The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1911-09-30
CHAPTER X.
a wild Ride.

A Wild Ride.
Once he realized the futil1ty OF re
sistance, Brttz busted himself with Ell
forts to get line on his direction. he
was in an ordinary brougham, drawn
by a pair of housekeeping horses lie
was lying on the floor, but on plle
of rugs. The silk scarf with which
he had been fastened had been loosed
from his neck, only to be drawn tlght-
ly about his mouth. A smaller strip
of silk. rolled into a ball, had beeb
thrust between his teeth, gagging him
beyond his power to utter a cry. HIS
wrists and ankles were bound with
similar scarves. He was as helpless
as If In the electric chair. His me-
it might be, depended on his seif-con-
troll and resourcefulness.
In the faint light that flashed from
time to time through the windows or
the brougham as it whirled past park
lamps, Britz saw that all three OF his
captors were dark Of feature and litne
of form. One moment he was con-
WINGED there was something foreign
/ in the appearance CT the men. Inc
next, he was less certain they were
not American. A h. Wklike sharpness
of profile, however, lz'clined him more
strongly to the formes belief He had
seen recently, he thought, face that
tn such a light would resemble those
bending above hin. AS he was str1v-
| ing to recall it, and the circumstance
surrounding 1t, ] a fourth scarf was
passed about his eyes and knotted
behind his head The silken strip was
4 light In texture, but folded SO many
/ times that he could not see the dim,
NEST glimmer Of light.
Britt focused his forces on the task
OF ascertaining his whereabouts and
i direction. One, two, three blocks the
Ebrougham sped westward. Britz knew
1 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 hurryins
him to the river to make an end O
him. He continued counting the
blocks until, wheeling sharply to the
right. the horses headed north, ant
change in the sound of their hoofs
betrayed that they had left the as
phalt and were on the macadan
again.
''The Drive!" Britz told himsel
with a slight glow Of satisfaction. Thu
distance travelled from the park, th'
change of direction, and the altered
pounding of the highsteppers' hoof
could mean but one thing; the vehicl
was bowling along the beautiful Riy
erside concourse New Workers hay
come to appreciate only in recen
years.
It was at that point Britt made hi
first mistake Of the trip. The late
of the left door was Jared loose b
an uneven crossing, and the detectiv
, felt the door give slightly against hi
shoulder. He sensed In an eyefas
:, the door had not swung open. Pro1
. ably an end Of the rug had caugh
). under it sufficiently to hold it shu
, But it undoubtedly was unfastenet
! and that evidently without the know
edge Of his captors. Had any Of tn
three noticed the unlatching of th
= door, he would have drawn 1t close in
mediately. There was momentar
a danger of that. There was not NJ
q me-t to spare. Britz had little tim
q for thought. With a powerful conto
+ ton of his wlry frame he threw o
v the men above him long enough
= fling himself against the door.
= Britt reckoned on the likeliho<
r. that his fall from the carriage won
o be seen by patrolman-at any rat
that his attempt at escape wou
% cause commotion sure to result
d police interference.
it The detective omitted from his rec
D. oning the astuteness and readiness
Or his captors. He thought the surpri
Ringing on his desperate attempt
n escape would be OF sufficient durati'
le to let him roll to the road. He w
IS shocked mentally as well as physic
at ly, therefore, when his fall was stopD
r. with Jerk, and the back of his he
7e struck with cruel force against t
re carriage step. Just for a secont
IT, fight, reinforced steel and rubb
e, though he was, he lost consciousne
Is When his senses returned, he was
the same position-head dangli1
er shoulders resting against the rods
k the step, back bent painfully over t
steelshod threshold Of the carrfa
ag floor, legs inside, gripped in a hi
not ali his struggles could break. T
to ankles still were bound. So, for Il
ar- matter, were his wrists, with
Or, hands behind him.
le- Then began as strange q strug,
,ly as any in which Britz had engaged
re all his exciting career. The men