The Elbert County tribune. [volume] (Elbert, Elbert County, Colo.) 18??-1920, 1918-02-15

much too heavy for you to carry. I'll
take 1t on through, and then you stroll
out the door as If you were getting a
bit of fresh air, and come to the car
at the corner"
Jimmy smiled to himself in cynical
way. He knew perfectly well that
Versailles present plan was to possess
himself of her bag, take Nita, the
maid. as passenger in his car, and
when Miss Ainsley strolled out, ac-
cording to directions, to have no car,
nor jewels nor sutton waiting for her.
Jimmy felt now that he was COM
pletely in possession of the enemy's
plans and passwords, so he hurried
back to Robert Wells side and told
that youth to delay his rival as much
as possible.
Promptly Robert hurried over to
Versale and began conversing with
him with an animation which must
have surprised that hitherto unwel-
coined rival.
Southern suavity met Bob half way
Jimmy waited to be sure that Mr.. Yer
sale was temporarily disposed of and
then he hurried over and crouched out
side the window waiting for Martha
Ainsley to come and hand that black
walrus bag, with its precious cargo of
jewels. to the faithless Versale.
Martha followed instructions with an
obedience worthy of the women of
hundred years ago. She handed out
the bag and disappeared directly the
familiar domino had taken 1t.
Then Jimmy climbed back through
the window and. presented the bag to
me. OF course, he thought it would be
perfectly safe in my keeping. How
! could he know that would mistake
Versale for him, even as Versale mis-
took me for Martha, and that the Aims
ley-Versale elopement would be CON-
pleted-with complications?
And as went whirling up the road
with two INSCRIPTIONS men in possess
sion of me as prisoner and $4,000
worth of jewels as booty, how could 1
know of the black-eyed maid who was
hicden and gagged in a closet or any
other of the particulars which might
have reassured me-or frightened me
according to my reading of the evil
dence against my captor?
After Jimmy Barton had entrusted
the Ainsley jewels to my keeping, he
hurried back to reconnoiter and met
his aide-de-camp, Robert Wells, look
ing rather disconsolate and unsuccess-
full.
Il couldn't keep him. He went out r.
confessed Wells.
Jimmy gave an exclamation of impa-
thence and rushed out, followed by
Bob.
Just ahead of them he could see
Versale dragging the other party to
his elopement across the lawn. The
girl appeared to be struggling. That
puzzled Jimmy, but 1t was explained a
moment or two later.
In the second which elapsed between
Jimmie's almost subconscious recogni-
ton of me and Versailles flinging me in
to the car another actor in the comedy
or tragedy-of the two dominos ap-
peared on the scene. 1t was Martha,
cloaked and ready for flight. Jimmie
fairly tore her mask from her face.
And then the absolute truth came over
him. This was Martha Ainsley-and
Beatrice Fairfax was party to an
elopement in which she had no part.
Almost breathlessly he whirled on
Robert with command: "versale got
the jewels and Beatrice. Get your car
be quick. man"
And as he spoke the gray speedster
whirled around the edge of the estate
and shot up the street with a rush of
wind eddying about it.
A second later Bob's roadster pulled
mp the driveway. Even as Jimmy pre-