The Commerce Journal. (Commerce, Tex.), Vol. 34, No. 16, Ed. 1 Friday, April 20, 1923 Page: 7 of 8
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THE COMMERCE JOURNAL, COMMERCE, TEXAS. APRIL 20. 1923
both
looked
"It
.‘ACK THE CLIMBER
»
"But. gee!
Ylpe-
Yap!
Yap!
r
CHAPTER XXII
t.
A
We'll have to help
i
do not make
So tTiere they all are.
iV
L
Finally
CHAPTER XXIII
. The
Figure Was a Woman.
Running
i:
had
face, he
not
for
CHAPTER XXI—Continued.
I
He found pre-
,L,
Billy.
man.
Billy Stared Before Him Gloomily.
and
was
Ark-
for you
retorted
)
LyJ
dred yards distant.
W3
Lady Erythea Inspected Him.
down
<TO BE CONTINL'KD.)
sentimental,” foatod
c
♦ I
X
1
4^
I
1
Billy stared before him gloomily, and
«a» silent.
“Isn’t It !'* insisted Almee.
"Sickening!” said Billy, bitterly.
Almee glanced at him and. looking
idly along the drive.
Polson.
"Beg pardon, sir,"
Just then a po-
liceman on a bicycle came riding rap-
It was Constable
inspecting a second and
obvious cave on his way.
sullenly,
cant
Jake's
on
how we'll do It.
the
A
from
let
n
<t
o
A 5
A,/
21 -«’i?i
a
stooplnc gal^ beading low as aba
the slightest
Site disapjieared
round the bend of the pits.
Billy extricated himself cautiously
and dropping down the cliff by a steep
path reached the lower ground and j
crossed It at a run.
Billy crept from the gloom nf the
caxes mouth and. crouching behind
the briar bushes, peered through them
a
a
RAI » _
I-4 <5,
said.
were recalled to earth by a
nolae.
Yup!
’.fr
good thing. t<a>.
cards IB my hands. It’s the most antas-
Ing Stoat yet. Hl tell you about It
a lhe moment Fea got It eat*
By Almee tanked at Btai wistfully.
( “I drat tttok yaa ought to tom any
failed. He hesitated, and glanced to-
wards the distant crag pits.
“Let her go!” said Aimee,
breathlessly. "Let her gol"
a etching the pit with a desire to dis-
cover whether the coast was clear.
There was a curious furtiveness about
tile figure that presently appeared.
eagerly. The running figure was
woman—a small woman clad In
khaki-colored dust-cloak, carrying
little red bundle. She ran with
THE JOI] of LIUINQ
SIDNEl] QOW1NQ*----------------
j Illustrations bi] Ellsworth l]ounq
CopyrifAt 1922 by Sidney Gouri ng
Mu
rS
Fp 1
iJMI
1
v L
Honest.
“Can you pick out a good canta-
loup*.* “Not even for myself,” replied
tbe truthful grocer.
won’t put it across—that you will uut
say anything to—Amy?”
”1 have nothing more to say in the
matter whatever,” replied her lady-
ship abruptly. “But you must under-
stand that the conduct of both of you
will have to be rigidly circumspect
and correct.”
Billy twinkled.
“We shall be careful to give your
ladyship no grounds for complaint,”
he said.
Lady Erythea had a vague impres-
sion that Billy was laughing at her. It
was stranger still that she did not
seem to feel any resentment.
“You may go!” she said, with a ges-
ture of dismissal.
Billy saluted and walked away.
Site watched his tall figure till It had
receded some little distance, and then
recalled him.
“Spencer!”
Billy returned. Lady Erythea In-
spected him through her lorgnette.
“Are you sure that this is a wise
thing you are doing?” she said slowly.
“You seem to me a somewhat superior
young man. I think you could do*
much better for yourself.”
Billy twinkled yet more brightly.
“I should hate to disagree with your
ladyship,” he said, “but I am quite
sure I couldn’t.”
Lady Erythea turned and walked
away with a dazed air.
