Page:Arthur Stringer - The Door of Dread.djvu/338

 "But they were here not ten minutes ago—and I oughtta know!"

Kestner still was dolorously shaking his head from side to side. "They've made their get-away!"

Sadie leaned back in her chair. Wilsnach came forward a step or two and gently took the automatic from her somewhat shaky right hand. He looked at it curiously. Then he looked even more curiously into her white face with the disturbingly febrile glitter about the weary-looking eyes. The cigarette was still in her hand. She stared down at it guiltily.

"Hully gee," she said with listless insolence, "I said I'd cut out the smokin', didn't I?"

No one spoke as she laughed, quite without mirth. "Well, I guess I earned this coffin-nail, all right! For I've had quite a night of it!"

Kestner, with the bitterness of defeat in his blood, swung half angrily about on her.

"You seem to think all this was engineered for your amusement!"

Sadie smiled up at him.

"It looks funny t' me!" she announced.

"What does?"