The evening world. Newspaper, October 8, 1921, Page 14

2 THE EVENING WORLD'S FICTION SECTION, SATURDAY, -OCTOBER 8, 1921. “And now you're meditating revenge and reprisals? Fiddlesticks! By the time he gets back, you will both have forgotten what you quarreled about.” “[ may have time to remember it in jail.” “So bad as that?” He pretended to be aghast. “Never mind; I'll bail you out and undertake your defemse. It will bo easy; no jury could possibly resist you. g “Seriously, though,"’ he went on, ‘I think you misjudge Philip. When he came home yesterday, you caught him on the wrong side at the right mo- ment. He was naturaHy worried at having te leave those bonds in a flimsy library safe all the time he ts away.” “Bonds?” she repefited, looking up at him in surprise, “What bonds?” Achison was plainty chagrined at his | slip of the tongue. “Shades of Philip forgive me for in- advertently betraying a confidence!” he said pidusly, “But as I am in so deep, I might as well go on, The fact is, then, that Philip received a pay- ment late yesterday of $30,000 in Lib- erty bonds on some property of yours he had disposed of, and since it was after banking hours and he had to leave almost, immediately he could think of nothing better to do with them than to leave them in his library safe. The bonds are unregistered, and not even listed; so there they lie at the mercy of any chance thief who might come prowling around. Can you wonder that Philip was somewhat dis- turbed, or that, happening to meet me, he discussed the advisability of put- ting a guard on the house?” “And did you tell him to do so?" she asked quickly. “No; it seemed to me there was more security in trusting to the general ig- norance that there is anything in the safe Worth stealing, Still," he admitted, “it is undoubtedly taking a chance. Any one who got possession of those bonds could dispose of them without the slightest danger of detection.” Some one along the table claimed her attention just then, and Achison did not get an opportunity to speak to her again until the close of supper. “We will have to go back and play now,” he said as they rose from the table, “and I sha'n’t have a chance really to talk to you I’m curious to know this evening; but just what chureh you've been robbing that you require $25,000 to make good, and also why you have forsworn beef-stew. Come down to ny office to-morrow and tell me about it. I am really very ingen- ious sometimes in suggesting expedi- ents; that’s a part of my trade. And what’s the use of having friends, if you don't use them?” “They'll be used,’ she promised. “Somebody's got to pil me out of the deep, boggy hole I'm in, if Philip won't. What time are you least busy?” “Will 3 o'clock suit you?" “Perfectly.” “Don't forget, then, IT shall he tng the clock all day.” watch- streteh of connect the Philip Ames of those of Mike would require a wide he imagination to destinies of Mrs, Park Avenue with Willetts, gangster and gunman, who was earnestly wanted by the police, but had for some time successfully eluded their pursuit. But the imagin- ation, however jnelastic, must always yield to the fact; and the truth was that in the invisible world of causes Mike Willetts’s arrest was due entirely to Betty Ames, although she would have been the first to refuse to be- eve it. Quite early on Monday morning the District Attorney received an anony- mous communication giving a clue to Willetis’s whereabouts. He was imme- diately located and taken into custody, and within an hour his brother, known t. the police as Harry Thorne, was at Achison’s office—Achison on a former occasion having extricated him from a situation where a ten-year sentence to State’s Prison seemed the least he eould expect, Asking to see the lawyer, Thorne was informed that Mr. Achison would be fully engaged up until after lunch- eon, but that if he returned a little before 3 in the afternoon, he would be granted an interview. Before that time, however, Mrs. Ames, having the earlier appointment, was shown into the private office, and in that handsome, subdued, strjctly le fal sanctuary she found Achison turning over in his hands a bit of jeweled Venetian glass. He set it down reverently as he rose, “Now,” --he leaned back in his chair after he had waved her to a seat op- posite, and smiled at —‘begin her benevolently, Tell the old father confessor why you are off beef, and why you meed $25,000?" “Beeause,” she said, “I have made D. beef-stew that will cost me just that amount It was this way: Down in the country the other day a party of us were shooting at a mark, a. per- fectly jnnocent and harmless antuse- ment. But as luck would have it, one of my shots went wild and killed a trize Guernsey Dull Jn th next meadow, It belonged to that old skin- flint Jonas Watson) and he = came storming in a few minutes later a‘ad said that he would have to be reim ‘ bursed. Of course, $26,000 is a pretty stiff price; but it was my biunder, and“ thore was nothing to do except pay, and do so out of my own money. When [ went to Phil and asked for a chock, though, and especially when I nemed the figure, he lost his mind