnacity subdued in the presence of Krom. like a cross grained- dog-i- n the presence - of its master. Peter Green, in fact, hod conceived a tremendous Impression of Krom. He alid into the room, something catlike In his actions in ni - - By Will Payne te Krom regarding the tenses; the bond, so woods nsrves os bs ran up ths iron stairs. He hod ao faith in Krom, toward whom be to speak, hat been sealed and signed in his felt Only an angry contempt which was presence, lit knew she had received the . combination of the safe in Confidence from a , heightened and sharpened by the tact that blind man. Why had he done It? (he blackguard had taken Bessie to dinner and the theater and was getting her down to Evidently Nat didnt understand how she till dingy hotel to dictate to her. It was quits felt about it. She wondered if succeeeful true that Harwood had assented to that hls- men were that way insensible to such feelown position being so precarious that he wss ings' as hers about the lenses and the combination. fairly obliged to kyp as many strings as pa Perhaps, in order to be successful, sible on ths Inventor. AU the asms, he they had to ride over such things roughshod. ' him. But that took the shine off the success! She charged it up angrily against Krom. But Got it all fixed up, eh he said genially was as severe with herself as with Harwood. along with his contemptuous distrust of the when they were comfortably settled over the blackguard be had a Arm faith in the tnven- She had yielded when she should have recreature domforts of liquor and tobacco. gion. He'd seen the pictures with his own sisted; finally she had lied to him about the combination-- pretending she couldn't rememeyes. Krom had the right stuff; ths problem Tesr; yeer," Peter replied, in quick utwas to keep him from running away with it ber it. "How silly! Riding through roughterance about which also there was someNow Prof. Kersten was going to take it m shod was better than just floundering around This Shack, now. Is all snug thing catlike. hand. The professor, undoubtedly, would in the mud. and tight, like I told you. 1 nailed up the land the apparatus and know exactly Prof. Kersten, she understood, was to apback door myself. Storm door in front; good what to do with it. making Harwood almost hook and staple on it; anybody can lock it pear soon and take the lenres for an expert independent of Krom. Hs proposed to deal examinat.on. At any rate, then, they would from the outside." roost honorably with Krom, giving him the . soon know where they, stood. Very likely Stands all alone? " Krom inquired, like of the royalties to which he was Nat w3 somewhere or other with Prof. Kerone making sure. entitled under their preliminary contract sten now perhaps had already token the Yesr; all alone. Peter assured him. Only he'd bring the fellow to book now and lenses to him. Near half s mile to the next house. The stand for no tricks! Peter Green! , Half an hour or so passed. Then a stocky shack, like I told you, was kind of a tenant - Excited, he ran upstairs and into the roof had Krom's was This what pondering man wearing a derby hat and carrying a , house. This mans been livin Tn it ceuple All of modes come room. other to. vengeThs safe stood open. He squatted S all right with him. finally battered brown bag came into her cabinet months a bachelor. before it. This black metal object wss, of ance seemed tame to him In comparison with and introduced himself; Im from the Tom knows him well. You can bank on him. of a situation motion course, the picture projecting machine. He that stock picture girl Holder Safe company. Mr. Harwood sent He cleared out this afternoon. lifted it But and saw at ones that the safe ' locked, up somewhere In the power of her for h man to open a safe." With a .black., and broken .Anger nalt contained nothing else. That waa somewhat enemy. True, he couldnt quite make hima route on his hard palm: the safe Heres So Nat whs rertliy going self into a motion picture villain, for he was disappointing. Hed hoped the camera would Ill It's upstairs," she said. the depot at Nartpoea. - You- strike right off opened! be there. True, Krom had said that the pro- acutely aware that Nariposa had a backshow you. this way on a dirt road and you turn to the Jeering machine was upstairs and the camera ground of sheriffs, jails, courts, penitenFrom' Harwoods desk she got the key to left at the little white schoolhouse there; safe4 which would imply that It Was else-- " tiaries, gallows, and me forth, which motion then follow a windin' road rough and sandy the padlock, which fastened the door