Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1910-08-12
ing spell that put her recovery back
for weeks.
CHAPTER XVII.

traded experiences.
Think, Betty, think hard" urged
Larry what was 1t that stole you
that night, or who, and why?"
Tell me the whole story again"
unused the perplexed Betty. My brain
has slipped revolution"
So the boys recounted to her the
night in the Directory Hotel AS they
proceeded Betty's eyes widened, her
iacs paled, and in her eagerness she
paced the floor excitedly.
Oh, yes, yes, 1 remember now" she
SAID. i went into her room-what do
you say her name is-Mrs. Harcourt? =?
yes! Well, went in there and l pre-
tended I was i'll. And then she tele-
phoned to the clerk and begged him to
send up and get me, and then l ran,
ran as fast as could, and at the cor
ner-and then-well, bumped into
something soft and furry, and-and-
don't laugh. but it smelt and felt the
same as that horrid, horrid beast-the
Man-Aperilla, you know! And l don't
know any more except being sick, as
told you, and waking up on board
oAAo SCIlln6
Now who could that lie Malheu-
reux have been?" asked Larry, and
why did they want to steal your"
Maybe it was Benoni," suggested
Johnny. He took us to her, maybe he
brought her here"
"Oh, Benoni!" called Larry. did you
steal this girl?"
Benoni clinched his hands at the
suggestion. Il steal herr" he ragged.
And l with a wife!"
Nonsense" said Betty. He does
not talk like lie Malheureux, and-well
] don't feel the repulsion for him
had for LIE Malmeureux. l don't know
what it was, can't explain it. I shiv-
er still"
Perhaps it was Man-Aperilla who
stole you. Betty" volunteered Johnny.
You remember you went out to the
park for the Inquirer with a photo
grapher to get the brute's picture.
Have you forgotten? Perhaps he fell
in love with your charms, and stole
you to make you his bride, like Larry
here is going to do"
He might have stolen me-" admit
ted Betty, 'but, Johnny, don't be nom
sensical!"
About what?" asked Johnny.
About Larry marrying you? A man
doesn't risk his fool neck like Larry's
done for you if he isn't going to marry
the woman at the end of the risk"
We'll, but you did it," retorted Bet
ty.
Il know, but 1 had a wife to start
out with, and felt 1 ought to get Larry
tied up, too. Besides, l think it will
be joke to assist at the wedding. oh,
l know Larry hasn't asked you yet, but
then he's afraid to He's planning TO
just carry you off,"
I'm going to draw the line at be-
ing abducted twice, till 1 get a prodi-
gals return on the strength of the
first kidnapping" laughed Betty. do
you suppose that the Man-Aperilla
could have stolen me? And if so, why?
I'd like to find LIE Malheureux, perhaps
he'd tell me. The why of things as
they are is troubling me-"
We're going to find LIE Malheureux
right now," said Meta. eff we don't
w ~ hSNCi OuISclNcS again. we
must make haste out of here, Miss
Lancey."
"Oh. call me Bettista, like you have
DONE" begged Betty, mimicking the
name Meta had given her in the days
of their broken dialect. Il like it bet
ter"
Anything, only make haste" eau
toned Benoni. I'VE cannot take you
women where we men have gone.
Time is life just now"
Meta aided Betty to don some heavy
wraps of panther skin. brought her
stockings and the dancing slippers, 50
economically used because they were
the only shoes the American girl pos
sessed and her feet were not Injured 10
the hard ground and cold stones like
Metas. Benoni had slowed some pro-
visions in leather wallet and Meta
carried similar bag heavy and hard |
What have you there, my wife?"
questioned the black.
"A few of the Jewels" she answered,
Il thought we might need them. No.
there are not many left"
They were an odd cavalcade. Be-
noni was at the head of the process
sion, then Johnny, close behind him.
Betty, with City Editor Burton tus
ging at leash, then Larry, and la
Of all Meta. Each of the men carried
a pistol, and Meta had put tiny re
volver into Betty's hand. They went
down the steps, retracing their way
along the same corridors down which
Tyoga had brought Betty so MANY
weeks before. In the lower passage
hree pigeons flew out and rested on
Betty's shoulder, lowering there an in
slant. then darting away, up towards
he raingray sky.
The boat that awaited them was Z
smaller model of the yacht that had
'orne Betty across seas. and of less
elaborate construction. Benoni disap.
,eared below deck to location similar
o the one where LIE Malheureux had
,een wont to station himself. Betty.