and raved. Shylock was a model of gra- cious clemency in comparison.” “But why didn’t you tell him the whole difficulty—let him know that it was an accident?” She raised her hands and eyes cell- ingward. “He would have died on the spot; a thing of that kind has to be broken to him by degrees. You see,’ —resent- fully— “every time that he has planned to transfer some of my money from one investment to another, it has always happened that I needed an amount of ready cash, and needed it guick. The last time he swore that he was going to put his foot down, and that this business of cating into my capital had to stop once and for all. And then, of course, just as he closed up this deal with the Sprague man, old Jonas Watson's bull had to get in the way of my wild shot. I couldn't have done better if I'd aimed at it-—bored him right through the eye. “But,” argued Achison, still indulgently. “Philip will know sooner or later.” “Not if I can help it,” she affirmed, “not after the way he has acted. Why should I tell him? It's my own money I'm using.” Achison nodded, as though antly condoning human frailty regretting the exercise of it. “Really,” he said, ‘your self re- straint strikes me as rather remark- able. In your present box most women would have got that safe of Philip's open some way, even if they blew up the house to do it. Disingenuous, of course, but a thoroughly natural im- pulse.” - She gave him glance, wrinkling up her nose. “Don't credit me with too much for- hearance,” she disclaimed. “I spent half the night twisting the knob of smiling have to toler- while a funny little side- was arrested this morning for mur- der.” He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, “I am becoming more and moro like my famous prototype— Jaggers in ‘Great Expectations,’ wasn't it? I can’t go into the street without having them clamoring about me.” : “See what it is to be celebrated,” she said absently, her eyes fixed on a spot in the rug. Then with a start she came back to the moment. “Do forgive me for taking your time. It’s been a comfort just to talk to you.” FE did not accompany her fur- ther than the door; and once in the. outer office, Betty paused to adjust her fur, at the same time taking a rapid but com- prehensive survey of the man who had looked up quickly on the opening of the door, and had half-risen from his seat, She got the impression of a slender young fellow, a little too modishly dressed, suggesting sartorially a movie hero or the men’s wear advertise- ments, Self expression was, however, permitted only in his clothes; for his impassive face revealed nothing, and neither did the cool, light eyes which returned her scrutiny, Betty swept on, but just as she made to open the outer door her handbag slipped from her wrist and fell to the floor with a little silver clatter. Thorne recovered it and handed it back to her. “Thank you,’ she murmured with her gicaming smile, “So stupid of me!"" And then, as he was about to turn away: "I wonder if you're not the man Mr. Achison was just speak- ing about, He said you were so awfully clever that I am sure you can help me out. There’s an obstinate safe in my house that I must get open, and I can’t remember the combination.” He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, tak- ing in every detail of her appearance with wary, sidewise glances. “What is it that you're aching for money, jewels, papers, what?” “Liberty bonds,” she murmured, “BRING HIM TO ME AND | WILL CHOKE THE LIE OUT OF HIM.” that old safe. I even tried to pry it open with a table-knife.”’ It was at this precise juncture that a clerk entered and murmured some- thing in Achison's ear, “Tell him to wait a few minutes,” was the response. ‘And by the way, bring- me those Upham papers to sign. [I must get them out of the way before I see anybody.” As the clerk left the room Achison turned again to ‘Betty; there was a quizzical expression on his face. “What are you thinking?” she asked. “Only that in view of your problem,” he replied, “it strikes me as a little odd that the client just announced should be a safe-blower.” She looked up quickly. “A safe, blower?” “Yes, a fellow generally known as Harry “Thorne, although he has, of course, a string of other aliases,”’ “You're trying to make fun of me,” she scoffed. “I know. It's probably some perfectly respectable citizen.” “No-on my honor, The man is a bona fide burglar—top notch, too, I understand —although you'd never think it to see him. He looks more like a broker. I suppose he wants me tu take the case of his brother, who “And I'll pay. I'll pay a thousand dol- lars to whoever opens that safe for me.” “Whose Liberty bonds are they?” “Mine. But I don’t know the com- bination of the safe, and my husband is out of town. When he comes home he will think that thieves have broken in and taken them.” “Oh, you're staging a burglary? Nice dope! Say, what are you—-a newspaper woman trying to get a story out of me for the Sunday sup- plement, or a lady dick?” “Oh, for heaven's sake! How ab- surd! You can easily find out all about me. Hftre.” She drew her visiting card trom the bag and gave it to him, He’ studied the inscription carefully, looking doubtfully from it to her. “IT will open the hall door myéself,"’ she urged; ‘‘the address is on the card, At 10—no, 11 o'clock to-night. Don’t ring, tap. You wil come?” “Maybe,” She drew a breath of relief. “And don’t mention our talk to Mr, Achison; he might tell my husband, Eleven o'clock!"" She slipped through the door, closing it noiselessly behind her. Two minutes later Thorne was ad- mitted to the inner office, “Well, Harry, I can guess what jou're here for.” Achison looked up from the papers in which he was im- mersed. “You want me to take Mike’s case?