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COPIdlGHT PUBLISHIED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
JoHN . FRANCI 4? ANN&!
Auihor o "he Secrei of the S Tndhill." "Th Suset Express," "In Pursuit o a Million." et t.
CIIAPTER XXXII.
He wialkcdi sloe\ly to'the window. A
moment or two "'il lthenl' fe wis' :back
at the telephone againi.' This tilhei'lh
ranig up a 'chli in Shafte'sbjur A'venue,
whliclih, having an exclusive n,.meiiber
;ship from. tlie uinnerworl'dl.' li?d'l aparI
ticillar I.iefulness. for.,r ni; ": '' -,:'. :i
"Doc Siumnniiers : speiiai'g,": lid' 'in.
noulnced. "Is Ben: :thlere'?".-'.'!.',;;,,; -!:y
"Saw him coime in' a little ihile'
back. Doc. Shall ..I 'et liini f i;'i.youi"'
"Bring liin 'to: tihe phone', quiiickl";
"W\int le, 'Doe?'!' 'Heli· agdkjslfi"S! 3 /';':
"I iut you 'bio to 'ail ayonn'iing.'GaI.
soni," Doc Siiiiiiniisia said ( i;.lingly:
"Wlhy iidn 't you tell ni? li o'ii cleared
"Cloared' out, loiling C,"'BellFe
plied in cheerfiIl d isolii's '' IA' tailed
hiiin f'ro'i Paiater Street niil ,sawii hiiil
on the way up the stairs .to:yor. lahi
and then caiiiie'bn :liere; Wi1;'it'.;t'sgbo
you, Doec? He's Wili youii'.owor ' els
you're not speaikling f l'il'yoiii 'fl'ifu '
"I'ii speaking fromnim y;lat: all rigliht
ainid lie'.s iolt hlire.-Wliat tifiiei di yoi
aiiy you siaw lii i:'get Ihere? .
"Hie was on i'ybtilairst t ii uiifnI
past seven t'O',til ",dot." :,.?:' .'f: :":"::?, ,
"You're lying,' i , you lioihelioeanle
slifr," DIoe Sliliniiers, lost, t grip o6[f liI
leiniier. "l-l.e never caiin' here. I'V,
not bein boistside t'h i'flit fi iithi0o"
hours. You've inucltedi tiilngs,;aii'.:u ai
trying to lie: your'iuw y olit."'." ''
"Honest to GodciDoc;'lt'shitlleitritilt
I've told you; y pi cked *himn, uiip\, in1
Pantcr. Stieet, coilii:g : out, ji. ist, alioiit
ten past seveni, an ilif?"\ehL'sttriigiit
into your place." '' .' . i' . .
"Hle never carni hiro, liel:'i cll?? you
Doc Sluniniiers ii arked.:: 'You've do'loldi
crossed ine, you idog,-- aiidi fixed:U iula
deal w ith Slick Stove
"Aw, Dec, 'youi re:e'i'V isl,"i;:-lleu
answered, wearily. ";' Y i'ot -",'y.gl f o'ii '.'?
ion to do a"hndi it's 'ldonio -you'nii'uevei
knew me fall down 'in:olie--aniil's no?
ieca'u se sboinetli iiigs 'il iisfiid oil: youi
waiit to stick' it .oi'n i'lo . bt'tiilledi 'yb.i
iiian to the stairs'of''y.iour'.at'X\a hat
ilhore could ii - d' -yoiii y di t i.wantbimmiu
to cairy hiumuin. oyou on'ulaittom
lid you?"
