Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-12-18

THEY are COming'" she easped
What can We do? Oh. Tom. | can
not let you go! viii make them
send me TOO"
heard outside the sound OF TIE
crunehlng footsteps again. Ny brief
dream OF happiness was over. They
were coming tor me.
A | heard the bolt shot back and
the door creals upon its hinges |
turned to face them. shielding my lit.
lie girl from their sight and whisper
ing oser my shoulder.
For your fathers sake. you must
nor let them SEQ YOU Good.by, sweet
heart"
And then the door was flung open
by Sam, who stepped aside out OF the
way OF his masters.
Casserta stood there smiling. Be
hind him was Lacey, looking angry
and sullen and over his shoulder
leered The ugly face of Nanoel
For several moments we stood thus
gazing at each other. Then Miguel
Casserta threw back his head and
laughed aloud, mockingY triumphant.
y, Economically. | clenchcd ms fits
as heard It.
Peal after peal OF his mirthless
cackle rang out in the still air, and |
could have cried aloud in the rage
that il stirred up in me.
II it was acting upon his part, il
was at least good acting, for he APP
pearcd to be cOnyulsed with his laugh
ter, and when he finally managed to
control himself and look at me. the
tears stood in his eyes as though his
mirth had made him almost hvsterical
He repressed another spasm, and
walking slowly into the hut, stopped
just within the door and made me a
low, conrtly bow.
"Ah, senior" he said. 1--WE meet
again. We seem destined to meet al
ways in strange and outof-the.way
places and under circumstances that
make il impossible for us to enter IN
on a closer fri"~' =. Y,u thought /
was marco1 back there on that
lonel' -..r Wen. rYsnt
f. , uy plane and here am
L"sey stepped forward and Lid bis
E,nd upon Cassertas arm.
"Cut that out" he commended
sharply. you may have your way
with him to a certain extent, but
won't stand by and see YOU rub it in
any more than is necessary"
He turned to me with an expression
Of genuine sorrow upon his handsome
face
'Cafrigan," he said. you proba
bly want no sympathy from me, but
before am forced to turn YOU over 10
these men, want to assure you that
have done everything in my power
to save you But am outyoted and
outnumbered here
Il offered to give up part OF my
share ii they would let YOU go if
they would make use of you Just
enough to implicate you. and so make
you keep quiet in the future; but Gas.
serta has sworn 10 get you, and he Is
backed by the Others, SO, old man, ii
il sood.by. I'm sorry, for | really
liked you, and | admired the nerve
that you showed in coming here. VIII
YOU shake hands with me before you
so?"
glanced at the long. slim, refined
fingers that he held out, and though |
knew that they dripped with blood
grasped them heartily in mine. Lacey
was a likable man despite that queer
knk in his nature that turned him
from great man to a rotten criminal
"Thanks,' LaCCy,I said. Il guess
there isn't much chance left I'm sor-
ry for you. too because you will prob.
ably no more than get me out of the
way than my friends will be here and
get every one OF YOU. | only ask YOU
| TO do all that you can for Miss Pro
| van"
And then, with all the self-control
that | could command | turned to
Cassera.
"All right, YOU dirty greasor,"
said, What is your next move?"
| saw the flame of hatred shoot
from his eyes and burn into mine, but
he bowed deeply again with mock
poiteness, and stepped aside as
though inviting me to pass out of the
door ahead Of him.
III Senior Carlisan will accom-
pany us he said, Il would Ike to
display for his benefit small device
the product of my own unworthy
bran--which should be Of great ne
! to avlators in the future.
ut can be carried in the pocket with
perfect safety, be attached to an aero.
plane in the twinklng OF an eye and
with no one able to see, and II never
fails to work. Scnor Carrgan saw It
demonstrated back there BY his good
friend Senior Lnderman."
"You mean"
He bowed low again.
(To be oontinued)