The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-14
THE EVENING STORY
Ending Her Freedom.
(By Richard Barker Shelton.


weather or foul, hot or cold, HoIroyd
invariably breakfasted out of doors
while he was at The Birches-and
stumbled through the open French
window into the library. He caught
up the telephone from the table and
shouted a rather impatient "Hello!"
into it,
"Hello!" came an anxious voice
from the other end of tho wire. rs
that you, Jimmy?''
| Yes, Who is this? Oh. you. Anne."
said he as he recognized the voice of
his cousin, Mrs, DeImar. what on
earth are you calling me up at this
tlme OF the morning for? What?
trouble over there. What sort of
trouble? Has Billy sneezed this morn
| ing? Is that it?''
| Listen, Jimmy, and don't attempt
any of your silly humor just now"
the agitated voice admonished. What
DO you suppose that crazy child has
done now?"
Mora, of course"
What crazy child?"
"Oh." said Holroyd, not without a
sardonic chuckle as he realized Anne
referred to Tom Delmar's niece. Nora
Ormand. who was spending two weeks
at the Delmar place. and who was
incidentally keeping .1rs. Delmar on
the verge of a nervous breakdown in
the meantime.
What has she done, Anne? Set the
of the dogs?"
will you be serious. Jimmy?" his
cousins voice demanded, Its no time
for levity. She has gone for a gallop''
there was an impressive pause-"on
Blackf1re," came the finish in tremu-
lous tones.
"what?" Holroyd shouted in un-
belief.
Don't you understand? I tell you
she has gone for a gallop on Black
IA Wa ur1xy hi amir
and she went out to the stable and
bribed Tim into saddling that brute
for her. The cook saw her starting
out and so Nora bribed the cook. too,
not to tell me; but when she was gone
over an hour. Jenny grew alarmed
and has just come to me. and told me
the whole thing; and Toms away in
town and I can't find Tim anywhere
around the place.. and goodness only
knows what may happen to her on
that horse! Even Tom himself is bit
afraid of him. For heavens sake,
Jimmy. see il you can't find her. That
brute has probably thrown her some
where, and"
,Holroyd waited for no more. For
all his lazy exterior. he was a man of
marked decision. His unfinished
breakfast on the porch, the engrossing
article he had been reading in mag
azine as he slipped his coffee. even his
omnipresent cigarette case was for
gotten, as he ran out of the library
and crossed the trim yard to the lit
tie garage.
In>a trice he had jumped hatless,
into the low black road car. ard was
whirling down the drive towards the
roads at a furious pace.
Nora Ormand had gone out on
Observation-Disclosures, a brute that had
a reputation extending over three
counties for his vicious temper and his
proneness to attempt murder on who
ever was bold enough to perch on his
sleek back. f@
Just why the girl should have
she had been at the Deimars with this
widest one of them all, Holroyd did
not attempt to argue with himself;
but it was eminently like her. he told
himself grimly
She had gone for gallop on Black
fire; that was enough to make him
set his teeth and groan inwardly. And
more than probably, somewhere be-
meath that placed autumn morning
sky Nora Ormand was-was-Hol- |
royd was afraid to think OF the pos
sibilities.
Where had she gone? That was the
most important question of the mo-
ment. Up the mountain road, most
probably; and with that point decided
to his satisfaction, he swung the
speeding car into the road that led up
the slope.
He gave the car full speed and
went up the winding, narrow road at
pace that set the car rocking Graz
lily. Then as he swung a sharp curve
he saw her. sitting on a rock by the |
roadside. Her hat was gone; her hair !
was rump1ed; her brown riding skirt |
was covered with dust and badly torn |
There was a cut just above her left |
temple.
The black car came to an abrupt |
halt Holroyd sprang out and stood |
before her, amazed, relieved and
rather angry.
"This is just about the limit" he
snapped.
She favored him with one of her be-
wildering smiles. ''It was glorious,"
she said with enthusiasm. He would |
MT have thrown me at all, If hadn't |
been careless. I was rather overcon-
hdent. thought had all the ginger |
out of him, for put him to this slope |
at a tremendous pace. And because I |
was overconfident he did the trick
you've scared Anne half out of her
wits said he, severely
Anne hasn't much spirit she re-
turned.
"Quite true. But you have rather
too much" he snapped.
She raised her eyebrows in mild re-
proof. Perhaps 1 shouldn't have done
it, but the temptation was too great. |
and I should have been all right If I |
hadn't been careless. I have ridden |
How long have you been here?"
"a half hour. perhaps
You had better get into the car. pllI
take you back. There is no need of !
worrying Anne any longer than we can
reasonably help
She turned away her head and her
face flushed.
81 think you'll have to put me in the |
car" she said haltingly. you see when
he threw me, my ankle twisted I can't |
step on it."
Good Lordt' said Holroyd under his |
breath. Then silently he lifted her in |
his arms and put her in the road car.
Down the mountain road they 1
whirled. Holroyd's lips were set tight |
w toeet her. hut raoxu and thor, L.