Do C'Silhii~i slamniinilSa.receijyor
cntdh is luiook.'-'His 'rage nosvA'ssut'w~a!'i
hlllnself.: 'Ben o'.was too:.tr le lifie' i lt?i;?l'h t.
wortliy a. toolitob" '6itlhbt'?i iadr,'.,piain':
be outwi l it'ed C 'd"iat i'e:'riiltw'as ilas
oun. Too 'codniifient 'tluat i 'li'e 'lielilnih
the tilick's lni:thlieganl' ii iii?'Ianmii :'ib
iad. 'Ilaysd' liisca di;il s cielessly:?.He6
could .S'ee' now 'just; w hath laldllha'pipit;
tialiy l cly -'iime i 't e'il 'th si Iir 'oc7'*' ieding!
that IPli'l'GlarlIsoiisfi.'mi iu la' thla-hi'uas
to : be slidalowe'dil if"i:t'on Paliiteri,'Stee
had. dIone'exactily :wliat 'Ben *litladie
iiortid ofb?iliih but after tliat, reason
ably suiii etlhithi lilss?lia'dower haid lett!
him li i'he I ail allldcoil ioit:of the iiillid
Ing aiil'a r v'anlslie'd ."'A's'lli'irt trick, .ll
coiildl not !lidlpubut adiinilt, but one thai
lie ouglhtito? have :,foreseen, ,aind lpro.
He 'lighted, -lilmiiaelf i'.'lcigiaraiid .in',- 1i
ed the tirooili slowly. **If 'acdtiilly 'Phil '
Garrilsbon hlad left;r owirselea iiig' Loh- I
don, tIle ' gaenslei'wi's,.ases.!'voi tas ' lost.
ii'nless "it wr'ethh;t'liat':; hl',liel h ii ihnagcted
to e' * t"trt?anhi'ferb'red.' to a""prboviniiair
barlechli iff'th e'ljdifft-'iiiT ulitcli: ' cace
there would'ibe: no'difffcilty In itfai:c
Ing hi.l trat'-lieniu :tbe t gifg
it, stilck.lhlin i'as:beIngindost prohabilyl
Swliat hadt lappe'e d:. tll t'rliriibiis
sister : thiero were i n otf liIing
liini to'lhi f ensde'Bv " '
DoeSc .inis'ers .'eiii(l.viiis 'og'itatlois
Dueiver' i'Sainllsr as new Icllone
try cgttlige lel lii hli a '-tewiiiinnte'
eli, blied lHolli lotn ?':l'li lInoe F'? c l!ti i
me doWivilthei'blio le: e v'l,lio '.lio b
said. '.Ol 'h?!ya inglG frrilen', GCiirlsoe
hasltnilied : 'a:' tiI'lk on use to-clay, :antd
I'll lie watlng a, beiar -to-tehirt thillk,
with thyli6:oung?l?i.fli rftt iiiigi: ltdi
mortil cotg!'I tlwoldirt io' lllI'a iy lifli
If. yeou wreninto 'glveoior.e eniif6 oril
to piut the foear .of .Gdo'. la'loiei. .i Kelpl
youar eyes eloe'd' iiid'n'li lso y':,iiin
case ' any thing . ,UlloX11 ,c'told?. brellks
loose ,
"Riglit iyo?;a?'reb?;5S.:t ikiie''Itep myii:
ecld' p "p' ;..W lpclS' H l'pllic's' :e'lily:h.;7ii ',"
tli'o '5fite6,n'd''';.,:l]^or.i ·i?'?:r ''6111g
elit secolnd . teris'lll rlion igiio'.in f iit'l ict
the co tt geg.ei ohier Ie a inile 'l) ri11
hirst . m-i cllotheobles, iokta?5?iibe ron
tle,, iiottlgle scer'euiitfrelh6 etleti'n bi.
lier tlls tlimle en tog liu'Rier I-toll
klns's cotnsteant lsuryialllcisce;, s;lie iwas
allowedie 'fr&e'ed?m.o 'oft lfii bilien
quarter acro.e Sheo vs giveiotlie. sase.
