Show L B BL ell norris 0 KATHLEEN THE STORY THUS PAR FAR blue eyed reddish haired and 21 loses her job in ii new nu afas 1 useful but unwelcome suggestions to y f oi feho fering time to show how her 11 her boss 1 y she oies s that ne new W purse which 0 h etore OT to her cousin cecilia dought nd hand store ore moore ahe purse revives S c toy met the previous mem bay she had summer a boy whose first name all peter at home that red was evening waiting for embe or her are her and angelat angela her oe e her brother crippled sister alster jo joe e too has ha lost io bur ang the he not s evening evening angela aln finds fifty dollars dollar in buriff shei as 4 purse they are arc both happy at the discovery a secret in only to be bened eche when carscadden CAre cadden tells 6 sheila the money y inest be returned and nd street initials number 00 whose are on the person purse shella 1 return the molley dressed feln in an ancient it then nen she bhe feels th the sho she looks liberally her upon the will reward escapade as s a lark she sh trent rent ahl when n she enters entera the magnificent home for or the occupants ile MC 10 cann family old friends now wealthy of Sh eilas father prove and P peter her acquaintance of 0 the previous he sees iee surn bummert merl shella sheila and me BIC cann son aon doth both peter ter r is i judge and his brother frank Vinan be led frank offers to take her home andi and peter ar BM secretly slip of paper in her hand the paper Is 1 a message mc sage asking her to 0 o eter berat at the tha library the next day against her will shella sheila goes to ts th the ahers she meets peter they talk and she finds that after all we eh t care for peter preparing to leave they find the W library door ls closed and 0 no one 0 can hear 0 their shouts si alu escape akintu t peter jumps from a window window cape seems AFTER VI continued G rushed to the window and d into the blackness the S outside nothing could 1 talking to herself her mut antl callY shella sheila turned the room a and nd extinguished we ne looking down she co could uld dim white expanse of 0 the ow and see ee against the white something black pros proa rv ny god cod hes killed him elia icalla whispered oh god i vt and leaning out she Te feterl terl lee ice was muffled in the snow wind and was wa not so BO high now the flakes fakes were falling and nd faster rl it the she cried again in agi he would die there with i help him and she i I 1 she was back at the win in peter was groaning tee fee led ad help us tooth doth get us 0 out ut selous ons on clous of what she aha was she ran to the window its deep sill as best the bhe limbed over it with almost aness of a leap and was S out in the snow god forgive me my op shella sheila and dropped king instant ot of descent ay iy y her she landed on some ft sp sprawled ailed helpless on the it mel shouted peter my dry ive ve killed me I 1 snowy breathless pond panting ng 1 herself herse if together rolled rambled ambled to her knees to her he ie bent over him ive ve hurt you youl and im not sill you broke my faill t ell the world I 1 broke your eter agreed groaning and you knocked the wind el oh my leg broken she was pulling crying to make him sit up ik it Is but what got me feebly struggling to his the darkness and the raw iness of the snow what achl was that I 1 thought I 1 couple of ribs in my lungs t I 1 was bleeding to death i I 1 certainly thought I 1 1 mys eUll peter shouted I 1 then limping along beside efla supported him with both hey ey were making their way the two hooks ot of the fire esst visible in the gloom the aled softly about them wet COS es r FI so go carefully it would be walk right off the edge of I 1 it I 1 hear you 11 carell carel ot t think I 1 could walk as well even 11 youl be all right awfully careful going down escape were up on the or its wet iron ralis in in m in m it easy now sheila V going awfully slow one toot foot cautiously age edge gripping the railing backing she put down the 4 and so descended careful carti ful failing ailing all about her and 9 head and shoulders and dy y plied piled snow dislodged and way below her fingers and ing g her peter was surprised ver v as she had discovered re escape went down only 1 flight ight and ended on enoth sno skylights roof among ahlm au all right ht dowil shella sheila oy J fully 17 as al ho he joined her 3 1 sure e to be a door here or pa and stamp and ded ST door rose from the roof reter h idled fumbled with her at lid it d 1 th opened at once anc it the y to bloom and to the abell of a badly kept pa house were in out of the sno w bitter r cod c i d bt at least leas nd d they stairs sirs louly to descend hall aa down there do you t be d hallood Hall ool down therel no response faither they dc er struck solid aoud level flooring and could see the sign lights flaming and iding fading f still salu through a high skylight there must be dont bump yourself 4 there peter ethere there there must be lamps Sh eilas groping wet gloves found one as she spoke the room broke into dim light they were in a studio sheila had never seen one before except in movies but she he knew it at once recognized the easel and the unfinished canvases as well as the more familiar tables and couches and an d chairs the tha room appeared to be quite empty look for a telephone