Billy passed through the gate into
the lane, and made for the abbey at
his best speed. He hoped that Aimee
might be waiting for him somewhere
within call, but there was no sign of
her. Thinking it likely she would be
thing whatever, and I have complete
confidence In him. If that really is
your intention, it is my opinion you
are about to make fouls of your
selves.”
Inspector Arkwright
surprised and irritated.
“I am here with full authority, my
lady,** he said abruptly, “and my task
is to clear this matter up. Out of
consideration for you, I have come
here quite openly, ami what my In-
tentions are I must at the moment
keep to myself.”
“It is Spencer’s afternoon off. I be-
lieve,” said Lady Erythea coldly. “I
do not think he is on the premises.”
The inspector was plainly taken
aback by his reception. His lips tight-
ened to a thin line.
fool name!”
“My name is
SYNOPSIS -Disliking the pros-
pect of a month’s vlalt to her aus-
tere aunt, Lady Erythea 1-a in be.
at Jervauix a obey, and her cousin.
Alexander l.ambe. Aimee, vivacious
daughter of the* Very Raverend
Viscount Scroops, meets a young
man who laughingly introduce:*
himself as American. Th«-
two ride on his motorcycle the
“Flying Sphinx." and part. With
Georgina Berners, her cousin, Aimee
sets out for Jervauix. She forces
Georgina to impersonate her at
Jervauix, and she goes on a holi-
day. Aimee again meets Billy. He
tells her his name is Spencer, and
she
Pi
already in his possession a
which appealed to him strongly.
But the hope was
But there’s no
And
he
______ Now—If
•» pick up the other track, 1’11 hive
y Jack the Climber. j her
Mr. William Spencer, after arriving ’ doubt who she was.
in the fallow-field where stood the
clump of bushes that hid the broker*
Indian motorcycle, made a rapid sur- I from the bush and waited for some
He resumed his time on his knees, staring in the di-
nothing more to be seen of her.
He passed along tbe wider lane In
the direction of Jervauix, his eyes
M-inning the ground and the ditch. A I
little distance short of tbe gate
through which Billy >ad wheeled the
Sphinx when dodging tile police, lie
*too[>ed quickly and picked up a scrap
of metal. It wa» the broken end of an
exluiust silencer.
“I was right!” ejaculated Billy.
"Here they crashed again-—or tlie en-
gine gave out for good. And they
- ame the very way I did myself. And
one of the two was lame—dead lame.
•One sure thing—they couldn't have got
far that night. And If they weren't able
to ride the thing, what did they do
with UF
He hurried to the far end of the
field, where the last of tlie tracks had
.. I I .. —I I 1 .. 1 . . .. t , „ I U .. . 1 I. I U , 1 .I I ,
the game in my hands!"
He hurtled In the direction of the
distant crag-pits, then sudilenly pulled
Vp short and glanced at his wrist-
watch.
•Almee!" he exclaimed.
He had an appointment with Almee
at five, and an urgent one. It was al-
ready past the hour. Billy set off at
« run. and in ten minutes reached the
ren'lcr.vous. Almee was there already.
<n a rough serge walking-cloak and ■
Rnooka hat trimmed with calico vio-
lets. In spite of the costume she
looked vividly lovely.
••Mr. Chauffeur." said Ahncc. severe
ly. “I don’t knew If you think I want
to waste my afternoon off like this.
You're late."
“I'm sorry," panted Billy. “Came as
quick as I could."
"What are you looking excited
about 2" she said, eyeing him suspi-
ciously.
"Oh—Just seeing you." blurted Billy.
•That lan't true. I’ve never seen you
look excited before. You've found out
something. What Is it?”
Billy paused.
"It’s true. I have found out some-
thing." he (aid quietly, "hut there’#
more to do, and I haven't quite all the
to Mr. Tartieaux, who was standing
on tbe steps.
“You have a chauffeur here," said
the man In tweeds quietly, “who calls
himself William Silencer."
“Yes, sir," said Mr. Tarbeaux.
Bertrand de Jussac moved away,
with the air of one retreating from a
situation with which he had no con-
cern. He lit a cigarette as he went,
but once on the far side of the rhodo-
dendrons, Monsieur de Jussac hejfan
to move with uncommon swiftness.
