Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-09
CHAPTER Xxx
EhnrIemnRne's Ride
Justice

TNITE hands Of the clock pointed to a quar-
l. ter past -. Funny, how my eyes kept
coming back to that clock! There was a smell
of warm gunpowder in the room, and the
autumn sunshine struggling feebly through
the window caught the blue edges of a little
haze of smoke that hung lazily in the air by
the desk in the corner How close the room
was And how that clock face seemed to
stare at me! ] felt very sick
Lord What a draft 4 gust of icy air
was raging in my face. The room was still
swaying to and fro. -
was in the front seat of a car beside
Francis. who was driving. We were fairly
flying along broad and empty road, the
tall poplars with which it was lined scud-
ding away into the vanishing landscape as
we whizzed by The surface terrible,
and the car pitched this way and that
we tore along. But Francis had her well in
hand, He sat at the wheel, very cool and
deliberate and very grave, still in his OFF,
GERS uniform, and his eyes had cold
CLINT that told me he keyed up to top
pitch.
We slacIened speed a fraction to negotiate
turn off to the right down side road. We
seemed to take that corner on two wheels
\ thin church spire p"otruded from the trees
in the center of the group of houses which
We were approaching furiously. The VIII
lage all but deserted: everybody seemed
to be indoors at their midday meal, hut
Francis slowed down and ran along the dirty
he jammed down the aCCelerator and once
more the car sprang forward
The country fiat as a pancake. but
presently the fields fell away a bit from the
road with boulders and patches of gorse here
and there. The next moment we were slack
enng speed. We drew up by rough track
which led off the road and vanished into a
tangle of stunted trees and scrub growing
across the yellow face of sandpit.
Francis motioned me to get out, and then
no ha md a1f Loo ,.;rey tha
engine throbbing. His face was gray and
set.
Stay here - he whispered 10 me. you've
got your pistol? Good. If anybody attempts
to interfere with you, shoot ~
He dashed into the tangle and was swal-
lowed up. l heard whistle, and a whistle
in answer and minute later he appeared
again helping Monica through the thick
undergrowth
Monica looked as pretty as a picture in
her dark green shooting suit and her muffler.
She was as excited as a child at It's first
play.
"A car" she exclaimed. ooh, Francis. I'll
sit beside you"
My brother glanced at his watch
Twenty TO ONE" he murmured He had
a hunted look on his face. Monica saw it and
it sobered her.
They got up in front, and I sat in the
body Of the car.
Hang on to that said Francis handing
me over a leather case. l recognized it at
glance. 1t was Clubfoot's dispatch-box.
Francis was thorough in everything
Once more We dashed out along the DESC
late country roads We saw hardly a soul.
Houses were few and far between and, save
for an occasional graybeard hoeing in the wet
fields or an old woman hobblng along the
road, the countryside seemed dead In the
cold air the engine ran splendidly, and Fran
els got every ounce of horsepower out of it.
On we rushed, the wind in our ears the
cold air in faces. until
selves racing along an avenue of old trees
that led straight as an arrow right into the
heart of the forest. 1t was as silent as the
grave; the air was danli and chill and the
trees dripped sorrowfully into the brimming
ruts of the road
We whizzed past many tracks leading into
the depths of the forest, but it was not until
the car had eaten up some five kometers of
the main road that Francis slowed to a halt
He consulted a map he pulled from MS
pocket, then glanced at his watch with puck
cred brow
4 had hoped to take the car into the
Forest, he said, "but the roads are so sof,
we shant get yard. Still we can but try"
we went forward again. very slowly, to
where track ran off to the left II was
badly plowed up, and the ruts were fullv
a foot deep. Monica and 1 got out to tighten
the car and Francis her in But he
hadn't gone five yards before the car was
begged up to the axles
Neu nave to leave it. he said iumpine
out. Its ten minutes to two we
haven't a second to lose"
lie pulled cloth cap from the pocket of
his military overcoat, then stripped off the
coat showing his ordinary clothes under
meath and very shiny black field boots IN TO
MS knees. He put his helmet in the over
coat and made a roll Of it. tucling it under
his arm and then donned his cap.
Now" he said, We'll have to run for il
Monica, I'm afraid: we must reach our cover
10 llto T
find 1t. and it will be dark in these woods In
about two hours from now. Are you ready?"
(To BE CONTINUED TOMORROW