quick peter directed stuffing his bis cup cap and his gloves into a coat pocket and flinging the coat itself over a chair til ill be home before I 1 could telephone mama we have to call the corner drug store shella sheila had be gun to say when the lock of the studio door clicked and they both whirled about guiltily to face whoever was vas about to enter two men backed in crouching cro uchin 91 watching the hallways rather than looking into the room a tall man and a small man both young As shella sheila began somewhat timidly we had bad to come in through your place they both sprang about and she heard a quick whispered oath then the four were facing one another shella sheila and peter aghast and terrified and the two others hardly less taken aback shut cupl the smaller man whispered fiercely listeria Li steril peter persisted in a voice that was not loud but that was not afraid he fell silent staring with fascinated eyes in a whitening face the shorter horter man had shown a shining sleek leek revolver sheila caught at her breath childishly there was no other sound come herel herd the tall man breathed inaudibly they sensed rather than heard his bis words they followed him across the studio and he opened a door that gave upon a small storeroom or closet give me the rod inky he be said taking the pistol instantly he closed himself into the closet with shella sheila and peter dont either ot of you speak he said get me if you do but ill get you first CHAPTER VII there was a long pause during which they all clung close toge together ther motionless then shella sheila heard voices in the studio there was talk of 0 greeting and of the weather and mention of cigarettes that yure now a big warm irish voice said she missed the answer she heard a chair creak a murmur ot of talk then a voice that was not the irish voice said 1 I do not know and if I 1 do know I 1 not tell on my friend mr garrity youve got some queer friends I 1 garrity said there was more conversation vers atlon in lower tones more scraping of chairs then the caller evidently departed the door slammed after that another fierce warning hold held peter and sheila and the man who was waa huddled close into their shelter with them more silent than ever ages passed every muscle in Sh eilas body was lame she and the holder of the pistol and peter continued to rest against one an others bodies to breathe ona one an others breaths they could hear bear the man in the studio whistling smell ils his second cigarette alter after a while he apparently crossed the floor come on out I 1 ken ien he said carelessly ken stretching alms himself elf but cautious and noiseless still was out of the closet like a cat gone he asked yo yop he walk down the street isee I 1 see him go who asked tho the man called inky eyeing peter and sheila as they came blinking and panting from their hiding place who your friends 1 I never see sec them bea before ore ken said how did you and the lady get mixed into this young feller he asked scowling at peter peter explained pointing at the roof stairway jerking his be head ad toward the law library he started glibly enough even laughing at their predicament and adventures but cometh something ing chilled his blood as he proceeded there was that in the mens quiet eyes that was not healthy there was menace in their very presence pie sence and peter knew as sheila had known for some time that the night s perils wore not over ills ilia voice died away into silence and his face ace took on a strange pallor this aint your wife then ken asked no sir not a what I 1 was telling you peter said im to be married on tuesday to to another girl why id be so much obliged it if let me telephone the men glanced at each other no rush ken observed mildly im afraid my mother will be worried Us its getting on to eight ocl sheila exclaimed anxiously and the sudden thought of that comforting and protecting mother her love and tenderness brought tears to the girls eyes ken shifted a cigar on his rather ull Ll listen sten sister he remarked carelessly youve got no call to look so scar edl it was not much but it was exquisite balm to shella sheila she managed a rather white smile thank youl you she said you give me your name ken dir directed acted drawing a piece of paper toward him across the tha table tabla and taking a fountain pen from his pocket 1 and ill let your folks know but be home pretty soon he added comfort comfortably abl v come on lets get going ken said ile he glanced at peter and shel lae la standing bewildered and fearful earful together Nothing Ill happen to you he be told them scornfully carelessly but you busted in here who your friends ayou you see we never asked you folks folk in here well shella sheila began briskly he her eyes es wide we any dinten von in oh all right all al righta ken interrupted her as be h buttoned intoned on a heavy coat and drew on gloves but it may delay you yoi a little bit getting home see but let my mother know the girl asked anxiously he looked at her oddly as if he were curious about her sure ill let your mother know oh all right theril she said relieved just a minute peter said boldly but ken after favoring him with a bored sort of stare took Sh eilas arm and led her downstairs with no further words shella sheila heard the door behind her