- I saw by the noon editions that they’ve got him.” “I'll say it ought to be an easy case to win, Mr. Achison.” But his tone of assurance failed to conceal his under- lying dejection, “Mike's innocent. We can prove a cast-iron alibi.” “That's good, that’s good. But Iam taking fewer cases all the time, and only important ones. I’d be dead, oth- erwise, And my fees are high, you know. How much can you and your friends raise?” “Somewhere around ten thousand. I’ve got a sort of list here.”’ Thorne produced a slip of paper from his pocket and laid it on the table. Achison smiled cynically as he glanced over it. “Mike’s innocent, of course; but it will take the deuce and all—far more than any alibi—to convince a jury of that fact.” He sighed and leaned his head on his hand. “I am not 80 young as £ was, Harry, and the emotional strain of such a trial as Mike’s will be tremendous. I'd throw myself into it heart and soul. I always do, you know. I become one with my client, palpitate with his hopes, suffer with bis despair. Iam Hterally pleading my own cause, fighting for my own life, “You see how it is.” He drew his hand wearily across his forehead. “I’m sorry, Harry, honestly sorry. But you know and I know that they’ve got the goods on Mike, and I couldn’t take his case in my present state of health—I hate to say it, my boy, but I mustfor less than $40,000." The safe-blower looked back at him a little dazed. “Win or lose?” he asked incredu- tously. “Win or lose,” repeated Achison firmly. “Only I don't lose, Harry.” “You oughtn’t to, for that money,” remarked Thorne with blunt candor. “Well.” He gathered up his hat and stick. ‘Look here, Mr. Achison: give me until to-morrow, and I can tell you better about it. What with the high cost of living and all, it’s doubtful if the boys can come across as strong ase that; but—well, anyhow, ['ll let you know to-morrow.” “Very well. Goodby, my bey."' Achi- son returned to his papers. But Harry still halted in the door- way. “Swell dame that was here just be- fore me. A tec’? he asked. Achison looked bewildered. It took him a moment or two to recall Betty’s visit. Then he broke into a peal of laughter. | “A ‘tec’ indeed!” Ile wiped his glasses. “I'm afraid you're not up on the social register. That, Harry, wag Mrs. Philip Ames, the wife of one of our best-known millionaires. She's in some trouble, too, poor lady. “Harry,”— he frowned thoughtfully, ~‘take the advice of age and experi- ence and never have any business deal- ings with a woman unless the terms of it are down in black and white, Darling creatures, but uncertain—un- certain.” HAT evening Betty Ames elect. ed to dine at home and alone, She scarcely tasted her din- ner, and afterward sat turning cver the pages of a book or else rov- ing restlessly about the room. As the hour nearest 11 she went out into the empty hall, made sure that the ser- vants had vanished for the night, and then sat down to wait, anxiously watching the tall grandfather's clock in the corner, and wishing that she could either accelerate or silence its rhythmic, monotonous ticking. When the hands at last indicated the hour, she started indecisively; thén, her lips tightening as she remembered her grievance, she crept nearer the door. There was a faint tap from the out- side twice repeated, She turned the knob, Silently as a shadow Thorne slipped inside, ‘Well, I'm here,’ he said in a low voice. “Now, where's that kitcheo range you wanted fixed?” ©. led him swiftly to the library, whee all the lights were on, making a brilliant illumination. He closed the door behind him and leaned against it, his quick eyes exploring every inch of the room while she drew aside the cur- tain which concealed the safe. Then, turnin; the key in the door, he walked over and examined the old-fashioned receptacle minutely, never touching it, however. His inspection over, he faced her again. “Now, lady,”’ he said, “you and me have got to have an understanding. I ain't any too particular about tackling a job of this kind—you get me? There's too many chances of a comeback, You want some bonds out of that safe, and you want me to open it for you. Well, what next?” “What next?” she repeated, “Why, I pay you, and you go. The state of the room and a window open some- where will show that a burglary has been committed during the night.” “Yes,"" he sneered, “that's all right for you. But how about me? Maybe you'll find yourself more up aginst it than you think, The police has got . A Complete Story Every Saturday | I } | | |