at where. But Krom was such a liar; Harwood - about three mi!e till you come to a big picture villains seemed unconscious of. He the head of the iron stairs and led the had hoped to find the camera there, elm In the road. Wagon track branches off repeated to Peter Green that be wasnt going Stranger up there. But the door was not f He looked the machine over with inexpert to hurt her, really. But the raw colors of the there. Can't drive a car very far on it lobked the padlock, opened, hung In the eyes, unable to form any opinion about tt; staple. That gave her a little start, because except that he was quite Sure it wss ths it seemed- to her that Harwood hod locked same machine from which the pictures had He this door on the preceding afternoon. been projected when Krom exhibited them to and she had gone up to the roof room to him. There was no lens in lt however. He open the same, and she had Hold her foolish fumbled over it rather helplessly and dlscov- lie about not remembering the combination. ered that it contained no film. That was She had left the room first, Harwood at her more of a disappointment. If the film hai heels; she remembered that distinctly. But been there. Prof. Kersten could have seen It seemed to her that he had paused an inthe new pictures at once. No doubt Krom stant, here at the head of the stairs, to lock had 'the film somewhere, with the camera, this door behind him. She hadnt actually safe. Well, that was disappointing. But seen him lock the door, but she seemed to after all, both 6teinman and Krom had said remember that he had paused there somethe lens was the real thing; and he had bota thing like the click of the Jock. lenses. Kersten could tell by them. Since then during office hours at least Harwood wondered whether Kersten wouU nobody had gone up to the root room by have to wait to make a camera, then take way ot her cabinet. But Simon Curiin and some pictures. That would mean a delay Robert Whiteside had once got up there with But probably the professor could rig up some . out passing through her cabinet entering sort ot apparatus to test the lens on short the little stairway room from the public cororder. Harwood quite decided that Kersten ridor. Either they had keys to the door from could do that two or three days, at moat. the stairway room to the public oorrldor, He examined the safe to see whether or not and to this padlock, or some traitor in the contained a secret compartment, and deit office had unlocked the doors for them. cided that it did not. 8urely Kersten could waa what gave her the little shock That tell in two or three days. at finding this door unlocked. Could CurJust a bit disappointed, hs wont downIn room iin and Whiteside be the roof again? stairs. Bess was not in her cabinet, but a . She opened the door and heard a small but penciled note lay on her desk: Going to sharp sound as though something had fallen. lunch." It was only 12:35 then early for her A bit of metal, two inches long by on inch to go .to funch but ho thought nothing of wide, lay on the floor in front of her feet that. Kersten hod said he would come as somemust have fallen from Certainly It soon after one o'clock as possible. Harwood s door where as she pushed the open. But nerves were wound up now; he wished to lose a great wind was blowing, booming across no time after the professor come; so he sent at doors and the roof, pushing and rattling an office boy downstairs for a bottle of milk windows. The wind might somehow have and a sandwich. And while the boy was gono dislodged this bif of metal. With a little he went to the vault off the big front room nerves down she went the tingling in her and got out the lenses which Krom had left door the unlocked to passage and opened in trust with Bess. the roof room. Aa she stepped In a glance At his desk he took them out of the pasteroom was showed her. however, that the board box, unwrapped the green flannel over to went the safe, saying: empty. She cloth, and admired them with terror. Much This is It millions money lay in those shining The man surveyed it and asked, "Have squares. Harwood stared into their crystal combination? you got the numbers of tbs . depths with a strong fascination, lifting an I I believe the message was that you had a turning them a little this way ondAhat As Somework. but It wouldnt combination, he stared they seemed mysteriously full of times they have the right numbers; you light great stores of light compressed. He Rotor, I sett a up with this bird Harwood. Haraa luck!" In the order. know, but wrong got the magnifying glass cut of his drawer She gave him the some numbers that she and looked through that with a hotter thrill motion picture situation Irresistibly appealed have to walk quarter of a mile to the shack. had used the afternon before 34. 