Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1915-02-06
CHAPTER XI.
Explosion and a "attle.


there? ?" he asked quickly. "How did
you get in?"
"Broke in" said Gafford. az
thought maybe we might be able to
use this little motor in getting away
with the girl"
$50" muttered Karloff. 81 see.
Never mind that now. My motor is
waiting down on the road. I've just
killed my chauffeur!
"Killed him 2" gasped GaHord.
"My God, man-what for? ?"
ain order that you might wear his
clothes" said Karloff coldly, turning
away. Gomez
Gafford followed him across the
track and into the grass and small
bushes which grew beside it. A
shiver gripped him at the matter-of-
fact manner in which the Russian
announced his murder of the Jap.
Karlof, leading the way, seemed to
sense his companions attitude, and
began to speak:
"There is no need 20 worry about
the chauffeur's demise, my friend. l
had no conjunction IN killing him.
We of the society, hold that a per-
sonal sin becomes justified when a
great good to the many may be
wrought thereby If we are to get
this girl and save your country and
the race of the whites, we must not
let the obstacle of one life stand in
the way. In the plan | have formed
il is necessary for you to be clothed
as my chauffeur. To obtain his uni
form while he was living would have
been impracticable, therefore he
died. These yellow men would have
no conjunction in killing US few
days from now. One may not scru-
pie too closely in ar"
GafFord caught at his mention of
Shiela.
"Then you found that l was right
about the girl?" he asked.
Eyes and no." said Karloff. "She
is there, as you felt certain, but this
Oshitu. like many men of his class,
is a surprise. He told me frankly
that he has her, but he also tells me
that he has offered her marriage
that he loves her, and would make
her MS wife"
Loves herr" stammered Gafford.
"The insufferable brute!'
"You should be glad it is So" Aar-
loft responded. at has meant much
to he"
Out of complete emotion Gafford
said no word In his heart he
breathed a prayer # thanks for what
had revolted him a moment before.
They reached the road and the
motor, where the dead man still sat
in the seat. Without a word the
Russian dragged the body from be-
hind the wheel and threw it upon the
rumble at the back. Having disposed
of il, he climbed in and sat down in
its place.
Gafford ran around and took place
at the other side. The machine
leaped into action md fled away
toward the hills. For a moment he
sat in surprised lack of understand
ing at his new turn in affairs, then:
"Where are we going 2" he in
CURED.
"To the wireless hut" replied Kar-
loft, increasing the speed
Gafford chung to the seat as the
auto swung and swayed.
"But Why" he questioned az it
righted itself.
because my plan of action leads
there" snapped Karloff. Watch
the body and see that it doesn't
bounce off. This roac is bad"
1t seemed to Gafford, in hat mo-
ment, that mailman sat at the
wheel. Narloff drove With the reck
lessness of one utterly devoid of
care.
Without doubt he had formed
some definite plan of procedure, but
to GaffOrd it was inComprehensible
Still, he bethought him, the man
ought to know the situation better
than he. He said no more, but
turned in his seat and laid steady
ing hand on the body of the dead
chauffeur, while they rushed ahead.
They reached the foot of the hills
and began to climb. The throb of
the motor was the only sound as
they mounted the grade. Karloff
threw the throttle wide open and
took the grades with rush.
The lights splashed long strips Of
brilliance ahead, and presently
showed the hut. The Russian cut off
his power and slid to a stop at it's
door.
drag the body inside and get
into its clothesv he directed as he
climbed down. He leaned back into
the car and carefully lifted out a
padlocked box.
While Karloff unlocked the door
o. the wireless hut, Gafford should
cred the body OF the chauffeur. To-
gether they went inside. Karloff set
down his box and switched on some
lights plainly fed by the plant in
the valley. Gafford laid the dead
man on the floor, and began remov-
ing the clothing he wore.
Ka;'loff opened his box, lifted out
complicated bit OF mechanism,
consisting of sextants, wires and
dials, carried it to The wireless table,
and took up pair Of wires, which
hung down from one end. These he
began TO connect With the machine
he had brought.
He worked with utter absorption.
Gafford dressing himself in the still
warm uniform of the chauffeur,
sensed that his presence was forgot
ten by the man who Lent above the
table, adjusting the creatures Of his
imagination with a touch as gentle
al a mothers.
There was love in every motion