The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-04-07

~ Voo y ivy " b1SessSe
of the roadway, he went his way In the
end with curiosity unsated: Fate had
reserved that card for q higher pur-
pose.
Undisturbed, 1t lay where 1t had
fallen, face upward. not q dozen feet
from the front door Of the Mountain
house, until another day dawned on
Mesquite.
Then, in the clear light OF that dawn,
four more strangers struggled into
town-two weary and haggard men,
two footsore and bedraggled women.
One of these last was dressed In .
suit of mans clothing. much the worse
for wear.
At sight Of the Mountain house the
party betrayed slight symptoms of .
more cheerful spirit: rejoicing In it's
promise Of food and drinks and beds
withal wherein to sleep, the four
quickened their steps.
But of q sudden one of the women
she who wore the garments Of her
sex-paused. uttered low cry,
a-thrill with terror, and clutching the
arm of the man nearest her, pointed
down to the card that stared up from
the dust at her feet.
1t was q trey OF hearts.
CHAPTER xLvIl.
Full Flight.
"Oh, what can 1t mean?" Rose whis-
pered brokenly, clinging to her lovers
arm. Surely you don't think
Surely, 1t must be accidental
Surely 1t can't mean"
"Tm afraid 1t Does" Alan Law re-
sponded gravely. cycling the front OF
the Mountain house. Our luck holds
consistently-that's all. 1t wouldn't
be us II we didn't pick out the one
place where Marrophat and Jimmy
chose to stop over night. Fortunate
ly, it's early; doubt they're up.
With half a show we ought to be able
to find some way Of putting a good
distance between us and this town
before they waken TOM"
But Mr.. Barcus was already at his
elbow. in thorough sympathy with
Alan's Interpretation of the signifi.
canoe to be attached to the card that
trembled in Roses hand.
"Sharp's the world" he agreed.
And there's a motor car over there,
in front Of the blacksmith's. Prob
/ ablv We can hire her"
"Trine's carl" Alan calculated
swinging round and recognizing the
automobile at a glance. Then he's
here. as well!"
! Looks like It," Barcus admitted
"But so much the better. Wen just
naturally take the darn thing Of his
hands. and I'll bet dollar there isn't
another car within a radius Of fifty
miles! Well be well out Of these
giddy mountains long before he finds
anything to chase us with"
But his confidence was demon
strated to be premature by the dis.
covery, which rewarded the first cur.
sorry examination. that the car was
very thoroughly out Of commission.
Two minutes later, however. theiI
earnest inquiries ELECTED the fact
that. although Barcus was justified In
his surmise that the neighborins
country was poverty-stricken in re
spect Of motor cars. Mesquite itselI
boasted two motorcycles whose own
ers were not Indifferent to q chance
to sell them secondhand at a con
siderable advance on the retail lis
price Of the machines, when new.
And thus It was that. within ter
minutes from Roses discovery Of tha
chance-hung warning in the dust, tn,
party was again In rapid motion.
His hasutv s'aen aivtrrbnd bv M
departure - ~ raehira hn~-'n'
Rarcus and '~ai,h. Srreca --ir'
reused m -, how ~"i licked out o
the window i--s- " tine TO see tn,
secord motnreveie s~'hN-'ng momen
!, tun, Alan steering. Rose In the sea
behind.
Sixty seconds later Haunting ban
ner Of dust was all that remained t
. remind Mesquite that romance ha,
passed that way-that. and a serie
Of passionate screams emanatin
from the bedchamber Of Senec
. Urine. where the cripple lay posses
sed by seven devils Of insensate rage
His screams brought attendance