slam upon peters protest say what the say what are you trying to do the words were cut off there she looked inquiry at her companion hell be down with inky ken told her they went through a back passage ken gripping her arm tightly i A side door opened into a narrow alley they were out in the night dont make any noise now sis terl 1 11 I bonti she answered frightened an open car a large touring car with the rain curtains securely buttoned down was standing at the curb snow was falling softly steadily all the noises of the city were softened and dull ken still holding tight to Sh eilas arm fell into a low toned conversation with two men who emerged from the shadows afterward one of them looked at shella sheila sharply this man wa was an american elderly lean jean nervous nervous she saw ken give him the add addresses and telephone numbers he had taken from peter and herself upstairs the old man listened nodded mutt red a word or two now you get in front here sister ken said then opening the hand front door and well be 0 out lit ot of this in no time at aall hes com coming ing ken told her get binl when sheila secretly praying had obeyed he walked around the car to the drivers seat the elderly man standing close to sheila with one hand gripping hir heir wrist dont make no noise the man said j her frightened eyes moved behind him as the door through which she and ken had emerged opened again and inky and on an unknown man come came out with peter between peter appeared to be tumbling stumbling heavy per naps hops his hurt leg was bothering him again they started shella sheila heard peter snoring in the back scat snow hut flut down down down upon the black city streets and the shining wet tracks under the elevated road and the garbage cans aligned before the humble tenement doorways she knew it was peter snoring nort ng because inky was perched upon one of the small seats his breath heavy with garlic and wine at her ear now you and me have got to be talking ken said because it if any one stops us im taking you up to your mother in white plains 1 in the bronx the she corrected oh you aint going home yet he said but dont you worry get there nothings going to happen to you only not to pull nothing ink inky Y said persuasively at her ear car 1 I know how to tb pull any shella sheila said simply no you just do like I 1 ask you to ken observed encouragingly and be all right that was an awful smart thing Y you ou did ken about that boston stuff inky presently observed it may work he said briefly work I 1 its gotta work the other man said pipe the bulls therel tharel he added now listen ken sold said sharply to shella sheila in a quickened voice you dont know anything youre going up to see your sick lck mother they had left the tha city and were on one of the long lonely roads that skirt the eastern bank of the hudson shella sheila looking ahead saw a police box in the pink flutter of snow against lights and two coped men standing there the two policemen come came out in the fluttering snow and the lights of 0 the car picked them up they waited for it to reach them ken leaned out white plains he shouted the car stopped white plains ken shouted again the policemen looked at him looked at sheila youve got a swell awell night for or a trip one of the men said cifes mother sick ken explained pla ined that was all one of the officers P pointed with a coped arm straight ahead ken started tho the car they were moving again well we got away with thail ken presently remarked with great satisfaction and sheila was able to breathe again As long as he was pleased she was safe peter was still snoring what nerves he must have to go to sleep under these circumstances circumstance sl 1 they had come to a roadside restaurant tau rant or inn sheila could not make out quite what the big square building was for it showed no lights what light there was came from froin an enor enormous mour truck at the door the snow was still falling but less densely the truck lad stood there some time for there were no tracks ahead of it or behind it men sprang down from it or appeared suddenly from the house and there was hurried colloquy sheila shaking with cold wrapping her coat tightly about her and beating her hands against her sides heard ken say she oughter aughter h have ve something to eat anyway but there was objection to this her heart failed her she was exhausted to the point of tears and all the time that she sat on the front sent seat awaiting their verdict trembling with fatigue she could hear peter snore AU all right all right ill ken ex claimed suddenly and coming about to sheila he said opening the door of the car get out and hold onto me you may be stiff keep that rug broken cramped weak with hunger and cold and weariness sheila tottered out ken steadied her or ahe she would have fallen everything deemed to bo be circling about her in the sharp black contrasts of the snow and the night and the faces of the huddled men shrewdly watching her looked ominous get in tho the back ol of the truck here ken said she clui clutched cried his arm ho he was no friend of hers but at least he was closer to her than these murderous looking strangers listen im so BO tired you got far now they aint going to hurt you he muttered gruffly get in there and wrap that other thing round you |