“Is tie on the premises at the mo-
ment?” said the visitor.
"I do 'not kngiw. sir,” replied Mr.
Tarbeaux with cold reserve, eyeing
the police car. "If you wish to see
her ladyship—"
“I do. Inform her at once. If you
please, that the police are iere.”
Mr. Tarbeaux went indoors, leaving
the visitor on the step. It wns some
little time before Lady Erythea her-
self came to the entrance, grim
forbidding, ear-trumpet in hand.
“I am Detective-Inspector
wrtght, from Scotland Yard." said the
visitor. "I wish to see your chauf-
feur. my Indy—William Spencer.”
"For what purpose?” said her lady-
There was a long pause.
“What was it you were saying
about things?” said Almee.
"I told you,” replied Billy, "that be-
fore tomorrow It will either be a com-
plete crash—or all clear.”
Almee nodded.
“I see. That means, In the first case,
I hat I’ll be exploded—broken—done
for—”
“No!” snid Billy, sharply.
“It does, tliough. But In the second.
If things go better—I shall Just he
back at Scroope, in a sort of nrikl dis-
grace—stood in the comer. That's
nothing tnueb. I'm used to It. And
therd you are! Well, the curtain's soon
going to ring down. Our partner-
ship-"
I Billy turned to her quickly.
"Is finished.” continued Aimee quiet-
' ly. Iiaiking out across the park. "I
shan't lie able to ride the Sphinx for
you, Billy. I'm sorry about that. It
would have been fun."
Billy caught his breath.
“You mean." he said slowly, "that I
shan't see you again?"
"I mean that. How can you? Our
little holiday Is over. Billy.”
His fingers closed on the turf on
either side of him. and dug deep.
“I understand. It's up to me. To-
morrow—we don't even know each
other.”
He let go the turf, and caught her
hand#.
“Almee !*
"Billy!”
Before either of them knew how it
happened, he had her In his arms.
"I can't let you go!” said Billy wild-
ly. "You're the darling of the world.
The loveliest, brightest thing that ever
breathed. Almee—do you think—you
could try and love me?"
“Love yo^?" said Almee. trembling.
“Who could help loving you. Billy!"
He held her tight and kissed her.
“I was so frightened—" said Almee.
tn a (tilled voice.
“Frightened—!” He held her tighter.
"That you’d be frightened—*
"Me!"
“—of being
Aimee;
Billy Mt otweeA.
spector Arkwright,
leave the car here,
the way."
The three of them departed to-
in the neighborhood of the garage, he gether hurriedly in the direction of
1111 ...1 n flint 11 i Hoot i . llo 11’0.' *l.o , ,orl- iooiniLiri’
vey of the situating.
task of quartering lhe ground
tracks.
This, being unfruitful, occupied but
a IRtle time. He gave it up and went
forward again, dipping down into the
crag-pits beyond.
Billy had formed upon the factors
his possession a theory ;
He
hurried in that direction. He was
within sight from the park boundary,
when Monsieur de Jussac, approach-
ing the fence from the abbey, saw him
ami called him by name.
Billy was too far away to hear. The
Vicomte whistled, without result. He
saw Billy disappear in the direction
of the crag-pits. De Jussac hesitated,
uncertain whether to follow.
“Our amazing chauffeur appears to
be in a hurry,” murmureil Bertrand.
He took out a cigarette, and smoked
it reflectively. Bertrand was looking
a little puzzled ami anxious.
slowly back towards the
secrets from your partner,” she said.
“1 always (ell you everything.”
“Give me till tonight,” pleaded Billy.
“I hate to talk about it now. It’s ugly.
By tonight we shall have either won or
lost—but we’ll win! Will you trqst
me?”
Almee seated herself on the turf be-
neath the sweetbriars.
“All right then,” she said happily.
“Let’s forget our troubles for a bit.
