THE CHINA MAIL FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1935
GUNMAN!
(Continued from Page 9)
"Make it slippy!" said Jeans. The safe door swung open. Lacey's body, between the central light of his room and the safe, threw a deep} shadow into the interior. Sudden- by Lacey's heart turned over again. He looked over his shoulder to see if the burglar had noticed the object there on the shelf. Appear- ently Jeans had not. Lacey's hand went in, shifted a long envelope as it were carelessly, reached for the parcel of collected money.
"Nice little haul yer made,” said Jeans. I 'appened to be there when the total was announced, if yer see what I mean. He stopped a little, as if to examine the safe's interior for himself. Momentarily. the ugly automatic drooped; and Mr. Lacey, with his heart actually thunderous in his breast, acted swiftly. The parcel contained much silver and copper. It was weighty Lacey took it from the safe and with a sharp, downward motion struck Jeans' wrist.
Strewth" snarled the crook He grabbed the automatic that had dropped from his momentarily paralysed fingers.
"So that's it, is it?" he gurgled. Mr. Lacey did what he had risked. so much to do. He flicked aside the concealing envelope and grasped. the nickelled revolver lying there. Until he actually saw it he had for- gotten its presence in his safe; for he was normally a peaceful man. But now his honest anger roused to a fighting pitch, and. notwithstanding the discomfort of his heart, he pointed the squat muzzle fairly at Jeans before he could level his own gun again.
STRAL
Drop that drop it!" the philan- thropist commanded incisively. With his teeth instantly bestinuing to chatter Jeans let the automatic go. and Lacey kicked it across the carpets
"Stand away!" he said.
“See here, mister, it was on'y a lark-see whined Jeans.
:
"Stand away!" Amazing how the feel of the weapon steadied the nerves of a normally mild-mannered taan! Mr. Lacey appeared to grow. in stature, every hair of his silvery head seemed to stand on end with righteous indignation.
"I am not very familiar with fire- arms," said Lacey: "so this pistol might go off without my wishing it) Sit down in that chair.”
Jeans obeyed, slumping heavily i into the deep chair. Of all the luck! And he'd thought this psalm- singing cove was easy meat.
If you hadn't deliberately tried to steal from children. I might have shown mercy," said Mr. Lacey very “cuttingly. • "I have no doubt you
were tempted
"Starvin
gavinor-starvin that's me." whined Jeans. “Not a bit of food for two days, swelp me.” "You should have spent less on beer, then." replied Lacey, who had caught a nauseating whiff of breath as the crook stooped over him. "I don't believe you are starving at all You are a dirty scoundrel, but you look well fed. If you had not followed me home with this collect- ed money, knowing where it came from, I might have felt lenient. If you had come to me fairly and ask- ed for help, Imight even have given you help. As it is--don't move!” He kept Jeans under the threat of the revolver as he walked across to a bell and pressed it insistently with a finger.
Lemme go, guv'hor!" wailed Jeans. His record was too murky for him to welcome a further inter- view with the police. “I swear I'll go honest, I will Listenin' to you preachin' give me a change of "éart. Honest it did.”.
Mr. Lacey, however, by reason of “ vivid experience, was a judge of human nature. He kept his finger on the bell until his man appeared. “Fetch a policeman, James," ordered his master crisply,
"Yes, sir, certainly, sir. Should]
I use the telephone, sirve
This man has cut the wires; you! had better go into the square and whistle."
“Yes, sir.”
James looked anxiously from master to crook
• “Are you quite sure you can -con-
trol this fellow, sir?”......
“I shall shoot him dead if he attempts to stir," said Mr. Lacey.
© rather as if he would enjoy pulling
the trigger Jeans squirmed. Even a little pain terrifed him and a lot the thought was nauseat
Quickly, James!
