The Delta independent. [volume] (Delta, Colo.) 1886-19??, 1911-08-04

DrOugnam sped westward. BrltZ knew
he was headed for the Hudson. Had
not his blindfolding convinced him his
life was not In peril, he might have
thought his captors were hurrying
him to the river to make an end OF
him. He continued counting the
blocks until, wheeling sharply to the
right, the horses headed north. and
a change in the sound of their hoofs
betrayed that they had left the as
phalt and were on the macadam
again.
THE Drive," Britt told himself
with slight glow of satisfaction. The
distance travelled from the park. the
change of direction, and the altered
pounding of the highsteppers' hoofs
could mean but one thing; the vehicle
was bowling along the beautiful Riv-
erside concourse New Workers. have
come to appreciate only in recent
years.
1t was at that point Britt made his
first mistake of the trip. The latch
of the left door was Jared loose by
an uneven crossing, and the detective
felt the door give slightly against his
shoulder He sensed In an eyeflash
the door had not swung open. Prob
ably an end of the rug had caught
under it suffi GENTLY to hold it shut
SUIT it undoubtedly was unfastened,
nd that evidently without the knowl-
edge OF his captors. Had any of the
three noticed the unlatching of the
loor, he would have drawn it close i'm
.nediately. There was momentary
danger of that. There was not mo-
nent to spare. Britt had little time
or thought. With a powerful contor-
ion of his wiry frame he threw OF
the men above him long enough to
fling himself against the door.
Britt reckoned on the likelihood
that his fall from the carriage would
be seen by a patrolman-at any rate,
that his attempt at escape would
cause commotion sure to result In
police interference. He did not ex-
pect to get away unaided; he was
bound too securely for that 1t was
more than possible bad bruises, If not
broken bones. would be among the
consequences He was willing to take
that chance rather than to hazard in
definite captivity with the great Mis-
sioner diamond mystery unsolved. In
the very moment of hurting himself
against the door, nothing was strong
er in his mind than yearning to see
the Swami. He felt he positively
must chat with that mysterious per
sonage about diamonds and steel
safes, and other things. Until he
made the Orientals acquaintance, his
social development would be stunted
The detective omitted from his reck-
oning the astuteness and readiness OF
his captors. He thought the surprise
Ringing on his desperate attempt at
escape would be of sufficient duration
to let him roll to the road. He was
shocked mentally as we'll as physical
ly therefore, when his fall was stopped
with jerk, and the back of his head
struck with cruel force against the
carriage step. Just for seconds
flight, reinforced steel and rubber
though he was, he lost consciousness.
When his senses returned, he was in
the same position-head dangling,
shoulders resting against the rods Of
the step, back bent painfully over the
steel-shod threshold of the carriage
floor, legs inside. gripped in hold
not all his struggles could break. His
ankles still we're bound. So, for that
matter, were his wrists, with his
hands behind him. The scarf bandag-
ing his eyes had slipped partly to his
forehead, so that he could see a little;
but, in his upside-down position, he
could not see the sidewalk; only the
treetops and the dusk line Of the
Palisades were in his line of vision.
The gag was fixed as firmly as ever
He tried to call for help, but the cry
was smothered in his throat.
Then began as strange a struggle
as any in which Britz had engaged IN
all his exciting career. The men II
the cab strove to pull him inside; he
battled against their efforts Bount
though his hands were. his fingers
were twined tightly about the steI
rods. He had grip on the rods al
powerful as that with which one o
his captors held his ankles. Thu
crossing of his hands to bind hi
wrists had made his hold only tn
frmer. All the leverage of eacl
sinewy wrist strengthened the Other
The rods were so small they hurt hi
hands, but unless they broke his gri
could not be loosened. Britt clutche
them with an iron resolve not to b
drawn into the brougham again. SAT
though his life might have been at tn
outset he was not certain 1t would
secure after his daring defiance of tn
odds against him. He still knew mott
ing of his captors Even their nation
ality was problematical, to say notl
, ing of their purpose. He felt that hi
grip on the rods might be his las
hold on existence-and Britz, in an
stage of his career, would have sal