Sit down—you look so tall, towering
up there, that I can hardly see you—
and 1*11 tell my news. It’s much more
interesting than yours. Do you know
that Alexander has got himself en-
gaged to iny dear fat Georgie. and
they’re Idiotically happy?” •
“Has he?” cried Billy, dropping be-
side her. “Good for him ! She’s a real
trump of a girl, that. And the parson’s
as white as they make them—he’s a
tine fellow.”
•Ves. Georgie will exactly suit him.
I shouldn’t have, a bit.”
• Von!” exclaimed Billy.
“Exactly. Aunt Erythea’a Idea Is
that Alexander’s marrying me. You’re
not very bright today. Billy. They’ll
have a funny tangle to straighten out.
when the crash comes.’’
“Gee! They will.
them somehow.”
“Of course we shall. But I wonder
_______... And that’s not all— j ____
Vh'omte has sudilenly be<*ome be tween them.
I troth cd, as hr rails it, to Alexander’s
| sister—<’ohl Lambe.”
“She'll tone him down,” said Billy.
“Not a bit. He’ll tone her up,” re-
plied Aimee confidently, “and a Jolly i
Not Guilty.
The guilty pair arose to thp!r feet.
Almee, from rosy red, had turned ex-
' tremely pale. There was every ex-
cuse for It. Lady Eryihra’s expres-
sion was enough to unnerve the stout-
est heart.
“And this," in a voice like the clash-
ing of a motor’s gear-box. “in the face
of my express warning! You are dis-
charged.” She took a step towards
Almee. “And as for you—”
Billy interposed ids large figure be-
ihe Ag' s hers as Amy Snookea, al
>r«s^^"out of a job.” Billy offers
to her into partnership in »«ll-
HigWhe Sphinx. In a spirit of mad-
cap SLdvjnture. she accepts. The
two proceed to the town of Stan-
hoe, taking separate lodgings in
Ivy cottage. While Almee Is se-
cretly visiting Georgina at Jer-
vauix. the place ts burglarized, and
the famous Idimbe emeralds are
stolen. Aimee escapes. Police de-
cide the thieves are ”Ja< k the
Climber’ and “Calamity Kate,”
who travel on a motorcycle. Billy,
.who has shadowed Aimee to Jer-
vauix, follows the thieves He Is
knocked out, but emerges from the
fight a Hli the l^ambe emeralds
He meets Aimee. with the police
In pursuit. In a secure hiding place,
a <MKe among the crag pits, Aimee
him the whole story. He urges
hlSthat she make a frank confes-
sion to her father, but on reflec-
tion both realize Almee'i good
name has been compromised. As-
suring A-rnee he has a p an to save
her, Billy leaves her in the cave
and. prfH'eeding to J-rvaulx. re-
stores the emeralds to the astound-
ed I—i<iy Erythes. Billy tells a
st,,r •. : , ■ ’ | ’ • • J re-
fuses a reward and accepts a
chauffeur’s job from |jid% Erythea.
Almee gets P . rl*CB f parlor
maid at Jervauix Alexander thinks
he recogriiz* s Ume.* .#.- ’Calamity
Ka’e " Georgina divulges Almee's
.Identity Hearing *»r story. Alex-
ander consents to k»*ep the secret.
Alexander finds himself very much
In lovV withGeorgma Alexander’s
starter. Lady Diana arrives An-
other vis t<>r is the Vicomte de
JusKar, her suitor Diana recog-
nlz< m Alnwe and threatens to de-
nounce her. Almee confides in De
Jtiua lie Jussac is accepted by
PiVia and Aime»- makes her prom-
ise to keep silence Alexander is
accepted by Georgina. Lady Ery-
thea. still in the dark, is delighted.
he wandered
abbey.
As he neared the main entrance the
quack of a motor horn was heard,
and an automobile drove up rapidly.
It contained the stolid Inspector Panke
from Stanhoe. Beside him sat a slim
and active-looking man in a gray
yweed overcoat.
De Jussac, raising his eyebrows,
drew near unobtrusively. The man in
I Tl.p terrier, under the Impression tweeds p>t out and stepped briskly up
j that it was all nn extremely Interest-
ing game got up for hla amusement,
pursued her out of sight round the
bushes, giving tongue excitedly.