(Continued or Page 15)
BUT-MR.JIGGS-WHAT. YOU NEED IS A VACATION- A GOOD REST-AS YOUR DOCTOR | SUGGEST YOU GO TO THE
MOUNTAINS-
THE DOCTOR PHONED AND SUGGESTED YOUR. GOING TO THE MOUNTAINS,
· BUT YOU CAN'T GO TOMORROW AS WE MUST GO TO MRS.T: CUPPS FOR LUNCHEON-
I SAID WE
ARE GOING TO THE
SEASHORE-
I'VE NEEDED THAT: EVER SINCE I'VE · BEEN MARRIED~
WELL-İ GUESS. THAT WILL. HAVE TO BE ALL RIGHT-
WE WON'T BE ABLE TO LEAVE UNTIL SUNDAY-
I HAVE SO MANY SOCIAL DATES
TO KEEP-
-AN THE DOCTOR SAD I NEED A REST-
Rosie's
BEAU
GEO MCMANUS
?
WE?!
THOUGHT. TWÜZGOIN") FER A REST
ARCHIE DARLING-WELL NEVER QUARREL AGAIN, WILL WE? YOU ARE
THE DEAREST BOY IN THE WORLD-
YOU GET MY DAUGHTER ROSIE ON THE PHONE- SHE MUST STOP RUNNING OD BILLS LIKE THIS-AND SHE HAS OVER-DRAWWN.
HER ALLOW-
ANCE
Bringing Up Father
I'LL PHONE YOUR WIFE
| AND TELL HER OF
YOUR DEANS-YOU SHOULD START
IMMEDIATELY-
BUT YOU CAN'T GET AWAY TIL YOUR NEW DRESSES ARE FINISHED-
I JUST PHONED YOUR – DOCTOR-AND HE SAYS THE MOUNTAIN AIR WILL BE BAD FOR..... YOUR VOICE?
THE SOONER) THE BETTER FOR ME-DOCTOR-
I HAD FORGOTTEN ABOUT THAT-WELL|| WE CAN LEAVE WEDNESDAY-AND
I JUST HAPPENED
· TO THINK-1 HAVE AN APPOINTMENT WITH MY DENTIST-
WE CANT GO
UNTIL THURSDAY-
WELL THAT
SETTLES IT- . WE'LL GO TO
I JUST RECEIVED THIS LETTER FROM MRS HUGH CLIMITT- SHE IS COMING BACK FROM. POINT, EMOUNT MOUNTAIN - SHELL BE HOME FRIDAY::SQ WE MUST WAIT TO“
SEE HER-
BUT-MOTHER, WHY NOT 60 TO LAKE
THE SEASHORE- | FULLAWATER ? I WANT TO MEET
MY PETS LIKE
IT BETTER THERE, SOME OF MY
ANYWAY-
FRIENDS-
WELL NOW LET ME THINK -WHAT ↑ MOUNTAINS WILL IGO TO AN' WHERE ARE THERE ANY
MOUNTAINS?
BUT-MOTHER-
I HAVE A DATE SATURDAY
I WON'T GO THERE- MY HUSBAND IS THERE-SHOULD
SPOIL MY SUMMER BY SEEING
HIM~
I WISH YOUD CO OUT TO THE DESERT- I'M TIRED OF CUTTIN' G£.55
WELL-IM GONNA GIT
A REST-
PARDON ME,SIR- BUT WHEN DO YOU START ON YOUR VACATION-
AND WHERE ARE YOU GOIN?
DON'T ASK ME RIDDLES- IMON MY VACATION RIGHT NOW-
1935, King Features Syndicate, Inc. Great Britain rights reserved.
AND YOU ARE THE SWEETEST-PRETTIEST
CUTEST·LITTLE
DARLING IN ALE
THE WORLD –
HERES SOME MORE BILLS. THAT JUST CAME IN-
SIR-
HURRAH! AM | HAPPY?IM GOING RIGHT DOWNTO ROSIES FATHER'S OFFICE AND TELL HIM I WANT - TO MARRY ROSIE
RIGHT AWAY-DE
OH! I JUST DROP- „PED IN TO SAY:
HELLO YOU
KNOW-T THINK ROSIE
IS THE DEAR- EST GIREIN, THE WORLD-
SO DOI!
IT'S THE GYPSY IN ME
YOU'VE BEEN ARRESTED
· FOUR TIMES THIS YEAR- I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU SIX MONTHS ON THE:
ISLAND-
YOU CERTAIN- LY ARE VERY
LIBERAL WIT >MY TIME-
King