The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-04-28
LADY ATHLYNE
Copyright, 1908, by BRAM STOKER
 Entered at Stationer's HalI-AH rights reserved

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 around as though some danger threat | ened:
 What is it, Joy? What is wrong? | . ." She almost gasped out: | My father! He will be home by
 seven. It must be late in the after
 noon now and we are more than a | hundred miles from home! :" | Athlyne in turn was staggered. In his | happiness in being with Joy and talk | ing of love he had quite overlooked the ! passing of time. Instinctively he look 1 ed at Iris watch. It was now close on | TOUT o'clock. Joy was first to speak:
 "Oh do let us hurry. No one knows | where I am; and If when Daddy gets
 home and finds I am not there he | will be alarmed-and he may be upset.
 And Mother and Aunt Judy too! | Oh do not lose a moment! If we do
 not get home before they arrive :. | and Daddy finds I have been out all | day with you .. Oh, hurry, hurry!' | Athlyne had been thinking hard | whilst she spoke. and his thoughts had l been arranging themselves. His intel i ligence was all awake now.t He could see at a glance that Joys absence l might make trouble for all. Colonel | Ogilvie was a man of convepance, and | his daughter going out with him in such a way was at least unconven- tional. She must get back in time! His conclusion was reached before she I had finished speaking. His military habit of quick action asserted itself; l already he was replacing the things | in the carriage. Joy saw, and with feverish haste began to help him. When he saw her at work he ran to
 the engine and began to prepare for | starting. When that was ready he held Joys coat for her and helped her into her seat. . As he took the wheel he said as he began to back down the
 road which was hardly wide enough to | turn in:
 Forgive me, dear. It was all my selfish pleasure. But we shall do all
 we can. Bar accident we may do it:
 we have over three hours,'' He set | his teeth as he saw the struggle be- fore him. It would be a glorious run | . and there was no use forestall- | on his face. recognized the mans | strength, and was comforted. They backed into the road and sprang soutllward. Without taking his
 eyes off his work. Athlyne said: Tell me dear aae we go along all that I must bear iIf mind in speaking 1 to your father of our marriage. |" There! It was our unconsciously
 Joy thrilled. but he did not himself seem 10 notice his self-betrayal. He went on unconcernedly:
 Tt may be little uphill at first if | we do not get in line in time.'' Joy | looked Under her lashes at the strong | face now set as a stone to his work | and kept silence as to the word. She l was glad she could blush unseen. After | little pause she said in a meek voice: Very well. dear. | shall tell you 1 whenever we are on a straight bit of | road. but I will be silent round the curves" They were then flying along 1 the old coach road. The road was
 well-nlade: broad and with good sur | face and they went at a terrific pace Athlyne felt that the only chance of
 reaching Ambleside was by taking ad-
 vantage of every opportunity for speed.
 Already he knew from the mornings | Journey that there were great oppor- l tunitiss as long stretches of the road | were level and in good order and were 1 not unduly impeded with traffic. The
 motor was running splendidly, it seem ! ed as If the run in the morning had
 put every part of it in good working 1 order. He did not despair of getting to
 Ambleside in time. The train was not
 due at Windmere till seven And it | might te a little late. In any case it would take the arriving party little while to get their things together and | then drive to Ambleside. As they were Dairy he said to Joy without looking | round:
 Tt will be all right. I have been
 thinking it over. We can do it!''
 Thank God!" she exclaimed fer
 vently- She too had been thinking.
 "Stop!'
 The voice rang out imperiously: and | a policeman. stepping from behind the | OI q great D0eCn, nGlQ up ms | hand. Instinctively Athlyne began to
 slow. He shouted back "All right!'' | He had grasped the situation sand as 1 they were out Of earshot of the police man said quickly to Joy:
 We are arrested, Oh, am sorry darling. If they won't let me pay | fine and go at once you must take the l car on. I shall try to arrange that | But do be cautious dear-you are so | precious to me. If you are delayed anywhere and can't make it in time wire to your father tell him you are | motoring and have been delayed. It | will softer matters. even if he is | angry. I shall go on my train in the | morning. And darling if you are not getting on as you wish. take a train the best you cana special. Don't stop at any expense. But get on! And don't tell your name to any one, under
 any circumstances. Don't forget the telegram if delayed.' As he was speaking the car was slowing and the pantirg policeman was coming up be-
 hind. When the car stopped, Athlyne jumped out and walked towards the officer; he wanted to be as conciliatory
 as possible. l aiT very sorry, ofncer. That Deau- tiful bit of road tempted me; and be- ing all quite clear I took a skim down it ?"
 ''Ye did! Man, but it was fine! But
 I have to arrest ye all the same. Duty is duty!''
 fTo ha Continual,