The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-12-16


lamps We're out and no CLEAN from the
house was visible. The door OF the
car stood open. one of the men beside
it; and Miriam strained her ears for
the sound of approa ching footsteps.
Presently they came, the short. patter-
ing footsteps she was expecting. The
swathed bulk of Mrs. Sanderson with
the smaller but not less rotund form Of
fraulein beside her, doomed through the
gloom as patches darker still With
relief surging at her heart, Miriam got
out of the car and went toward them.
! Here YOU are. my comrades" she
said speaking in German. but very
low These are my friends. the com
rades | told you about. Is everything
| done? Are we free to start?"
! Everything is DONE replied frau
| lein. that is to say, everything is in
| readiness. Charles had nothing to do
but set the bomb and see that Fritz
does his work properly, then they will
come and join us in London In time
to get away while il is still early
morning"
And everyone else? The English
Are they all in bed?" asked Miriam.
Yes. they are In bed. wish l could
have given them all the same sleeping
dranght | gave to Miss Myrtle, but |
do not doubt they will sleep sound
enough without il. They will sleep the
sleep from which they will never awak-
en-" and the ecstacy in fraulein's voice
thrilled oddly through the darkness.
Come. come" urged Mrs. Sanderson.
do not let us talk here. Let us get
away. II has to he done tonight. but
couldn't bear to see it; let us get far
away as quickly as possible"
You are right. We must not waste
time" said Miriam. See. you two sit
here AS far back as possible. Herr
Schmidt will sit opposite you and his
friend by me. The luggage In already
on the root"
The two women took their places in
the car and Miriam and Herr
Schmidt" tucked rugs around them so
deftly that the throwing OF them off
would not be very easy matter. Then
Miriam took her place at the wheel
again. Her heart had left Off racklne
her with its heavy beats. Now that
the time for action had come she Eel,
cold and calm. Her pulses were UNI
hurried, her brain clear. II had been
the waiting that tried her so severely
She switched ON the head lamps and
started the CIR. and the next moment
they were running silently out on to
the high road
The road down to Eastermouth was
not very good. and short as the way
was Miriam was most anxious that no
c0ntretemps such as a burst tire should
: delay them.
Surprising. for instance. that Charles
and Fritz managed to escape from the
house and come up with them upon
tn" road; she and the detectives would
be outnumbered and the whole gang
might manage to escape In the car. II
was an extreme supposition but Mir
lam knew that 1t was well to think
of everything as far as possible.
Accordingly she drove carefully aiont'
the precipitous and heavily rutted
roads. the soil of which was sticky
from recent rains. The police station
had of course been warned OF their
coming, and as Eastermouth being IA
seaside town, was in complete dark
ness, Miriam had no fear that the
scene would attract too much notice.
All was certainly going well. and yet
1t seemed to her that as the car de
seconded the winding road her spirits,
too. dropped in ratio with the descent.
II was true that she carried with her
IN the car two would-be murderesses,
but she carried also their trust and
confidence. which she had lied excess
lively hard to attain. Under the cir
cumstances she really did not mind
betraying their trust and confidence
IN the least. What she minded was
the sea of her own lies she had had
to wade through. IL the matter had
rested with her she would have had
the whole household arrested directly
, after the affair of the shot pigeon. She
mad none of Brent's enjoyment in bal
ancing on tight rope over an abyss
The sooner the whole thing was over
and settled the better she would be
pleased, and then would follow for her
one of those little Gains during which
she tried to make herself believe she
enjoyed her we'll earned repose, but
which only lasted until the Unsuitable
desire for action was too strong for
her again.
Miriam coaxed the car round the
: sharp turn that led into one OF the.
by streets of Eastermouth. and, slow
ing down. drove cautiously along 1t to-
ward where the CLEAN OF a red light
WAN
awaiting them. The next moment she
: stopped the car in front OF the omen
4 door.
What is the matter" asked frau
; iein, sharply. leaning forward There
~ nothing gone wrong with the car
J. has there"
NO, nothings wrong with the car .
n replied Miriam. half turning round in
u her seat and slipping her hand into the
big pocket OF her Overcoat till she fel,
y her fingers close over the butt of he,
l. small but very useful revolver. I'VE
o have arrived at our journeys end
n that's all"
= What do you mean?" asked Mrs
u Sahderson, Have you some new
j. plan? Ach, - she ended in "A screa n
y for she saw that the car had bee,
n quietly surrounded by police.
y Miriam said nothing because sh,
n could not think of anything to say. l
" seemed to her that the car was charge,
N full OF fear and hate and rage which
lG We're almost tangible thiuuu hoos,~