Part 15 (1/2)

”Perhaps The place interests me”

”It's a lively town”

”Decidedly And I understand that you've played an i of it,” replied Aldous carelessly

For a flash Rann's eyes darkened, and his ain He had caught the insinuation, and he had scarcely been able to ward off the shot

”I've tried to do my small share,” he admitted ”If you're after local colour for your books, Aldous, I possibly ”

”Undoubtedly you could,” said Aldous ”I think you could tell reat deal that I would like to know, Rann But--will you?”

There was a direct challenge in his coldly s eyes

”Yes, I think I shall be quite pleased to do so,” said Rann

”Especially--if you are long in town” There was an odd emphasis on those last words

He ,” he added, his eyes gleanificantly, ”it is possible you may have experiences of your ohich would ot into print Good-night, Aldous!”

For two or three one Aldous loitered in the tobacco shop Then he went out All at once it struck him that he should have kept his eyes on Quade's partner He should have followed hiain he walked up and down the street It was eleven o'clock when he went into Big Ben's pool-room Five minutes later he ca with her a strong scent of perfume

It was the Lady of the Bear She was in a street dress now, her glossy curls still falling loose about her--probably hoht's harvest It struck Aldous that the hour was early for her retirement, and that she see in the direction of Rann's big log bungalohich was built well out of toard the river She had not seen him as he stood in the pool-rooht he was following her There were a dozen branch trails and ”streets” on the way to Rann's, and into the gloom of some one of these the woman disappeared, so that Aldous lost her entirely He was not disappointed when he found she had left the main trail

Five minutes later he stood close to Rann's house Froleah the s Slowly he walked around the building, and stopped suddenly on the opposite side Here a closely drawn curtain was illulow fro wall of the house until he caainst so perhaps a quarter of an inch of space through which the light shone Aldous brought his eyes on a level with this space

A half of the roohted by a curiously shaped iron laany desk-table At one side of this, partly facing him, was Culver Rann Opposite hi, while Quade, with his bullish shoulders hunched forward and his fleshy red neck, rolling over the collar of his coat, leaned across the table in a tense and listening attitude With his eyes glued to the aperture, Aldous strained his ears to catch what Rann was saying He heard only the low and unintelligibleRann's words To-night, as at all times, this haho preyed upon human lives was immaculate In all ways but one he was the antithesis of the beefy scoundrel who sat opposite him On the hand that toyed carelessly with the fob of his watch flashed a diamond; another sparkled in his cravat His dark hair was sleek and well brushed; his bristly little moustache was clipped in the latest fashi+on He was not large His hands, as he esture toward Quade, were of womanish whiteness Casually, on the street or in a Pullentleh the narrow slit between the botto upon one of the erous men in all the West Quade was a villain Culver Rann, quiet and cool and suave, was a devil Behind his depravity worked the brain which Quade lacked, and a nerve which, in spite of that almost effeminate immaculateness, had been described to Aldous as colossal

Suddenly Quade turned, and Aldous saw that he was flushed and excited He struck the desk a bloith his fist Culver Rann leaned back and smiled

And John Aldous slipped away fro; in the darkness he unbuttoned the pocket that held his autoh thehe had seen an open door behind Rann, and his blood thrilled with the idea that had come to hi hi, to discover their plot, would be three quarters of the fight won, if it caht The open door was an inspiration

Swiftly and silently he went to the rear of the house He tried the door and found it unlocked Softly he opened it, swinging it inward an inch at a ti as he entered It was dark, and there was a second closed door ahead of him From beyond that he heard voices He closed the outer door so that he would not be betrayed by a current of air or a sound froht Then, even an to open the second door

An inch at first, then two inches, three inches--a foot--he worked the door inward There was no light in this second room, and he lay close to the floor, head and shoulders thrust well in Through the third and open door he saw Quade and Culver Rann Rann was laughing softly as he lighted a fresh cigar His voice was quiet and good humoured, but filled with a banter which it was evident Quade was not appreciating

”You aone mad--mad as a rock-rabbit, Quade! Do you mean to tell me you're on the square when you offer to turn over a half of your share in the gold if I help you to get this woman?”

”I do,” replied Quade thickly ”I mean just that! And we'll put it down in black an' white--here, now You fix the papers, san!”

For a moment Culver Rann did not reply He leaned back in his chair, thrust the thumbs of his white hands in his vest, and sent a cloud of slea like a wo in the world like it, 'pon ot hi her bear Marie and her curls and her silk tights, Quade--s'elp me, it wouldn't have surprised me so much if you'd fallen in love with _her!_ And over this other woht he was ready to sell his soul for her So--I gave Marie to him And now, for some other woman, you're just as anxious to surrender a half of your share of e've bought through Marie Good heaven, man, if you were in love with Marie----”

”das over her yourself, Rann It wasn't so long ago If I'd looked at her then----”