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Show COPYRIGHT BELL SYNDICATE WN.U. SERVICE patient In. She paused Just Inside the door, swept the room with a slow glance and permitted her gaze to come to rest on Stephen Burt, who rose and bowed to her. Instantly Instant-ly the frozen hostility In her glance faded and she smiled. "Reminds me of a gargoyle," Stephen reflected. re-flected. "Meet my friend, Dr. Stephen Burt, Nance," Dan McNamara Introduced Intro-duced her airily. "Doc, this is Nance Belden, alias Dorothy Case, alias Fay Barbara, alias Elizabeth Vernon." Stephen said politely that he was delighted to make her acquaintance, and Nance replied with acrid directness. direct-ness. "Why?" Whereat Stephen Burt laughed and set a chair for her. Nance plumped herself down In It with a weary sigh, jerked off her Jaunty hat and threw It on Stephen's Ste-phen's desk. "All right, Steve. Shoot! What's the Idea of the big convention? Another fishing expedition?" expe-dition?" "Now, Nance," Dan McNamara soothed her, "you cut that out, You're not talking to Doc Blethen. Doc Burt's a gentleman." Nance remembered her manners. "My error," she apologized. From the doorway leading Into the waiting room, Lanny gazed upon the girl with frank disapproval. Over Nance's shoulder she caught Stephen's eye and shook her head sorrowfully. "The old girl's shocked !" Nance laughed softly without looking member It Yes, you win a prize." "I'll have a highball with you boys," said Miss Belden composedly "You'll not, you little this and that," Lanny countered from behind the door. "The very ideal" "Then the party breaks up hero and now," Miss Belden Informed Stephen. "Lanny," Stephen called, "I hope you aren't forgetting the laws of hospitality." "Come on, kid,' the girl entreated Lanny. "Buy me one and I'll get the chief to do something nice for you In return." "What influence has the likes of you with the chief of police?" Lanny Lan-ny was emerging with two highballs. "Do you drive a car, Miss Lan-nlng?" Lan-nlng?" Nance Belden whistled sharply to Dan McNamara. "Get out your card, Dan. Here's the fountain pen. Write as I dictate. dic-tate. Ready: 'To all traffic officers: The bearer, Miss Rebecca Lanning, has the freedom of the city. She has my authority to park where she pleases and she shall not be tagged. She cannot be. arrested for anything except murder and even then she must not ride in the wagon. Signed : Dan McNamara, Chief of Police.' " Dan McNamara obeyed, Nance Belden vlseed the card, blotted It and handed It to Lanny. "Now, you tell 'em all who's kind to you, Rebecca. Re-becca. I'm some kid, am I not? You bet I'm some kid. Dan knows it and your boss knows It and If, SYNOPSIS Theodore Gatlln adopts a baby i In a final effort to solvs his matrimonial matri-monial troubles. But hl wife has never wanted her, and their affairs I end in the divorce court Ten-year-old Penelope la given Into the keep- ' Ing- of Mrs. Gatlln, except for two jot Sunday afternoons a month. At a baseball game a ball strikes Pen-tY, Pen-tY, elope on the nose and Mrs. Gatlln - removes her from the hospital and "5 spirits her to Europe. Gatlln retires J from business, wills Penelope all ' bis money, and Is about to begin a j search for his daughter when a mo-J mo-J tor accident ends his life. Some ten years later, In San Francisco, Steph-ii Steph-ii en Burt Is a rising young psychla- Blethen who does all of the medico-legal work for the department, Chief. I wouldn't care to examine the girl except on his Invitation." "Yes, I know. Question of ethics, and while the question Is being debated de-bated this girl gets hauled Into court and takes the rap on the old charge of grand theft I know Blethen. I've tried him and he says this girl Is a natural hoodlum, and mentally and physically healthy. He says she's got more Intelligence than any ten girls In Vassar. She must be smart, too, because she told him he was a fool, and I agree with her ' trist CHAPTER II Continued 3 That smile melted her. It al- w wavs did. For 8ve years sne na(l been trying to bully him, and his emlle had always defeated her, for h, which reason she often had a brainstorm brain-storm and threatened to resign his (service. And she would have done 0B It, too, for she was a forceful woman, wom-an, only for the fear that he might replace her with a nurse who didn't nta understand him a la-de-la young thing, half-baked professionally, lgt who would fall in love with him end make him marry her. He was trti eo kind and sympathetic Lanny knew he would marry her, Just to keep her from feeling bad. "D n his sympathy," she growled, es she prepared the drinks in an Ex! Inner room. "That's why he's nj worked to death. He'll die young overwork angina, the young fooll ' That big, fresh, heavy-footed cop ! atT How dare he force his way In the big buml And getting a drink for tls dirty work 1" nia She sniffed and served the hlgh- ej& balls. zen "You're mighty sweet, Lanny," ;pk Doctor Burt told her. "Now, run "I've heard a lot about you," the chief of police continued. "You're regarded re-garded as the best psychiatrist and neurologist in San