beldroonml sl hadl itrdevioiisly oilli aled,
hPlcU Il'lhaof'tlin't Ihy tiln Inetn??'el?tqi
side tlihe wnvino(s'6' 'itt 'iwhillll' tle
"asches, wli chb swn iis?oilt.')viril ,;iliht
still Opon' sufficiently 'to'.,admlit fresh
air they.' dld i'topros ie' shi"acifiprtiri
tliroiigli s hilici' 'tie 'slicnciest 'pIerson
couldlpass.'* .'..:,;,[ ". ' ''-i' 3 .' .* '
Perhaps It;usas as well for her that
Dc 'Siumlners had niade her guardian
shili Heplmlhs's especial ciharge, and
that hIe, un thfis ocdason regarded it
too seriolisly to delegate it in any re
spect' to. Mrs. Barney, for the stout,
blowsy woman, a redoubtable shrew
and virago when stirred by lhate or
ilnger, would undoubtedly have taken
revenge for her bIeloved Barney's sut
ferligs at Allile's hands. Her earlier
friendly disposition to tlhe girl had
completely vanished, and, in lhe firs'.
minute of her return, Anne, quailing
before thle woman's ferocity of aspect
and bitter vituperation, liad 'Iperhaps
only been saved from a physical at
trek bIy Hopklns's stern intervention
and his warning of Doc Summers's
ireful vengeance. Thereafter Mrs.
Barney contented herself with balefu
looks andl cold hostility of manner,
but, as it happened,,'from whatever
unplleasantness Anne might have
fohnd in this attitude, Hopkins adroit
ly saved her, for he saw to it .that
there w:as" asa little coistact as possible
between them. .It was he who releas
i'd1Anihe -frdm lher room 'and' conveyed
leir to tlie.sitting-room fori breakfast.
ie: served.' that meail, as well as her
jotliicsc'iliiniself,' and, throughout theu
:lay,-.witlh delicate, arid unostentatious
:liploniacy, inserteud himself as a buf
tfcr.iit- the stouit woman's approach,
idi'slielteredAhnne in every way front
'thl? adiafo rteseiitfillness which enman
tedr fio.niher.. Of One-eyed Barney,
Ailidlcifilght o'nly'one glimpse. "With
iis linjiirb ed arl''iia sling, he was lim'p
ing? into 'tli kitelhen -when she was 'de
sceni ng'the .stairs to breakfast, IHe
seo'iled 'ati lier evilly and swung-, the
Iitclioin'cdlrbi behind Ihimn .efore her
1ips1 coiild.'foreiii alword of rigret.
:;.Ar'teridllfcst, 'with 'toickins lkeep
i:g' .hl'e:!ri ,lways, tin" sight, Annce found
''in~ter'esforia' ?hiiille in an inspection
t n eyed' 1iBarneylas tidily-lkept
kitclhei'n'rdehn, lissirig fromi there to
?tiel' towl- oi'iin"-'nd 'presently discover
Fng :lieasilre cin 'watchling tIle antics of
ai: fleet of dowi?y,:ii imn ture luckltlings
f.liat ?,ere., disporting themselves, un
lei rlil'ewato?ifol eyes of their stately
A'??b'iy~lsparents;.0 on the surface' of
a 'iiniature lIigoon formed by a brook
tliat iran beside the bordering hedge
if the :iiddock and orchard. Hoplins
icotedther iiiiling interest, and short
ly tlcere eifte: briiought her a. bowl of ,
wairm i middliiigs with;, which she
brlougllit the dlicks, liajor and 'minor,
to' tlDc: clos-dlliicled glrass about her
feet.
SAftersheiclaud ;lunched Hopkins. pro
posed :,, that-'lo .:bring' 'soime cuslilons
t t fhi' lhr;tothife 'orohard lianinmmock and
wlieont slio. "i.haid comfortably settled.
tlicera icediiigeci firoen the house with
a a.i'ovla'iid, some' old i:mgazines.
ilwas niot' an :npleasant clay for
in'Aeni:e?Bodily she had enjoyed - the
i O'stftulniis.ntd irrespocnsible laziness
i't tij'.l'keepi atbaiy h : all- worrying ,
tliocigllitfs, hoping to preserve the spirit ''
ofipthiinlsm iwhich so far had served
t"ocaimry.'iec th'rougli' fatefiil hours.
It was'snbto until the evening, when she
lihadierdt?rned :to the. sitting-roobm and
muS' smawaiting thlle dinner for which
Hbpklii's.lad "'alreadly prepared her
tahlle'jthat slihe allowed her thoughts
"to'd'dwell i?:ahll ".:on the situation in
'vichil she 'was .ilaced.. .
