The Washington herald., 1907-12-18

sharp down the steep Hill to the Kirk Of
st. John. And again. after a brief inspec-
tion OF the ground. they swung as sharp
ly to the right at the bank OF gray gran
ite which guards the entrance to the
royal borough of New Galloway.
In the early morning two ears had
passed Yes, ii had been remarked
first, because few cars have only one man
in each, and still fewer take the noun
tain road to Newton Stewart, across the
eighteen miles OF terrible surface and
between moors so wide and desOIate that
only the little wayside house OF Clatter-
ingshaws is passed before reaching the
wooded vale and the sea-edge by Pal
nure.
I'VE have them now" said the inspec-
tor, with comfort in his tone. And they
left the little borough village behind
them. came out upon magnificent
glimpse OF the distant Loeb Of Ken,
and so bore away into the solitudes.
But It was no good place for any car.
new or Old-and long before something
IN the steering gear snapped. and the
chauffeur stopped AT the bottom OF the
long hill before Rutherford Monu-
ment," it became evident that (as the
driver said, she was willing 20 stand
up TO anything in reason but this stone
shute was fairly breaking her heart!
Then almost they had given up hope.
But Phil, arguing that what was bad for
light machine like theirs must tell
much worse on cars so weighted with
machinery that they would sink at the
axle called out that at any rate he was
going on.
They can't be far ahead" he Insisted.
+ IN with vOui said Grinding. not
that I'll be able 10 keep up. I am carry
ing too much ballast. my boy. these last
years"
The inspector wavered a moment. de-
manding from the chauffeur Cor rather
from his legs. for the speaking part Of
him was far under his carr how long II
would take TO repair the damage.
II depends on what they can do AT
Duntries,' said the man testify. Il told
you what it would be, breaking her heart
over this rattle-trap free toon. Now.
nobody but Penman can put this right.
and for him YOU must go 90 Dumfries"
The inspector joined them. leaving the
disgusted driver in charge Of his damaged
car. privately resolving 20 put on the
eX's which Incubus K Co. would have
to pay-lncubus or another. he dld not
care whose long as somebody suffered
The three men hurried forward They
gained the top Of the opposite hill. For
Al Rutherfords Monument the road cork
screws up and down In "A big capital s.
No one was 10 be seen. however-only IN
the distance Phil spied a tiny yellow
streak on the morass II was at least a
mile away.
All else about them was empty with
the wide moOrland stiffness which goes
(fgfTuCFurrfr p,
Lilies, from the Back Shore to the but
Tesses OF Little Queensberry. They
went forward at a run. Two tracks
were now perfectly apparent-the heavier
Mercedes planing directly forward like an
eagle in flight. the lighter yellow car,
having got out Of hand from the ignor-
ance OF the driver or the roughness of
the road, had swooped this way and that
in short dashes. Ike bird closely pur-
sued
Phirs legs began 10 tell. He dreew
away in front-the inspector was rluch
older-Walter Grinding both old and
stouter
Take carer' shouted the inspector.
don't run your head into trap If II
comes 20 taking them, We shall need
three, at least-now that Fox and Frost
have gone off or a wild goose chase"
But Phil was far beyond any taking of
advice With his clear young eyes he
could now see the overturned yellow
car, lying all abroad as on a scrap-heap
the fine upholstery scraped away I'm its
tumble over the rocky bank. beneath
which the steam brawIed.
In falling the petrol had escaped.
caught fire, famed up, and burned a cir
Gle on the heath, TN stopped by a long
moss-hag in which the water slept deep
and black A light haze OF smoke hung
all about Ike a pail
But Phil saw no living creature. The
others came up, and Walter Grinding
and the detective examined the yellow
car with attention.
She has been struck from behind "
said the inspector. after a careful ex-
animation.
Rlmmed. by Jove" shouted Grinding
as he pointed out where the nose of the
big Mercedes had taken the lighter
French car and tilted il. Ike a feather
over the slope.
Il have a brother In the navy" he Ax-
claimed with pride in the use Of the cor
rect term.
But neither underneath nor anywhere
about did they find the least trace of
Casimir or James Kahn. No well-lined
coat OF fur was in the car packed with |
o1nknotes. nor could they find anything
among the still hot heather roots. on the /
blackened and pOwdery peat
But, somehow, Phil Calmont was not /
satisfied. Parallel 10 the road ran a long
deep moss-hag or deep open ditch. its /
sides OF crumbiing peat, and the cleft 1
or nullah filled halfway I'D with water |
black as ink. This Phil sklrted running
at speed. 1t was no more than a couple /
OF hundred yards in length, but as he I
went he became conscious that other
had followed the same margin /
not SO long ago. Moisture was slowly
oozing up into the deep-trodden. mossv /
tracks. He edged off so as not 10 mix /
them. And at the northern end. behind 1
4 tuft Of fern and yellowish-gray bent
grass. Phil stumbled quite unexpectedly.
He went down headlopg. Sitting up he 4
gave one look and then set up a cry of
alarm and astonishment which brought
the other two at a run to his side
What he had stumbled over was tbe
body Of James Kahn, fallen on his face
his hands stretched out as IL he had
been running hard, and bulet-hole neat
y drilled through his head. from cere-
oellum 70 the middle of his forehead.
II had been fired from behind.
TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW.