The Holly chieftain., 1915-06-04

risht- FlnlSh your drink. wen gel
out of this"
He bent unsteadily over Quest Sud
denly the latter sprang up, seized him
by The leg and sent him sprawling
The gun fell from his hand Quest
picked it up and held it firmly out, COW
ering both men. Gallagher was on his
knees, cropping for his own weapon.
Get the handouts on them" Quest
directed the sheriff. who with his men
had at last succeeded in forcing his
way into the saloon
Crouching in her chair. her pale
terror-stricken face supported be-
tween her hands, Lenora, her eyes
filled with hopeless misery, gazed at
the dumb instrument upon the table.
Her last CLEAN of hope seemed to be
passing. Her little friend was silent.
Once more her weary fingers spelled
out final, despairing message.
What has happened to you? am
waiting to hear all the time. Has Craig
told you where am? am afraid"
There was still no reply. Her head
sank little lower on her folded
arms. Even the luxury of tears seemed
denied her. Fear, the fear which dwelt
with her day and night. had her in
its grip. Suddenly she leaped. scream
ing, from her place Splnters of
glass fell all around her. Her first
wild thought was of release; she
sazed upwards at the broken pane.
Then very family from the street be-
low she heard the shout of a boys
angry voice:
You've done it now, Jimmy! You're
fine pitcher. amt you? Lost it,
that's what you've gone and done!"
The thoughts formed themselves
mechanically in her mind. Her eyes
sought the ball which had come crash
ing into the room. There was life
once more in her pulses. She found
scrap of paper and pencil in her
pocket. With trembling fingers she
wrote few words:
Police headquarters. am Sanford
Quests assistant, abducted and i'm
prisoned here in the room where the
ball has fallen. Help! | am going
mad!"
She twisted the paper, looked
around the room vainly for string, and
finally tore thin piece of ribbon
from her bosom. She tied the mes
| sage round the ball. set her teeth and
threw it at the empty skylight. The
| first time she was not successful and
the ball came back. The second time
| it passed through the center of the
opening. She heard it strike the sound
portion of the glass outside, heard it
rumble down the roof. A few seconds
of breathless silence! Her heart al
most stopped beating Had it rested
in some ledge or fallen into the street
below? Then she heard the boys
voice:
Gee! Here's the ball come back
again."
A new light shone into the room.
She seemed to be breathing different
atmosphere-the atmosphere of hope.
She listened no longer with horror
| for creaking upon the stairs. She
walked backwards and forwards until
she was exhausted. Curiously
enough, when the end came she was
asleep, crouched upon the bed and
dreaming wildly. She sprang up to
| find Inspector French, with a police
man behind him. standing upon the
| threshold.
Inspector" she cried, rushing to-
wards him "Mr. French! Oh, thank
Cod"
Her feelings carried her away. She
threw herself at his feet. She was
herently, all at the same time. The
inspector assisted her to chair.
Say, what's all this mean?" he de-
manded.
She told him her story, incoherent-
ly, in broken phrases. French listened
with puzzled frown.
Then he realized that she was on
the point of nervous breakdown
and in no condition for interrogations.
"That1l do" he said. "I'll take care
of you for time, young lady, and III
ask you a few questions later on. My
men are searching the house. You
and will be getting on, if you can
tear yourself away"
The plain-clothes man, who was
lounging in Quests most comfortable
easy chair and smoking one of his
best cigars, suddenly laid down his
paper He moved to the window
large, empty automobile stood in the