Show rip bif daan LOUIS JOSEPH by VANCE VANC E author of the false faces the lone wolf etc 0 tj M R Y ia illustrated by irwin myers copyright by the ho author vill VIII continued 11 wont you be fair to me red you tou know youre everything to me but inez to yu that youve got to let her come between us and spoil everything we were so happy before you listened to her lies please red please thre there was an flit instants tants pause vibrant with the passion of her purpose and ills doubts but that very moment of indecision told her she was winning whining had already won her ber arm moved round tits his neck drawing ills his head down he restated resisted stubbornly but of a sudden yielded with a low cry lie he crushed her to him the hard stubble of ills his beard unshaven for three days rasped her sensitive skin the reek of his breath was sickening as lie he sought the fragrance of her mouth but she steeled herself repressed her shudder of repulsion let him have tits his way even mustered a show of response that contented him bin for it if her gesh flesh crawled her heart sang slie site had won iron he had dropped his pistol it lay unheeded on alie anble beside them she nestled more closely into his embrace breathing broken terms of endearment in answer to hla his half coherent words the movement brought her nearer the table and the pistol almost between it and carnihan Carn Car chan richan ile he did not seem to notice she debated the next nest move trying to scheme some way to free a hand band without exciting his suspicions so that site she might grope behind her until her fingers found the weapon what sound it was that startled him whether a footfall on the he stairs or a door banging on one of the lower floors floom she never knew but the nan lifted his head bead sharply listening and his embrace relaxed he muttered what was that 1 I hear bear anything red with no more warning site she thrust him vigorously from bior ter altogether taken by surprise he stumbled backward grasping at the air his face a tragicomic mask of maudlin stupefaction until the wall behind him brought him up cp at the same time understanding smote him like a thunderbolt ite ile pulled himself together and started for her but ducked smartly and again fell back on finding himself under the threat of his own pistol but the reaction was involuntary t dictated by instinct more than by conscious fear drink and rage had pit pi t him well beyond the influence of that nat emotion lie ile could not grasp the possibility lity of 0 her carrying out that threat implicit in her ter attitude he knew only that he be had been tricked and roust must be revenged for a little neither spoke nor moved the girl was motionless tense lease her eyes dark with settled purpose in a face abnormally pale with excitement the man stood in a semi crouching pose swaying slightly from side to side shoulders bowed head thrust forward murder glimmering in bloodshot eyes A dull growling issued from his half balf open lips abruptly making nothing of the pistol he charged headlong head bead long she had bad not dreamed he would dare the pistol exploded in a wavering hand band and its shot went wide but i her arm wound around his neel neck drawing his head down its fire scorched the face of the beast and added the pang of physical aln necessary to make his madness fillad lust to kill ills body crashed into hers with terrific force both reeled back against the table ponderous as it was tills this last swung out of place the lamp toppled rolled upon its side and went 0 over ver t the I 1 ie edge with a noise of splintering glass the girl borne bodily back across the table lay kicking and struggling while Carn dias hands closed round be lder liar I l throat somehow sho had lost hold of the pistol iler her ineffective fingers tore at wrists 0 of steel A rust gust of hot air rose round her head she saw reds face fitfully illumined by a bluish glare the glass reservoir of the lamp had broken and the oil spreading upon the rug had bad caught alre of the flickering wick she redoubled her efforts but the pressure upon her windpipe was cruel beyond description her brain was reeling so was all the world darkness was fast closing in upon her like a black fog then something happened something miraculous a intervened too dazed to comprehend at first conscious only of the freedom of her throat she was caught up and carried swiftly away set upon her feet she found herself in the hall at the head of the stairs marto supporting her with an arm to his anxious inquiry she returned ret arned a ghastly smile and a feeble shake of her head what happened she creaked in aloice a voice she did not know as her own 1 I returned thank god in time but red knocked senseless back there through the open doorway she caught a glimpse of a room that seemed a well of raging flames violet orange and green then marlo mario picked her up again and started downstairs on the first landing she heard beard him hill shouting the alarm of lire fire she struggled and he put her down but held her hand and dragged her with him as they plunged down flight after flight before they had accomplished half of that descent the house was buzzing like a hive of enraged bees on the lowermost landing they had fairly to fight their way through the crowd of f panic