Billy kept his eyes fixed on the In-
truder.
"If you require an explanation. Lady
Erythea," he said quietly, "I guess I
can give you one very briefly. I have
Just asked Miss Snooks to marry me.”
Lady Erythea was mentally stag-
gered. “You have asked her—to
marry you?” she said, staring at Billy.
"And she has done toe tbe great
honor to consent."
Billy's grim expression relaxed into
a very charming smile.
“I feel sure your ladyship Will not
throw any obstacles In the way of this
humble romance,” he said gently. “We
shall be very happy to have our em-
ployer’a approval.”
Hla employer gazed at him dumbly.
Tbe announcement came as a shock.
And It was difllcqlt even for Lady
Erythea to resist Billy’s smile. As
well attempt to resist a sunbeam. She
melted imperceptibly. Her faculties
were bemused. Billy, despite the
smile, looked so extraordinarily digni-
fied that Lady Erythea almost felt an I
Impulse to apologize to her chauffeur.
She made an effort to recover her
austerity.
"You Fave asked this girl to marry
you—after an acquaintance of four
days?" she said acidly. "Is that—an
American custom?”
BHIy's smile intensified.
“I haven't much experience, my
lady," he said, "but I think It’s a
British eusttxu, too—sometimes.”
With two such recent examples at
band, Iter ladyship felt unable to con-
tradict him. She looked at him stead-
ily. wondering why she felt no resent-
ment. There was something so re-
markably disarming about Billy.
"What you tell me, Spencer." she
saiil at last, "places a new aspect on
the case. It is, I suppose, within your
discretion to engage yourself to a
young woman if you wish to do so.
The situation in which I found you
led me to suspect mere Irresponsible
philandering—a thing most stringent-
ly forbidden within the precincts of
Jervauix. Admitting the seriousness
of your intentions.” she continued
with returning indignation. "I am still
unable to consider yobr behavior dec-
orous."
"I was very careful to choose a
place Juat outside the park boundary,
my lady," said Billy gravely, “and I
wns obliged to make use of the small
amount of free time at my disposal."
Ladv Erythea drew a long breath.
“I km making unprecedented allow-
ances for you, Spencer," she said,
“since I cannot forget how far I am
Indebted to you for the recovery of
my emeralds. If I wns under a mis-
apprehension as to your conduct Just
now. It was natural. I will say no
more. But I gather from this event
that you will be leaving my service In
any case, so I will merely give you a
week’s notice—If you are willing to
stay so long."
“Yes, I guess I shall be quitting
rather #m.” raid Billy, "but I’ll be
very glad to serve your ladyship In
the meantime, and I hope TT1 give sat-
■etectiea. Bat. may I take It that yon
I oughtn't to have mentioned It to you.
Billy—I know how It depresses you.
“What should I have done myself— It’s horrible—all this aentimenl."
if I hadn't known the ground?" be
thought. “I'll try here first.”
Less than a hundred yards to the
right was a clump of brushwood,
growing alone, a little oasis on the
hare field. away, stirred the grass with the point
The bushes masked a narrow clay of pls shoe.
pit. twenty feet deep, that had been
alelved in times past to bring up tbe
heavy marl subsoil and spread It over
tlie sandy field. It was now complete-
ly eloaked with brambles. Billy pulled
Them apart, and mv something gleam-
ing dimly at the bottom of the pit.
It was the buckled frame of a big
twin Indian motorcycle.
With a wboop of trhnnph Billy
clambered down the steep able of the
pit ami disappeared through the brnni-
Pies. He remained below some time.
When at Inst lie emerged and stood
on the brink. Billy's face was ruttier
pale, and Ills eyes troubled.
“Grent Caesar's ghost!”
« -"Who’d have exjiected this?
1. .... .1.
the park boundary.
Lady Erythea stared after them I
with mingled auger and anxiety. She
waited for some time on the steps,
pondering, and then went slowly in-
doors. Her eyes were troubled.
The three police, crossing the park,
left it by a wicket gate near the
sweet-briar clump. After a short con-
sultation with Polson, Inspector Ark-
wright gave an order. Tlie three men
spreading out In a wide semi-circle,
stalked the crag-pits by way of the
lower meadow.
