Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-15
A Romance OF the Secret Service
BY GEORGE GIBBS
Author OF THE Flaming Sword. ="
''AIadcsp.' etc.

lie was playing. And what was ne go-
ing TO do tonight that made II necessary
rack House alone?
Bewildercd ana weary with excite
ment and much thinking. che gave II up.
and as In a daze set her mind TO the
Hli .IiM rode on inland searching for
the old sheep trail as Cyr'l had de-
scribed II to her. but as the minutes
went by and she did not find II she be-
gan to think that she must have passed
II IN the darkness. She had ridden at
a walk for hours II seemed keeping as
she thought IN a direction which would
surely lead her to "A road toward the
Nill. but she realized now that she was
lost on the-uroor and that II might he
morning before she would find her way
70 Betty Heathcote's. She stopped her
horse and peered in every direction,
Nothing but the undulations of the moor.
hill aud dale dead tree outlined
against the sky. masses of rock un-
rOuth In form. bushes which whispered
In the wind the babbe Of a tsrn some
where behind her. though she had not
remembered pas ing IT, There were no
the heavens, for the stars had gone out
After a long while she wondered vaguely
what time II was. She had no watch.
hut II seemed that a paleness like that
which precedes the dawn had spread
along the sky--thoush II hardly seemed
possible IL could be 9o late as that.
Three four o'clock she thought II might
be.--perhape later. The ono thing that
the hone that Wilson had obeyed or
dcrs and kept Lady Hcathcotc in igno-
runcc OF her abseuce.
She was startled by her horse. which
without moving. had stretched his neck
and whinnied loudly. He, too had real
lied the almlessness of their wander
inRs and wanted the warm stalls at the
I<ilmorac; stables. Doris tried TO think
what was best to d.. All sense Of di-
rection was gone and she was beyond
even the sound OF the sea At last she
dec ded to try slieht eminence and see
N she could make out the bulk of BEN
a-Chielt, but a mist had fpllen. and
when she reached the height she was no
wiser than before Fortunately: II was
not cold, and II she did not fall from
the saddle I'm utter wearincss daylight
would show her way. She got down
from her horse and. fastening him to
a bush. walked to and fro to keep awake.
waiting fo- the day. for at sunrise she
could make her way toward the east
until she reached the coast after which
by following the cliffs to tho right she
would rcacl the Lodge and from there
the way 20 Nilmorack House.
She had grown accustomed to the
silences and now and then paused In her
pacing to stop and listen. She thought
she heard a sound different from the
dueu murlnur. which. az she listened
grew In Intensity until she clearly made
II out to he the quick reverbcrations OF
q motor, running with its cut-out open
u was coming fast. and In a moment a
long fan of light shot across the sky
from below the brow of a distant nil
and then fell suddenly to earth. where II
picked out the shapes of trees and
bushes along what appeared to he it's
road. The motor was not travelling to-
ward her, but at anglo Nyhisb yrpntI
make II pass near hcr. hut quickly as
she mounted and rode toward Il she
was unable even to come within eur-
shot before the mlr',ina had passed
and was lost to sight In III" d stance. 1t
had nat gone by SO rapidly that Doris
had rot been oble - make out on n
rise OF ground against the sky tho
profile of roadster and the shapes
OF two men. Cyril and Stryker There
could be no doubt of II. for the body OF
| cvrifs car was familiar to her and the
chances Of any other machine tinC
abroad IN this locnlltv at this !:.,ur ".a-c
remot" indeed. Where were they going !?
IN which direction?. Toward Saltham
Rocks or northward? She did not know.
but decided TO take the chance and fol-
low. She reached the road without diff
hc'llty--a trail II appeared to he with
well-detined wheel tracks and the marks
OF hoots. She pressed her horse on
ward in the wake Of the speeding ma
chine. not to overtake II. but to reacn n
destination OF some sort which would
be better than the utter loneliness of
the desolate moor. the silence and inac-
ton of which made her a prey to un-
happy thoughts. Her horse was willing.
and ms the going was good broke into
brisk trot which for while kept
the glow Of the swinging searchlight Of
the machine in sight. But presently
that, too. disappeared and all was as
before
Dawn on her right---that meant the
cast. She was riding north. than, North
--and to what destination? She had rid
den this road with Cyril. but never to
its end, which as she knew was among
the inhosptable crags Of Rudha Nor.
wild spot unfrequented by any ex-
cept Cyrils gamekeepers.
What was Cyrils errand IN the night
to such place when everything that
had happened would seem to indicate
the necessity for his immediate return
to London? The same kind OF curiosity
that had made her open the package
OF cigarette papers against Cyr.ls
guest to its end Sac forgot that she had
had 10 sleep all night and little the
night before. OF physical weariness now
she seemed to have none. and In the
growing light she urged her tired horse
forward into hard gallop which cover
ed the miles swiftly She came to the
cllffs ana saw the sea. passed inland
again. The going was rougher here. less
WnNis, Wlliic
TO her left the hills were split by crags
which protruded in fantastic shapes. like
heads Of prisoned monsters Of the un-
derwcrld which had forced their way up
through the crust of the earth to the
Hight OF day. 1t was curious The trail
was well worn here as II had been be-
fore and there were signs of much
hauling; What was going on at Rudha
for she saw that the road wound up the
rocks and fell away rapidly into deep
gorge. the further side of which she
could see. dimly colored with the
thought must be nearly the end of her
ride. She did not know what was In store
for her and was doubtful as to her
wisdom. but she was eaten with curios-
ity. and dismounted led her horse slowly
TO the lip of the gorge and peered over.
What she saw made her gasp She drew
quickly back tethered her horse to a
bush and came forward again. Near by,
under shed built on the brink OF the
cliff. was, Cyril's roadster. but OF Cyril
and Stryker she saw no sign. Beneath
her feet the cliffs fell away rapidly by
easy steps, down which she marked a
well-worn footpath. The bottom OF the
gorge Was OF rock and sand shelving
gradually toward the sea and fairly In
It's middle. built strongly OF rough lum-
Der, she saw shed with wide doors
which even now were open-a large
hangar from which as she looked sew
eral figures wheeled forth a huge air
plane-to a platform of planks which ex-
| tended for long way toward the sea
From distance 1t was difficult to judge
is measurements. but by comparison
with the heights of the men Doris knew
that she had never seen a machine so
large. As the east grew lighter she could
see Cyril plainly. He came out of the
hangar dressed In leather. gave some
orders which made the other figures
hurry and series of deafening ea-
ploslons from the engine as they tuned
i up" gave Doris sense Of immediate
fascinated. her interest. In the size OF
this huge toy and its possibilities making
| separate mind-picture which SUPER
| all hat hal