stricken tenants swarming out of their cells A was waiting at the curb mario hustled bustled her into the vehicle followed and slammed the door evidently evid d the driver was already I 1 instructed a ted he be made off without delay leonora collapsed sobbing weakly upon the bosom of marlo mario I 1 IX X AT MIDNIGHT and sobbing as though her heart must break the girl priscilla llla came hack back to herself in the ordered and luxurious security of that quiet home on park avenue but it was some time before her be mussed wits were able to grav the singular circumstances that attended tills this return or this awakening which eier eer it was she had been recalled too suddenly too harshly from that weird realm of her life in dreams to the sane world of her waking existence at first she found nothing strange in the fact that she who rail add lost consciousness in darkness quiet and solitude should regain it in a confusing glare of light see the lie intent anxious countenance of phillp philip fosdick bending over her as he be sat on the edge of fit the bed holding her by the shoulders and hear the bleating of her aunt esther who stood beside philip kneading together vague and futile hands bands but the sobs ceased when the oddness ties of it all at length struck home and priscilla sat up shaking oft off philips hands bands and instinctively drawing her negligee together over her dress why philip she stammered and aunt esther Is anything the matter 1 I fancy you can tell us that philip suggested mildly with a sympathetic smile rm im gure I 1 dont understand in the least this was aunt esther it seems very peculiar I 1 must most say say doctor fosdick called a few minutes ago and insisted on seeing you lie he said he had telephoned you some time ago and you answered him so peculiarly he be wanted to make sure you were all right so I 1 brought him up 1 I think you understand cilia 11 philip interposed in a guarded manner and we found you writhing and in your sleep and do what we could it seemed impossible to wake you up 1 I see said PI 1 I understand im sorry to have worried you so she tried to smile reassuringly for philips phiiip sake but the attempt was not altogether a success her memories were too vivid too moving the pain in her heart too new and keen iler her lips quivered her wide dazed eyes once more brimmed with tears fosdick looked aside to mrs trowbridge in a highly nervous state he explained with the nu all thorl ty of the physician but ive been studying her for or some time and have the case I 1 think well in hand it if you dont mind telephoning my office that I 1 cant get there within an hour or two I 1 think I 1 can quiet her so that shell sleep naturally tor for the rest of the night but he knew very well that the office fice telephone would not be answered and that it would take aunt esther at least ten minutes to find that out when they were alone he turned again to priscilla you must tell me your dream cilia dear dar let roe me help you all I 1 ian can in the stress of her emotion quite thoughtlessly acting wholly upon an impulse of gratitude and affection site she insisted in a broken whisper ifil sper nobody can escaped philip she and marto marlo have bave they love each other and are going to be married and oh its so impossible so mad so silly of me I 1 but I 1 cant help jt it im jealous phillp philip rm im wild wit with it jealousy jealous of a dream thing CHAPTER SIX the gathering storm 1 THE PLAIN MAN ANDREWS dally daily from nine till noon dr philip fosdick ant in his consultation room a grave pleasant spoken quiet man gentleman dispensing interest sympathy and wisdom without stint to all and sundry who be thronged thron ged his walting waiting room with careworn care worn faces and one by one filed in to lay bare to him sick bodies minds and souls today however he found himself irked by tits his patients attending with a divided mind to their complaints tz mario hustled her into the vehicle the undercurrent of his thoughts constantly preoccupied with the riddle of leonora and priscilla maine so he was relieved when the clock struck twelve and for once he enforced In inflexibly his rule to see nobody after offley office hours but by appointment alone he tilted back his chair clapped hands bands behind his head and cussed to his gaze upon remote abstraction str action A look of pain lurked in the clear and steady eyes of gray als consol atlon in the set of his firm thin lipped mouth the debacle of a love tor for many years the ruling motive of ills his life foreshadowed foreshadower fore shadowed in his meditation not for an instant had bad he be forgotten the confession of love for marlo mario implicit in confession of jealousy of leonora from the first sensitive to the girls romantic interest in this man fosdick had seen in it no cause for active concern so long as marto marlo remained no more than a figure in a dream but now it appeared that like leonora whom fosdick had bad sen seen in the flesh like Blell Bl elinsky known to and wanted by the police like the gunman carnahan Carn ehan whose haunts fosdick had been frequenting in search or of a key to the riddle like all these folk marlo mario was a thing of flesh and blood and so perilous to all Fos dicks hopes of happl happiness ness and priscilla too for marlo