quickly to the front door, opened it and went down the steps. He walked the length of the street. At the corner, he paused to look back. Apart from an empty car that stood a hundred yards or so from the apartment house, the street was deserted.
A taxi cruised past and Harry waved his hand.
“Western and Lennox,” he said, “and snap it up.”
He sat, half turned, so he could look out of the rear window, but no car followed him. His watch showed exactly one-fifteen as the cab pulled up at the newsstand.
Glorie was waiting, and before Harry could get out of the cab, she had run across the sidewalk and got in beside him.
“Where to?” Harry asked.
“The station.”
The driver looked at Harry for confirmation, then at his nod, he pulled out into the slow-moving traffic.
“All right?” Glorie asked softly.
“Yes.”
They sat in silence while the cab fought its way through the heavy traffic. Glorie held Harry's hand, looking at him anxiously.
When they reached the station and Harry had paid off the cab, they walked together to the station buffet. Glorie went over to a vacant table in a corner while Harry bought two cups of coffee and carried them over.
“Your pal's turning on the heat,” he said as he sat down. He went on to tell her what had happened. “I don't know how you're going to get into the apartment,” he concluded. “The door's bolted on the inside. I guess you'll have to wait until Doris gets back and get in through the bathroom window.”
Glorie shook her head.
“I'm not going back. It's not safe, Harry. I'm not kidding myself I'll be so lucky next time. If I go back, Ben will put more than one man on to follow me, and I'll never shake them off. It was only luck that I got away from him this time. I went into the ladies' room at Ferrier's. There was a way out through the staff entrance. But I won’t get away with it a second time. I'm coming with you to New York. We mustn't travel together. We'll meet as arranged at the Astor at eleven on Friday.”
“But you haven't anything packed.”
She shrugged.
“I can get all I want in New York.” She leaned forward, her hands on the table. “You've got to be careful, Harry. Don't trust Ben. He's altered. I scarcely knew him. He's much more dangerous and more ruthless.”
“What happened?”
Briefly she told him of the interview.
“That's pretty good. Don't worry about me. You've given me the opening I want. I'll take care of him.”
“Don't trust him.” Glorie's eyes were anxious. “Get the money before you do the job. Don't listen to any of his promises and don't let him scare you.”
Harry grinned.
“He won’t do that.” He finished his coffee, then glanced at his strap watch. “Well, I guess we'd better get our tickets. You go first. See you at the Astor on Friday.”
“Yes.” She looked at him. “I shall miss you, Harry.”
“It won’t be for long.”
She got up and touched his shoulder..
“Look after yourself, darling.”
“You bet.”
He watched her walk the length of the buffet. His eyes took in her straight back and her slim, shapely legs. He thought if she'd only smarten herself up she'd be quite a looker. He felt a little surge of affection for her. She had guts, and that was what few women had.
He lit a cigarette, dropping the match into the saucer of the cup.
Well, this was it he thought. This is the beginning of it. If he had any luck, in twenty days' time he would be worth fifty thousand dollars.
If he had any luck…
III
O n the evening of 16th of January, a taxi pulled up outside Lamson's hotel on Sherbourne Boulevard West, and the driver reached out, turned the handle of the rear door and let the door swing open.
Storm clouds, driven by a blustery wind, had chased across the sky most of the day, and now the wind had lessened, and rain, that looked like thin steel rods in the yellow light of the street lamps, was falling steadily. It made swift-running rivulets in the gutters,
A taxi cruised past and Harry waved his hand.
“Western and Lennox,” he said, “and snap it up.”
He sat, half turned, so he could look out of the rear window, but no car followed him. His watch showed exactly one-fifteen as the cab pulled up at the newsstand.
Glorie was waiting, and before Harry could get out of the cab, she had run across the sidewalk and got in beside him.
“Where to?” Harry asked.
“The station.”
The driver looked at Harry for confirmation, then at his nod, he pulled out into the slow-moving traffic.
“All right?” Glorie asked softly.
“Yes.”
They sat in silence while the cab fought its way through the heavy traffic. Glorie held Harry's hand, looking at him anxiously.
When they reached the station and Harry had paid off the cab, they walked together to the station buffet. Glorie went over to a vacant table in a corner while Harry bought two cups of coffee and carried them over.
“Your pal's turning on the heat,” he said as he sat down. He went on to tell her what had happened. “I don't know how you're going to get into the apartment,” he concluded. “The door's bolted on the inside. I guess you'll have to wait until Doris gets back and get in through the bathroom window.”
Glorie shook her head.
“I'm not going back. It's not safe, Harry. I'm not kidding myself I'll be so lucky next time. If I go back, Ben will put more than one man on to follow me, and I'll never shake them off. It was only luck that I got away from him this time. I went into the ladies' room at Ferrier's. There was a way out through the staff entrance. But I won’t get away with it a second time. I'm coming with you to New York. We mustn't travel together. We'll meet as arranged at the Astor at eleven on Friday.”
“But you haven't anything packed.”
She shrugged.
“I can get all I want in New York.” She leaned forward, her hands on the table. “You've got to be careful, Harry. Don't trust Ben. He's altered. I scarcely knew him. He's much more dangerous and more ruthless.”
“What happened?”
Briefly she told him of the interview.
“That's pretty good. Don't worry about me. You've given me the opening I want. I'll take care of him.”
“Don't trust him.” Glorie's eyes were anxious. “Get the money before you do the job. Don't listen to any of his promises and don't let him scare you.”
Harry grinned.
“He won’t do that.” He finished his coffee, then glanced at his strap watch. “Well, I guess we'd better get our tickets. You go first. See you at the Astor on Friday.”
“Yes.” She looked at him. “I shall miss you, Harry.”
“It won’t be for long.”
She got up and touched his shoulder..
“Look after yourself, darling.”
“You bet.”
He watched her walk the length of the buffet. His eyes took in her straight back and her slim, shapely legs. He thought if she'd only smarten herself up she'd be quite a looker. He felt a little surge of affection for her. She had guts, and that was what few women had.
He lit a cigarette, dropping the match into the saucer of the cup.
Well, this was it he thought. This is the beginning of it. If he had any luck, in twenty days' time he would be worth fifty thousand dollars.
If he had any luck…
III
O n the evening of 16th of January, a taxi pulled up outside Lamson's hotel on Sherbourne Boulevard West, and the driver reached out, turned the handle of the rear door and let the door swing open.
Storm clouds, driven by a blustery wind, had chased across the sky most of the day, and now the wind had lessened, and rain, that looked like thin steel rods in the yellow light of the street lamps, was falling steadily. It made swift-running rivulets in the gutters,
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