1, 7, 24 as the myriad lines of color appeared tn the to him. No other vengeance that he could But Tom understands all about it. He'll be " I then said to herself, lens. might lust as well at the Nariposa depot in his flivver to rneef think of would be satisfying. Locked up have giveh him the right number, 42, inHs drew the cloth over the lenses os the with her, away from everybody else! you tomorrow night; take you right there. But it seemed that she must stead of 24. boy came in with his milk and sandwich. Did you put the lens where I told you? She would be in his room at five o'clock rflle of out her tawdry But he ate and drank with an absent mind. play having .transKrom asked. next day and get, at least, a part of the teleJust what etas Kersten going to say about it? posed the last number. He wrote the numerYes'r; kind 'a' stickin' out from under probaby, herself, over standing message down als phone Old Curiin oould he, in spite of Krom's asthe nickel plated and stooped the bed; see it the minute you step in, said disc. She turned away and went over to bly, while Krom took the remainder of it. sertion, have some sort of hold upon this InPeter. TomU leave a light burning in the the catch to about time have work bench. the Theyd just It rather seemed to her vention? No doubt the old man would be shack and things kind of mussed up. Boons 6.50 train. With Steinman on his deathbed had been disturbed here moved that things bobbing up with a lawsuit over the patents you and the girl step inside he'll hook the he didn't doubt that she would go, especially was about. But that if hs had the least ground to go on. Harwood only a vague impresstorm door from the outside and beat it. as Nariposa was only twenty miles from sion nerves, no doubt. That great, boomwished be had better evidence than lying Sure I can depend on him, eh? Krom Slow River and so sort of homelike to her. over Kroms word that Curlin camera was really the roof, shaking ing wind, roaring remarked, as one ruminates aloud. If she were going to Slow River she would smashed and out of the way. and rattling ' things, was enough to make Yesr; sure, Peter replied, with convictake that same 6.50 train. He didn't doubt He finished his luncheon and turned again one nervous. Hundred dollars cash, and Tom don't tion. that she would go with him, as his bandaged to ' the fascinating lenses. Which one of The door in the west wall, which gave to Is. I Tom a a damn. He's scout, give good eyes made him helpless. them went in the projecting machine, he the roof, was securely locked; certainly noknow him like a book. Peter was industriwondered and would either of them really could have come in that way. She And he had another satisfying thing to body mustache. his ously combing fit the machine upstairs? walked over to the improvised dark room think about. Tomorrow, he foresaw, was That question Krom was smiling expanaively. " I aint in the corner and looked through the panel tantalized him. be a satisfactory day for A. Krom. to going to he her observed. hurt going really," Bess had now. decided to was alcohol his brain of of in The red was in All door. its suddenly indistinct go to lunchflattery glass " But I'm going to throw a damn big scare eon early. That rifling of ths safe upstairs-- tor Expansive, triumphant, beaming, he lifted' Inside, and all b4thed in the color of blood. into her. Im going to give her plenty to It seemed to amount to that pulled at his glass and announced: Without touching the door she turned away. ' think about. And when she gets back here her spirits. Why did Nat do It? 6he Silly; but she never had liked that improTomorrow, Peter, I settle up with this next day she con explain it to this bird Harcouldnt quite keep Krom out of her mind, vised little room with its darkly bloody hue. bird Harwood, and. I settle up with the old wood any way she pleases. Let's see, now, blind and helpless and trusting to her. It At any rate, there was nobody In the roof If you got that telephone message right" goat, Curiin, and I square accounts with this would be pleasanter assay from the office room except herself and the safe expert. Her young lady. Heres luck! Yesr; I got it right Peter declared. than inside it, so the scribbled a note and impression that Harwood had locked the Five o'clock tomorrow I call up this room. He cursed Harwood again, with a sort of went out at half past twelve, Ths