mario in love with if not already married to leonora was lost to her already ITo wever heavily it might cost her priscilla must resign herself to renunciation and then time would have to do the rest with its magical hands of healing and obliteration in time priscilla would forget and be healed and would find herself anew and then an others turn would come lie he had been patient now these many years he could be patient a little longer and while he be waited he would be helping her he who alone could help her to forget for her dreams must cense cease they must be stopped by one means or another so that the figures of marlo mario and leonora might no longer haunt and torment her it could be done they could be stopped it was war a question of mesas means merely fosdick pondered two alike distasteful drugs and hypnotism sincerely fosdick believed he be chose the lesser evil when taking a pad of blanks he be jotted down a formula for fir a sedative which he hoped might give the girl nights of dreamless sleep without harmful reaction the assistant who answered his summons took the prescription to be filled and at the same time announced a mr andrews calling by appointment ushered in he sat himself in the easy eany chair beside Fos dicks desk r at mumbling a clear cigar and nursing a rusty derby on his knees a commonplace citizen Inear incarnate tinte at the mean of his unremarkable mediocrity by nothing whatever more than an utter lack of distinction the sort 0 of man who to as we say would pass in a crowd unseen to Fos dicks pleasant query well andrews what luck he replied mild ly guess I 1 got your party located all right so soon Fos dicks manner betrayed some excitement where hotel walpole sir mr andrews stated in a voice exasperatingly mat ter of fact youre sure well she answers your description registered about twelve last night seemed all cursed fussed up wore a long cloak and no hat bat A dark 9 guy uy that come with her fixed up for her ro room omand and every everything thin paid in advance bec because aue she bring no baggage and beat it as hed said good night under what name did she register nora osmore re mr andrews produced a slip of tracing paper from EL a worn leather wallet 1 I took a ca copy P y off ct the register fosdick studied briefly the traced signature a round firm but unformed hand band 1 Is I slie site at the walpole now nope she be flew the coop wl with th the dark guy about ten this moraln ile he called for her with a tourin car n jap chauffeur and a skirt what looked like a ladys maid the dark bird hands your party into the car and the jap has her coln before the porter can nip his tip fosdick frowned thoughtfully for a moment did you call up the madr marriage license bureau uh huh hut hilt nobody like them parties has applied there today for permission to hitch it if they shows up later one of the clerks Is a friend of mine hell gilme a buzz where do people go as a rule when they want ant to marry in a hurry and without publicity jersey city ginly genly sometimes stanford stamford conn wish get to in touch with both places i sure fosdick hesitated then reminded himself of other appointments 1 I presume theres nothing more nope only aunno that carnahan Carn ehan did you find him too yeah teah said mr air andrews pia placidly cicily in the morgue he kicked off in a ten teri ment fire last night A guy I 1 know down to aleece headquarters gamme the it seems Carn carnethan ehan and ble bie binsky lej led the blood what shot up a harness bull and a compla plainclothes a while ago gunnor anyway he got the credit for all of the shooting shoot sho otin ln but it seems somebody slipped headquarters the tip it was carnahan Carn ehan bumped oft off the detectives only headquarters lettin on it knew hopin Carne hand maybe think it was all right to come up for air and do it well anyway them two Is kayin up in a flat in one of them tenements ten teri ments Bl Blell elinsky lust just manages to get out before the staircase caves and lg Is spotted and pinched when he be tries to sneak through the fire lines lie he says carneyhan Carn Car ehan was slow gettin to the stairs acco account uirt of him bein stewed and this they takes leo to the morgue and shows him the stiffs dug outa the ruins and he be identifies one as carneyhan Carn Car ehan richan but are the police satisfied with his identification I 1 understand the members of these gangs are rather loyal to one another Bl Blell elinsky may have lied to give carnahan Carn ehan another chance oh I 1 dunno I 1 guess headquarters figured it was carnahan Carn ehan before they called ow on leo only my friend says they finds this body in t the be ruins of the ten teri ment next door where the fire started instead of the hou houe where these two birds was aidin but easy explained it if carnahan Carn ehan tried to get away accost the roofs aunno them old law tenements ten ments fire traps all and that gale last night helped a lot 11 II resignation when he called late in the afternoon through some blessed accident fosdick found priscilla alone and she had bad a brave smile of welcome for him although lie he fancied it a trifle forced for the effort she u was as making to keep a stiff upper lip seemed only too apparent at to hla his solicitous regard philip I 1 do believe youre never on |