Los Angeles herald., 1909-08-01
10


AS 1 was standing in one of them,
watching the downpour, heard light
footstep, and, peering through the
gathering twilight, saw a plump, yet
pert figure, that l thought 1 had rec
ognized. She was walking away from
me, yet l knew her. 1t was Miss Healy
And she carried in one hand a heavy
black bag.
l waited till she was out of sight,
and then 1 proceeded to investigate.
And in one of the sheds l found,
screened by a large tarpaulin, yell
low motor car!
The rain detained me no longer after
that. went straight to the bank, and
as l stood dripping on the doorstep,
l heard a voice in the hall-the voice
of one of the men l had overheard
planning the robbery. Acting on the
impulse of the moment, 1 stepped into
the hall and found, as l half expected
that the voice was that of Mr.. Arthur
Locke.
So l said nothing to Mr.. Averil of
my discovery. but made some excuse
for calling at that late hour and went
to the police station.
Miss Healy, it transpired, had taken
rooms in a cottage near the deserted
farmhouse. Aided by the actual burg
lar, who was an old friend of hers, she
had hidden the motor car in the for
saken building, and was engaged in
sending the gold with which 1t was
laden to London in small quantities.
She and her companion were cap
tured, and most of the money was re-
covered. Arthur Locke loudly ex-
pressed his satisfaction at this con-
clusion-somewhat too loudly, for
echoes of what he said reached the
prisoners ears, and they promptly de-
nounced him as their accomplice,
though in reality they had fooled him
and left him in the lurch.
Locke did not make any protesta-
tions of innocence. He laid hands on
a few hundred pounds that happened to
be in the till and bolted.
1t was not long before 1 discovered
that Lettice's engagement had been her
fathers doing, and any one could see
that, although it had been a shock to
her to discover that she had promised
to marry a scoundrel, yet she was re-
lieved and glad that the engagement
was broken.
l stayed at Astonbury as long as l
could, but at last l had to go.
1 had scarcely seen Lettice since the
finding of the yellow motor car, for
had an instructive feeling that she
would want to be left alone for time;
and yet 1 shrank from the idea of 60
ing back to my lonely London lodg-
ings without something of hope to glid
my dreams of days to come.
Fortune favored me in one respect
when 1 paid my farewell visit to the
Averils. The banker was too busy to
do more than shake hands with me.
He did not offer to accompany me
into the garden at the back of the
bank premises, where his daughter was
sitting under a glory of clustering
roses.
please don't rise" 1 called out as 1
hurried up to her. you make such a
pretty picture-the roses and you to-
gether-that / can't bear the idea of
disturbing you"
She blushed and looked confused for
a moment, but laughed as she gave me
her hand.
81 am afraid that is a compliment"
she said, with mock gravity.
please forgive me this time," said l.
II will this time, but, please, don't do
it again."
You shouldn't tempt me so, them" I
said, with an aggrieved air, seating my
self beside her on the rustic seat.
"Again-already!" she cried, holding
up an accusing finger.
81 will be more careful, really"
said; and then for while neither of
us cared to speak.
81 must go back to London tomor-
row." l said at last.
$50 soon?" she breathed, and though
she did not lift her eyes from the gauzy
stuff between her fingers, l could see
that her breath came faster.
Eyes, my holiday has come to an
end"
''What a good thing it is you hap
nened to come herel" she cried. 'If