disturbdoor at the head of the stairs the day before reGirl comes to the phone. And I say, Is Mr. cause of a sulphurous geniality having ance and tension fit her mind left no particumust have been wrong. The expert was on Krom there Mr. Adolph Krom? I'm talkin sentment which he did not care to. explain lar enthusiasm for food, however. The boishis knees in front of the safe now. carefully kind of excited, and I go right on. There's to Peter Green. The lawyer, he affirmed to terous wind, tugging and thrusting at her as turning the nickel diso with delicate fingers, a man here says tils name is Steinman, I himself, was a natural born double crossed she walked, seemed to match her mental and listening, his ear close to the lock. She shake say. ' Doctor says he cant live only few sucker ; yet someway he wouldn't state. She stepped into a dairy lunch and left him at his burglarious task and went hours. He's mighty anxious to see Mr. Krom down " properly hung on to his money, inwas on the street again In twenty minute downstairs, the boom of the wind in her ears. before he goes off,' I say. He says he's got sisting upon havihg g- clear title to the patadrift, in eddies, her thoughts always swirlHarwood had not returned, but he came something very important to tell him. He ents before giving up more than a mere to the office where Nat was rifling back ing in about eleven' o'clock, briskly that bright, come to my house lost Thursday, I say, (30,000. That stubbornness, not to be thi safe and where Prof. Kersten was soon ' and I took him. pleasant competent air in his bearing and of & natural bom sucker, war exas- to appear and carry off the apparatus. Sh ln,for he looked kind ot in his cheerful greeting: sick. He didnt want a doctor, though, and I loitered on toward Michigan boulevhrd, perating. Krom took it out in cursing him " Bessie! Safe man her yet? Morning, thought maybe he'd pick up. But today smiling, broadly the while. But besides the topping to look In a shop window, without Yes; he's been st work on hour, she told Tioctor says took bad and I got (30.000 be was going to take vengeance on much what It contained feeling a pull caring hun. he cant live long, and hes mighty anxious to toward the office, along with a repulsion. the lawyer in respect to Bess. . see how hes getting on." Harwood Ill see Mr. Krom asked me to telephone right And he hod another siring te his bow. Presently she turned decisively and walked replied so alert and amiable! Ho went at--' back. this old goat away. My name's Johnson and I live four he repeated, "Tomorrow, once to the door in the west wall and disap- miles out of Nariposa. If Mr. KromU come Curiin gets the boot In the belly right along Copting Into La Salle street, chepotlced to Nariposa on the evening train gets there peared. with N'athanisi Harwood, Esquire. by the clock on the Board of Trad that it A few minutes later he returned, smiling, IH be at the depot was twelve minutes past one. Unhasring, itourqWefTTBisi to trim him till he howls. An old lobster, to meet him and take him to Mr. Steinman. but undevlatlng, she went on to the Belknap toting a gun around in his pocket! Well,. if ' saying: "He's working away at it; thinks he can get it open all right without drilling That's about the dope. he tries anything in that line with me hell building, turning iq at the arched granite " said Krom with satisfaction Fine! entrance 'to that long white tile tunnel, brilWith a chuckle he reached it Clever chap, apparently. Kersten's comget a surprise. something, perhaps, of the satisfaction of an to hla hip pocket and exhibited a black autoing os soon after one as possible. Well soon liantly lit with electrics, by which on gained, artist who reviews his work and finds it matic pistol. the elevators. She had taken half a dosen Ho emphasised It get this knot untied Id like to see him start any And Im blind, Peter, so she has to i (good. with a smiling little nod and went on Into of that stuff with me! steps there when her heart bounded, for eh saw Robert Whiteside stepping Into on exgo with me." He chuckled a moment, remhis room. Peter, remembering when the lobster When I had that damn Iritis iniscently. press elevator that is, one bound for the hod leveled a weapon at him. looked approvThe business ot the office went o for sn was four years ago I thought it a dead loss; ingly at the murderous instrument in Kroms upper floors. It wa a busy hour, wttn hour. Then, about a quarter past twelve, now. comes we searms of office employ 6a coming In from In but It catch Weil, handy the safe man opened that west door and hand, nodding