Francisco. So don't talk to me about the capable Doc. Blethen. I want you to look this girl over." His huge face brightened as he summoned a thought that would bolster up his plea. "She don't cuss me, Doc. I've asked he-r all about herself, and I'm sure she tells me all she knows, but she don't know anything. She's bound to like you Doc, and when she likes anybody now, Doc, I've got a notion you can get her confidence to such an extent ex-tent you can prong down into her soul and locate the trouble. I hear men like you do things like that nowadays." Doctor Brt smiled. "Sometimes we uncover complexes or mental reflexes; re-flexes; frequently we do not And when we have uncovered them we cannot always cure them. You say this girl has a ruined nose? Does it affect her appearance greatly?" "She's ugly when you look at her the first time, Doc, but after you've talked with her and looked some more the shock sort of wears off. I got a notion that If her nose could be straightened up she'd be a f t . cl1! ' m 25? " :1.Y i J Stephen Eurt Rose and Bowed to Her. Instantly the Frcien Hostility In Her Glance Faded, and She Smiled. lul along home. T' Lanny did not go. She knew that Vblg moocher of a chief of police a would praise such old liquor and Ms host would offer him a second elplng. ' "I've got a girl down at Central 'Vjjjatlon," Dan McNamara was say- i'listf' "Shoplifting detail picked her In a department store where I ie'd plnchod a dozen and a half ','k stockings. Petit larceny and r' :ught with the goods. I sent a ' od man around to try to square f case w'tl1 dePartment store pj People, but they insist on pressing (1 'harges, and that's too bad, because J lixtie's got a couple of priors against , filler. Out on probation suspended i, Vhtantence, you understand, Doc. And 't on,ow she'll do two years In the Big ( arnouse. 'S tough on the girl." j ilari "What's your Interest in ber, If J .nd'e's a confirmed thief?" )lc' "Well, maybe she wouldn't be a !. jj : thief If she'd had the breaks," he de-i?f' de-i?f' fended. "Somebody must have given ). her a sweet bust on the nose, be- by now, you don't know It, I hope Steve fires you." "You are some kid. I admit It. Thank you, dear. You shall have a highball." "Have one yourself," Nance suggested sug-gested grandly. "Let's all be sociable, so-ciable, eh, Steve?" "Miss Belden " Steve began. "Call me Nance," the strange young creature Interrupted. "Why all the formality?" "Have you any objection, Nance, to telling me your real name?" "None at all. I don't know my leal name." "Who were your parents?" "I don't know." "Why did you steal the silk stockings?" stock-ings?" Nance threw back her head and laughed. "Why you silly, I had runs In every pair I owned." "Poor dear 1" Lanny was speaking. speak-ing. Her hand strayed over the girl's jet black, shiny bob ; her fingers fin-gers sought a shell-like ear and tugged It gently. Nance looked up at the nurse, surprise and friendliness shining In her eyes. "Why, you're sweet, aren't you? Why, you darling!" And she lifted her face for Lanny to kiss. Lanny kissed her. Trust Lanny for that. "It's too late to go further tonight, to-night, Dan," Lanny said. "Bring her In at nine tomorrow morning." "Can't, Lanny." With a bound the excellent McNamara had landed land-ed beside Lanny In the garden of friendship, as one might say. "She's due In the police court at nine o'clock for sentence. Bight away she'll be waltzed over to the Superior Su-perior court to the Judge that gave her a suspended sentence two years ago. She hasn't made good, so hell sign the commitment papers, and It'll be some time before we see our Nancy again." "Has she an attorney?" "The public defender, that's all." Lanny looked at Stephen. Stephen Ste-phen looked at LanDy. Both nodded. "Get the best In town, Dan," Lanny Lan-ny urged the chief. "Doctor Burt will appear in court and plead for a stay of sentence. We'll tell that judge a few things about criminal psychology and Just why it would be frightful social injustice to put this girl in Snn Quentln." f he turned to Nance Belden, drew the girl's face down on her breast and patted the rouged cheek. "Se you tomorrow, dearie," she promised. prom-ised. "Be a good girl now and be nice to Dan McNamara, because he's one of the best friends you'll ever have." TO BE CONTINUED. good-looking girl. And maybe If her mind could be straightened, she'd be a good girl." "Know anything about her antecedents, ante-cedents, her background?" "I don't know and I can't find out. She won't tell me." "It may be," Doctor Burt suggested, sug-gested, "that she doesn't know. Has Blethen finished with the case?" "Yes, sir. He told me not to bother him about her no more." Doctor Burt Indicated his telephone. tele-phone. "Call him up, Chief, and ask him If he has any objection to having me give her an unofficial examination." ex-amination." McNamara did so. Following a brief conversation, he turned the telephone over to Stephen. Stephen took the telephone. "Doctor "Doc-tor Blethen? Burt speaking. The chief came to my office about that girl he has at the central station. Notwithstanding your report