Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-04-18

in a car to notice a. bit of paper on
the road? And there seemed to be
but few pedestrians. II she only nad
something larger, more attractive:
She glanced at her belongings M
suddenly remembered thef book n
had brought with her to read. onegof
the new novels from the cottage, "a
cover. The very thing!
With a cautious glance at her keep
ers she took up the book as II to e
and opening 1t at the f1yleaf 81 10.
write surreptitiously much the same
message that had been on her last
postal, signing her name and home
address and giving her employers ad-
when she had finished. She was try
ing to think just how she should use
this last bit Of ammunition to the best
advantage, Should she just drop 1T
in the road quietly? If only there
were some way to fasten the pages
open so her message, would be. read!
Her handkerchief! OF course! She
folded it cornerwise and Nslipped It IN
across the pages so that h BOOK
would fall open at the fly leaf, knot
ting the ends on the back Of the cover.
Every moment had to, be cautious,
and she must remember to keep her
attitude of reading with the printed
epages covering the handkerchief. 1t
seemed hours that 1t took her, her
fingers trembled. so. If it had not
been for the rushing noise Of wind and
car she would not have dared so much
undiscovered, but apparently her cap
tors were satisfied that she still be-
lieved their story about going to Sec
rotary Bakers country house. for they
seemed mainly occupied in watching
to see II they were pursued, casting
anxious chances back now and then,
but scarcely noticing her at all.
Shirley had noticed two Or three
times when, a car had passed, them
that the men both leaned down to do
something at their feet to the ma
chinery of the car. Were they afraid
of being recognized? Would this per-
haps give her a chance to fling her
book out where it would be seen by
people in an oncoming car? oh, if
!! she but had the strength and skill to
fling 1t into a car. But of course that
was impossible without attracting the
attention Of the two men. Neverthe-
less, she must try what she could do.
She lifted her eyes to the road
ahead and 10, a big car was bearing
down upon them! She had almost
departed of meetiny n more. for the
road was growing mor and more
lonely and they must have come many
miles. AS oon as the two men in the
front of her sighted the car, they
seemed to settle in their seats and
draw their hats down a little further
over their eyes. The same trouble
seemed to develop with the machinery
at their feet that Shirley had noticed
before, and they bobbed and ducked
and seemed to be wholly engrossed
with their own affairs.
Shirley's heart was beating sc fast
that it seemed as though. it would suf-
focate her, and her hand seemed
powerless as it lay innocently holding
the closed book With the knotted
handkerchief turned down out of
sight; but she was girding herself,
nerving herself for one great last eff
fort, and praying to be guided.
The big car came OF swiftly and was
about to pass, when Shirley half rose
and hurled her book straight at it
and then sank back in her sea with
a fearful terror upon her; closing her
eyes for one brife second. not daring
to watch the results of her act-if
there we're to be m results. .
The men in the front seat suddenly
Strengthened up and looked around.
:. s'What's the matter?" growled the
man who had got in last In quite a
different tone from my he. had used
before. What you tryin' to put over
on us?";
Shirley gasped and caught at her
self-control.
i've dropped my book" she STAN
mered out wildly. Gould you stop
long enough to pick it up? 1t was
borrowed" she ended sweetly as if by
inspiration, and wondering at the
s~teadiness of her one when blood was
pounding SO in her throat and ears,
any everything vas black before her.
Perhaps+oh. perhaps they would
stop and she could cry out to the
people for help, $50. v
:. The man rose up in his seat and
looked back. Shirley cast one fright
ened glance back, 700, and saw in that
brief second that the other car had
stopped and someone vas standing up
and looking back.
Hell! No." said her captor briefly,
ducking down in lbs seat. LET her
car broke into a g%alloping streak, the
wheely hardly seeming to touch the
ground. the tonneau bounding and
swaying this way and that. Shirley
had all she could do to keep in her
seat. At one moment she thought
how easy it would be to spring from
the car and lie in a little still heap at
the roadside. But there were the
notes! h must not abandon her
trust even for SO fearful an cap
from her captors. Suddenly, without
warning, they turned a sharp curve
and struck into a rough almost un-
thick growth seemed to close in be-
hind them IN shut them out from
the world. ~
Shirley shut her eyes and prayed.
Continued in TOMORROW Evenings
.u..r. Hnun0A