There w aa
Then.
springing to his feet he aprinted to
the spot where she had first vanished
with the bundle.
The bushes partially cloaked the
mouth of one of the many crag caves;
the entrance was not difficult to find
when one was close to it. Billy walked
in without hesitation,
cisely what he expected.
On the floor uf the cave, stretched
upon a couch of dry bracken, lay a
He was not a spectacle which
in any way gladdened the eye.
He was big and lusty uf limb; what
little could be seen of his face through
a week’s growth uf brown stubble was
haggard. His beak of a nose jutted
>between two fierce deep-sunk eyes. One
of his legs was extended, and swathed
from foot to knee in dripping-wet cal-
ico bandages that looked as If they
had been ripped from a woman’s gar-
ment.
Billy found himself looking down
the muzzle of a small repeating phytol,
held in a hairy but very steady fist.
“Stop right where you are,” said the
occupant of the cave, reclining on one
elbow. “Don’t move a step forward,
nor yet a step back. Get me?’’
Billy stopped obediently. He cal-
culated the distance between them to
he a dozen feet; there was no likeli-
hood of capturing the pistpl before
the bullet struck him. The eyes of
the man showed that he meant busi-
ness. He was in fact, less like a man
The ' than a crippled wolf.
“Jack the Climber.” said Billy
blandly, “I am pleased to meet you.
I’ve been looking for you quite a
while.”
“Don’t give me that
snarled the caveman.
, Jake.”
“Anything to oblige. Mr Jake,
there's the little matter of the Jer-
vauix burglary against you. among
others.”
“What are you ghin’ me!”
Jake.
“The bluff doesn’t go," said Billy.
“Your motorcycle’s yonder In tlie
clay pit. All the cards are out.”
The man’s face twitched.
“Are you tbe police?”
“No,” said Billy.
Jnke stared at the tall form In front
of him, and emitted a startled oath.
“I b’lieve you’re the guy that
slugged me, last Saturday night.” ha
said.
“Quite correct.”
"You’re on your own, eh?”
head craned forward, his eyes
Billy’s fare. “And alone, I gue<s
“Do yon take me for a foot?” said
Billy calmly.
The man shivered. The expression
in his eyes was dreadful.
“See here!” he said
“You’ve got me set. I can’t move.
I’m up against ft. I know they’ll pull
me. Well. I’ll take my dose. 1'11
throw mv hand in!”
“Wise of yotf.”
hoped to prove it.
very slender.
“If I’d only got wise to this two
days ago," he said gloomily, “I might
have done something,
saying how old the tracks are.
there’s so little time.”
He looked about him thoughtfully.
The area of the crag-pits covered
some twenty acres; a wide bottom of
red sand studded here and there
with tangled bushes. The place was
shut in by low red bluffs of coraline
crag, with a few gaps in them through
which winding paths sloped up to the
higher ground.
“The soil tells me nothing,” said
Billy to himself; "too loose and wind-
blown to hold a trail more than t#o
days. But there’s five—maybe six
caves, most of them too plain and
easy—anybody can see ’em. Still, I'll
gQ over them. My own first. I guess
there’s nobody could have found that.”
He wound his way through the
bushes to the screen of brambles that
masked the cave where Aimee had
taken refuge on the night of the bur-
glary, and after scanning the ground
near its approaches, pushed the briars
aside and entered cautiously,
cave was empty—save for that super-
motorcycle, the Flying Sphinx, which
stood waiting in patient dumbness at
the far end, weeping slow tears of oil
into a little pool beneath the silencer.
Billy laid a hand upon his Arab
fcteed, and sighed. Then his face
brightened amazingly.
“Your time’ll come again — and
mighty soon!” he said with affection
He turned, and left the cave. It was
holy ground to him now; for one
night it had been Aimee's refuge.
He passed farther along the pits,
much more
He was just
about to emerge from it when some-
thing caught Billy’s eye. on the tar
side of the pits. He shrank back
quickly into the cave’s mouth and flat-
tened himself against the wall, watch-
ing.