he has asked me, as a personal favor to see the glrh You understand, however how-ever " "Yes, I understand. Burt, she's a bad lot." "Something the chief said has mildly aroused my curiosity. If you would care to Invite me to discuss her case understand I have no desire de-sire to Intrude " "I'm through with her, Burt. Help yourself, old man. However, take a tip from me and don't let that fellow McNamara sell himself to you. If you do he'll keep you busy. I doubt If any man on earth can run a criminal down as promptly prompt-ly as McNamara; he has a photographic photo-graphic brain and never forgets a I face or a fact; but after he's landed a yegg In his cooler he develops an abnormal yearning to find out what made him act that way. Mac's a softy." "Exactly". Thank you, Blethen. Still, a blind pig will sometimes find an acorn, and something he said Good-by." Lanny entered. "There's a young woman In the waiting room," she announced. "She said to me: 'Where the h l's that bonehead of a chief gone?' " Inny looked at Dan McNamara Mc-Namara severely over the rims of her spectacles. "Friend of yours?" she queried witheringly. "Yes," McNamara admitted, "and ' Doc's new patient. Bring her In and he'll give her the once over." But Lanny shook her head. "This nut shop Is closed for the day," she told him. "Bring her around at one o'clock tomorrow. The doctor has fifteen minutes then." 'Tlease bring the patient In, Lanny," Lan-ny," Stephen pleaded. "And then you might " he glanced eloquently eloquent-ly at their empty glasses. Lanny -(ilared at him, so he smiled and she ceased to glare. But she went on mumbling. Dan McNamara shook his head sagely. "Nothing wrong with that woman's thinking appnratus," he Informed Stephen. And then Lanny ushered the new around, while Lanny disappeared. "How do you know, Miss Belden?" Stephen Inquired. "Mirror," and Nance Belden pointed. "Close your eyes," Stephen commanded, com-manded, "and describe this room to me." "All right. There are two empty highball glasses on the telephone stand back of you." She sniffed. "Bourbon. The stand's three feet high and the telephone book Is in the compartment under the top of the stand. The telephone Is one of those combination receiver-mouthpiece things like they use In English Eng-lish stage scenes, and the telephone cord is white. The desk Is solid walnut, I think, flat-topped and clean. You have a bronze combination combina-tion Ink-well, pen-rack, and pin-tray. ; There Is a blue crayon pencil and a red crayon pencil and a black gold-banded fountain pen on the pen rack. The fountain pen has green ink In it. I know because on the calendar pad on fhe desk, which Is opened at November 23 although this Is the 24th you've written something with the pen very recently. recent-ly. You're sitting In a walnut swivel swiv-el chair, brown leather upholstered, and a high back up to your shoulder tops. The chief's chair Is an overstuffed over-stuffed rocker, and if you give him another drink he'll fall asleep in it. On the wall back of you, there is a framed diploma In Latin, issued to Stephen John Burt by Leland Stanford Junior University Medical Med-ical school, and about four feet from It is the Oath of Hippocrates in a black frame, like the diploma. The print Is old English and done In black and red. Across the room, In back of the chief, Is a walnut bookcase, book-case, built in detachable tiers, and there's a white washstand in the corner close by It. In back of me a door leads into the old lady's den and" here Nance opened her handbag, hand-bag, took out a small mlrroi, held It up and opened her eyes an Instant In-stant "yes, I thought so. That door Is ajar and the old lady is listening to every word I say. "Now, Til describe you. You're a darling. You're tall and you haven't started to grow a tummy yet. You're about thirty-two or three years old, your hair Is dark brown and your eyes dark blue, and you have nice teeth, and they show when you smile. You have nice hands and your nails were inar-cured inar-cured this morning, but you have a dirty spot on the finger-nail of your right Index finger no, It Isn't dirt. It's Iodine. Tardon! My error. er-ror. Do I win first prize. Doc?'' "In a walk, Miss Belden. You are absolutely the most amazing person I have ever examined. You are one In a million one of those rare persons who not only see everything at a glance but take a mental photograph of 1L And re er'' I I aid I yAVr V jld ?yV iimil 1 ;"Cl"8he's Ugly When You Look at Her :ity. the First Time, Doc." ,0Case her beak's been broke and clothing's left of It but a saddle." jp" "Is she tough?" Jl ."',? she tough? Doc, she's so tough ery w It ain't natural. A girl as ' ty Kt ns ,lcr must be looney. But V. id at- aiu t nol-n,Ile tough about her ;, n-' or ller mouth and that's v urs 1' 50,1 cnn aIwa's flnJ tough- ;AnviU'at'8 beon bre(1 ln tl,e bcr'0, ' tun''8 somot,llnS about this girl er 0?J different, doc. I don't know l.vicel 11 but 1 know tn,s much: j'nd nvnsn't always tough. I want ?)0 t;o ive her the once over." ji understand there la a psy-1 psy-1 1 y'-oglst and psychiatrist Doctor .i;'e ' .1' : 1! Ci |