briskly and asserting, Yesr; off luncheon. The cage that sh entered shot here and train the (AO at Nariposa thats the ticket! get stepped into the cabinet, hat and coat on, upward hardly a minute behind Whiteside's. quarter past nine. Thats only twenty miles Tomorrows my lucky day!" Krom gurbag in hand. She stepped out of tt on the eighteenth from Slow River, so It seems kind of homeIt's open, he said. You had the last gled, expanding In Peters admiration ari floor. Immediately looking to the left that like to her. Mr. Johnson is at the depot and warmed by alcohol. He and Peter finished number of the combination transposed. Its is. down (he long public corridor which ran takes us to the shack. Theres the lens on their glasses. " 42 instead of 24. Better write that down." on that side of ' the building. The blank the floor, so she thinks Steinman must have On the morrow, which Krom thus toasted. , I will, she replied, and duly wrote Yes, dOor at the further end of the corridor, which been there. And pretty soon .we find were Harwood was not at the office when Bess 42 on her blotter. She went in to tell gave to the stairway room, was closlqg. locked in, back and front. And I say, .This arrived a the Usual hour, and she found that Harwood that the safe was open Somebody had Just gone through that door is a job that Curiin has put up on me. I Fine!-something, had happened to the cflce to he exclaimed, springing up. Evifrom ths public corrldof lot the stairway wish I had a gum Maybe hes coming tn . everything, in fact. ' This riotr little cabinet. be meant to examine the safe's condently that was precisely what she had here to cut my throat and eo on." In which she had so delighted, Woe not detents at once. He did not snggeat that she . room; and He put a hand up to his mustache and thought of when she saw Whiteside entering now. Harwoods spacious and luxuand did not wish to for sha accompany lightful him, the elevator that he was again going to the choked a little aa the situation In the shock rious room had lost much of its clyirm. that brought the tawdriness all back again. roof room In spite of his promise! This was So we gotta stay , There was a queer sort of tawdrtness. cams up In Imagination. as 8ha watch him alertly disappear into the . s quarter past one Just the time when she there quite a while. We stay there a while, over though, the rooms had stairway room and wished he Wouldn't Krom and Harwood would normally be out of the larked In.- - But' I ain't' goingto hurt her waa already dictating the technical descripeverything had a vaguely bedraggled night; office and when a visit to the roof room really. That motion picture stuff wouldnt air. All evening, even after the theater, she tions to her. Why couldn't they have waited would bo safest. go In real life. I aint going to, hurt her, had puzzled over It. After all, why had Nat a little longer and kept ths record cleaner? (To be continued. really; but Im going to throw a damn good done It? He knew she waj In honor bound There was a strong excitement in Har- ICoprrlfki: 1823: Br Will FsjnsJ spite ot his massive, .bendy legged figure. . . 8, 1923. There was a kind of alert deference in the way he combed his mustache with thumb and forefinger; as though he were waiting to jump through a hoop at the word of command. Krom warmed and expanded before Peter's deference. Before Harwood and Elisabeth he played a eervile rflle, but before Peter Jb was the hero. .Expansively, like an indulgent patron, he got Peter a drink of whisky and water and a cigar, beaming at Into hex before we're through," " Yesr. Peter repeated, parrotlike. With a cruder imagination than Krom's he had some doubts about the essential Innocence of hla companion's Intentions, but he dutifully kept the doubts to himself. 'Slowly stroking his mustache, behind which a satirical grin lurked,4 Krom said. " His This bird Harwood is a opinion of Harwood comprised several words, none of them printable. Its a great little game, Peter? and I guess, when It's all over, they'll. all of 'em have reason to remember Mr. A. Krom! Yes'r." said Peter, as Krom expanded in the admiration of his follower. And don't forget, Krom added genially. that there's a thousand bucks cold cash in it for your Peter rapidly combed his mustache with thumb add linger, but found no words Krom. he almost reverently believed, could trim anybody, which was Peter's ideal of supreme human ability. But the most wonderful thing of all was that Krom proposed to produce h thousand bucks, cold cash, for -- , un-de- one-thir- d . . -- - - he-w- as Im-goin- " . grown--dingy- - |