The object which gave him pause
was very small, and fully four him
But it showed
against the sky-line ami to the eye of
a frontiersman an\thing that cuts the
sky-line, and that moves ever so little.
Is at once apparent. What Billy saw
was the upper part of a head, peering
over the edge of the little cliff on the
opposite shje.
A pair of shoulders followed the
j i head, and their otvner whs obviously
a
“If you knew what I’ve been
through,” he said a little hoarsely,
“this past week—trying not to let you
see It!”
He kissed her again—more than
once. Then be sat back, his head in
a whirl. There was the longest pause
yet; a silence that seemed intermi-
nable.
They
staccato
“Yap!
yipe!”
Almee and Billy started violently.
A small white Highland terrier, with
its four legs braced, was barking at
them excitedly, but not wholly with
disapproval.
Almee felt stricken as though by a
sudden paralysis. Behind the terrier
stood Lady Erythea. erect and rigid.
Tbe glare in her eyes was the glare
of a destroying Gorgon.
“Madam,” he said, “if you have any
comments to make, plense make them
fo me. Or. better still
them at all.”
His voice was quiet and respectful.
But his chin was lifted remarkably
high, ami his Ups compressed danger-
ously. .
La<!y Erythea struggled for breath.
“Are ?nu presuming.” she said. In
a strangled voice, “to dictate to me!”
Mr. William Spencer bowed.
“I hope—my lady—that It will not
J be necessary. What I do presume is
to defend Miss—Snooks—against any
reproaches whatever. This is her
, afternoon off.”
Almee looked at them both—espe-
1 dally nt Lady Erythea. And for once
the “sand.” on w hich she had so often
been complimented, deserted her. Al-
I mee turned suddenly ami tied.
I mi
threaded between the bashes. She
reached a point against the cliff on
Billy’s side, three hundred yards far-
ther along, dose by a tangle of under-
growth. There she halted, and. look-
ing round her quickly, disappeared
with extreme suddenness.
“Great Christopher!” said Billy.
He ruse to his knees, staring at the
place where she had vanished. His
eyes were bright, his face had lit up.
“I was right,” he said in r. pushed
tone. “But, gee! I never tnougtt uf
this.”
He rose, as if to foilow, but or. sec-
ond thoughts subsided again and
wailed. He remained Jiere fully ten
minutes, when the figure reappeared,
and hurried along tbe pit bottom in
bis direction.
Billy w’ormed himself hurriedly un-
der the tangled briars at some cost to
his skin. The woman passed him
within seventy yards, walking rapidly.
She was no longer carrying rhe bundle.
When she had passed. Billy peeped
after her. Though he could not sen
ship, examining him icily through her
lorgnette.
“That* will transpire as sonn as
have seen him,’’ said Arkwright
little sharply.
face peered down cautiously
a second-floor window. It was
the face of Aimee, very white and
scared. She drew back quickly be-
hind the window curtains, one hand
clutching and kneading them tightly
as she listened.
••Does this mean,” salrj her ladyship
with distinct hostility, ••that you pro
pose to arrest my chauffeur? If not.
what do you mean? He Is the man
who restored the emeralds tu me,
when the police failed to achieve any-
rectlon she had taken.
he said, dis-
mounting and saluting the inspector,
"have yon found the man you are
looking for here?"
“Why?” said Arkwright abruptly.
“Well, sir, 1 know’ him by sight, of
course," said Polson in a lower voice
—“the chauffeur. I mean—anti as I
came off the Stanhoe mad awhile ago,
I saw somebody like him crossing the
forty-acre field and going towards the
crag-pits. I thought I’d better hurry
on and tell you. Fin sure it was he.” |
“Excellent! Y’ou are a man that
keeps his eyes open." exclaimed In j
“Come, Panke—
Polson, show us
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Hart, Sterling. The Commerce Journal. (Commerce, Tex.), Vol. 34, No. 16, Ed. 1 Friday, April 20, 1923, newspaper, April 20, 1923; Commerce, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1359538/m1/7/: accessed June 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; .