The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-06-05
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CHAPTER XI.-Continued.
Fanchette augered no good from
that fact. She was staring out a
him from under the leaves with de
spair in her eyes, and, when h
came to the narrow track leadin,
through the trees to the bungalow
he halted there, almost opposite
her.
"Peste!" said he aloud, looking
down it as far as was possible
speaking quick French. "Whert
does that path lead to? A field, ne
doubt. What human being would
live in such wilds! Forward, then
Etienne, mon brave gar! We've the
whole afternoon to devote to oul
search. There will be time enough
to explore this later, If need be-"
He passed on, and Fanchette still
stared, but it was at his back now
Her pale lips parted and the breath
came quickly through them. Hell
bosom heaved. She started, as Il
from trance, crossed herself
wrung her hands, and fled swiftly
toward the bungalow.
Halfway up the lane she paused
a desperate scheme of escape al
ready afloat in her mind. There
was only the strangers motor, ant
her need was very urgent. In II
lay a. last rash resort, the sole
slender thread of hope that she
might yet save the situation and
with every chance against her.
Heaven help us il I'm caught al
it," said Fanchette, and pushed
through the branches behind which
the big car was hidden.
In action she soon recovered heI
self-command, became once more
cool and resourceful. The POSSIBLE
ity of success in such enterprise
was of the slightest, but, be the
upshot what it might, she was
ready to run the risk. She drove
the big touring car up to the porch
managing it without difficulty, and
left it there while she was prepar
ing for fight. In case its owner
should return inopportunely she
could explain to him that 1t had
been unsafe where he had left 1t.
1t did not take ten minutes tC
finish the light packing left to be
done, and, having dragged the
heavy baggage as far as the
kitchen, she Sc tshutters on the
windows, working with method. al
her best speed. She was wonder
fully active for a woman OF heI
years, and excitement lent her add
ed strength. When all was ready
for the road she loaded the cal
up, it's folding seats allowing heI
space sufficient. The entire per
sonal property of the bungalows
two inmtaes was much less bulky
than it might have been.
At the crucial moment, she re
membered that she must leave
word for tn eowner of the car, lest
he should think she had stolen II
outright. She sat down, trembling
with nervous impatience, and pen
ned a hurried note, assuring him
that it would be safely returned to
him at his ohtel In, Manhattan, i'm
ploring him to excuse the liberty
which she had perforce taken, tell
ing him that the key of the barn
in which the runabout was housed
might be found hanging in the out
err porch. In it. she thought, he
might well reach New. York, and
on the whole, he would not be ex
cessively inconvenienced.
This she left in an envelope
transfixed to a tree trunk where
he could not but catch sight of II
when he came for his car and
drove ON with the keys of the
empty bungalow on the seat beside
her. These she would leave In
Stormport. And the house was
clean as new pin. There need
be no notoriety or unpleasantness
about their departure-if they were
only allowed to depart.
Her heart was humping audibly
as she slowed down to take the
turn into the public road, and she
felt sure she must scream II she
should discover any man on the
open stretch there. 1t was empty
and she gulped down a great, dry
sob as she sped forward recklessly
knowing that 1t was now too late
to falter or turn back. She tool
the curves at dangerous pace
scarcely using the horn in case |,
should attract unfriendly attention
and, as she stopped at the roadside
before the bridge, sent a long,
wailing cry ringing shorewards. thu
call of q sea-bird which she had
learned as a child on the rocks ol
La Roche-Segur.
She had taught her young mis-
tress that. in provision of just such
mischance. II only the girl -sheult
have heard 1t, all might vet &c
well. So far everything had turned
out In her favor, and she must rely
On {tc rorryiuU nrwar for tho Ana