:f\VWhen, soinefillttleo time Efter she
hadil.filislied -dilinner, Hopkins retuirn
c:t(l'to{lie6 'roonml'sle knmw iat once thlat
souijetling lg malevolently reacting *on.
liid:. liaipiiened,: while she had ,been
aHtinLg:.Il'; Hopli'ns'~;polkei face tlierm
was' no defhiaible change, but she not
ed tlhattthiere:. was absent from" lia
evcsi the friendly, almost kitidly light,
mwhich thliroughoit '.the rest oft-ithe 'day.
lad 'beaied;oi';nher efrom tihenm.'His
'iinvemnei hltsw' ;ere.o, no longer dcfere;n
tial; Onre:hii sientrance'he |had:.swung';
thei door .oplen'i lth i'tii unsual 'abrupt
nless, i wvalked 'SbriSkiy'e.and' fpurlios'
ily i tb' tlie :table hdinhd olhi lTilngl it
'iaitttlcd' ll.,tllhig i' n is.ilyi' oi tbo' o tho
tray. Insteadd of darryng.;lt;it frbinithe
rooill :hilisCelf lie dcialled :sharply. for
Birs'.' ilce'y hifllufll'anlchd'-ht" fher.'
\Vhlie-h'slie;l hid "dis"mp'li)e a l with 'It' he
clo?'dcii'. ie bilolrwithi a thlliruiist 'of his
'foot, and ti Ailice, dccspile, hier alrady
airo"isced ailprelhiiisions, :tie slami of it
In ''tl:lk -e:.iin?;hlai; di n., • .u . "
..^Witli a idelliberate- louocnlng selaucl
i?'',e'io5sii "d't.o'ib til :th faced Ann-j
iici ?? ?' 'l 'llh':Th'en lie:'cii ght a
iliaili by. Its- bilik'wileg itI betwhen
lii l i 'il'dh .'- h t liaddlleid it. Seatsd,
afiff\' fI llil'aiihd tr''Uiust'aggressively
orvi tliee:,clialri-ick;'i he fixed hlisldyes
oil;Aiiiie .lina sthidy, unblinking stare.
She, ioliB' ie .:: l a nlellr hear t palpitat
iiig,,,??atlclil'g l l1li;.,iahlnost fascinated.
; ."Yotriris]litt, llir lhlei" has densi the
dli rty iian Doe/' hli sa!id, gratingly. "It
looksillietit's etiip to you to pay Ddc'a
,scale' aguuiile-t .lilm.i" . . . .
':?' inne,. ii'idei:standind g the.. threat,
';?i'c'iiin'ioiiiuy;: :f ar curiously mixed
'sensatlobi-Siitlsfaticlon tliait Phill lihil,
lihdedii; liaiffled Siioniors, and mioiftal
effii;tof !'whliat' 11n consaqluence Imillght
liapiielii to .lier. liHer niouth twitched
is thoubghsiliho wooild have spoken, lbut
"io'vibrdisu ciln, and she merely moist
eiild her lips mechanically.
-, 'd lnot be helping to trick Doc. If
I ws aou;"' Hopkins continued, boring
her with Iris eyes. "I don't know' a
lot, of what's in the wind, bllt, if Doe
waniits you to help handle your lbrother
r"d'iudvise'you not to refuse him; he's
got some ugly ways p i maulilng folk do
what hoe wiants. Ile'll ..l.ilolng hero
to-night land, maybe, .' il deal with
you then, but more .ik'Hy he'll givu
you the night to t.hinik things .over.
If you'll ttke a plain guy's advico
yoii'll think the way he wants Md to."
He rose froim his chair a.tit , and,
walking to the door, flung ?tipen.
"Your soft time is. finished, young
lady,".)]I saild caustilally, and pointed
to th11 doorway imperatively. "Your
bedroom will be the best place to do
your thininkng in--you'll ,have nothing
there to take your mind off what's
ahead of you if you don't think right.'
(To be Cohtinudd:)
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