The Delta independent., 1910-12-30
THE GIRL
AND
The Bill

for nothing besides the papers!
"Where?" repeated Arima.
Il haven't them" said Orme You
ought to know that by this time"
The answer was a torturing pres
sure on Orme's spine You tell"
Missed Arima.
AS the pressure increased Orme's
suffering was SO keen that his senses
began to slip away. He was gliding
Unto state In which all consciousness
!centered hazily around the one :harp
point of pain
Then. suddenly he was released.
For moment he staggered Imply.
but his strength surged back, and he
Twas able to see how the situation had
changed.
The girl had swung her car in c!o-
ser to the edge of the grove and nearer
Ito the struggling figures Doubtless
she had some idea of helping. But
the effect of the change in tbs posi-
;hon of her car was to permit the
searchlight of the other car to throw
s1ts bright beam without interruption
down the road. And there, perhaps
so feet to the southwark, cleaned
something white
The girl could not see 1t, for her
icar was headed north But Arima
saw 1t. and In flash he realized what
1T was. The papers lay there at the
side Of the road. where Orme had
tossed them a moment before the two
cars met
There had been no other way to
dispose of them. II the car from the
north had stopped at different angle,
or II the other car had not moved. the
light would not have shone upon them.
and the Japanese might not have sus-
,pected where they were. Or, II Orme
had tossed them a few feet farther to
one side. they would have been out of
the range Of the light But there they
lay
Arima leaped toward them. Even
as he started. figure appeared at the
other side Sf the road and walked to-
ward the cars. 1t was a man with
brass buttons and policemans he'll
met. He walked with authority and
he held stout club in his hand.
What's goin' on here?" he demand
ed
Artma stopped in his tracks.
To Orme. at this moment. came the
smemory of the girls desire to avoid
publicity. Nothing wrong" he said.
The policeman stared I've been
iwatchin' you from over there" he said.
1T looks like nothin wrong, with men
ifghtin' all over the ground"
: Just little trial of strength" ex.
,plained Orme.
| Trial Of strength, hey?"
''Well." admitted Orme. this man"
pointing to Arima-"wanted some
thing that l had. It's not = matter
for the police"
"Oh. 1t amt? Somebody's been
hurt" He gestured with his club to-
ward the shadows where the three
injured men were slowly coming back
to their senses.
Not seriously" said Orme.
We'll see about that later" replied
the policeman decidedly.
Orme tried to carry the affair OF
boldly. Every moment of delay now
threatened defeat for him. There Is
nothing serious" he said. They have
done me no real harm. But the young
lady and shall be obliged to you.
II you will keep these Japanese here
us. but l don't wish to make . COM
Iplaint against them" :
The policeman showed new interest.
He glanced at Arima. Japanese" he
exclaimed. There was one slugged
on the campus last night. I guess
you'll have to come along with me-"
"Nonsense!" protested Orme. Just
because somebody hit Japanese over
the head last night" ;
"Ah, you know about that, do you?
'No"-as Orme made a movement
stand where you are" He drew his
revolver.
During this colloquy. Arima had
edged nearer and nearer to the papers.
Orme's sudden step was involuntary :,
1t was due to the fact that he hSd seen
Arima stoop swiftly and pick up the
papers and thrust them into his
pocket
Keep quiet" continued the police
man. And you. there"-he nodded
toward Arima-"come here"
ArIma nesitated. but the muzzle OF
the revolver turned toward him. and
he came and stood a few feet away.
There's somethin' mighty funny
about this" continued the policeman.
"Well Just get into one OF these cars
and go to the station"
This man and me?" asked Orme.
He had visions of no great difficulty
In satisfying the questions Of the local
justice, but he knew that an arrest
would mean delay. perheps Of hours.
And Arima had the papers.
'"I n can that man. and you. and the
woman. I'll send some one Tor the
Others If you're the fellow that die
the sluggin' on the campus last night
you won't get away from me again."