Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1921-06-04
~. FLIGHT.

| w. VLI1Flts
He had placed the chair within a
| yard of the door. His feet, as he sat
| with legs extended, ankles crossed,
were almost on the threshold. She
could hardly pass without stepping oy-
er them. He made no offer to move.
Indeed, he did not stir finger. His
hands were clasped before him, his
head rested on the high back of the
chair, his face was masked in deep
Shadow, the deeper for the fire d.
rectly behind him. across the room,
whose dying glow furnished the only
light.
1t was long minute before his
measured breathing revived her cour-
age. She sidled out noiselessly in her
stockinged feet, watching him sus-
piciously. But the sleep that follows
an emotional crisis, always profound
annulled the precautions he had TAX
en- to prevent precisely what was hap
pening.
At the edge of the veranda she de-
layed long enough to take her slippers
from the pockets of the motoring
wrap and put them on. Then she
stepped down to the soft turf and
sped swiftly round the bungalow to the
garage.
Its doors were open--as she already
knew, for view of the garage was
commanded by the side window Of
Leonora's bedchamber. Cold moonlight
slanting in, picked out the blind lamps
of the car and the bright work of bon
net and windshield.
With a humping heart she slipped
into the drivers seat and CROPPED for
the lighting and ignition controls of
the dash. The luck seemed to be with
her now; the switchboard had not
been locked
Her foot depressed the starting
pedal, and in the great hush the will
ing drum of the motor reverberated
like long roll heralding the Trump
of Doom. simultaneously meshing the
gears in first speed, Priscilla let the
clutch in somewhat too suddenly. The
rar jumped like a startled animal and
capped out of the garage. She heard,
)r thought she heard, a shout from
within the bungalow and in her haste
,ungled the shift to second speed, so
hat the gears ground and screeched
Internally. Nevertheless, the car
moved down to the road at a swifter,
pace.
In passing she saw, out of the
corner of her eye, Mario run out onto
he veranda, pause, then dash madly
oward the car. She bore heavily on
he accelerator and made the third
hift smoothly enough, an instant later
into the road on not more
han two wheels. Angry shouts In
he rear told her that Mario had failed
o overtake her.
To a moderate store Of amateuriSh |
irving ability alone she owed not one
tut dozen breath-taking escapes. The |
Dad twisted and turned In way to |
est the ability of skilled hand at |
he Wheel in the first few miles sell |
lom running straight for as much as
wo hundred yards, The grade grew
" degrees less dangerous, however,
he road less serpentine there were
presently stretches of almost level run
ling.
After a time the road forked, and |
perhaps two miles farther on it forked |
lgain. Being utterly ignorant of the
ay OF the rand, but guessing that the
alley was on ner right, Priscilla in |
10Th instances took the right-hand
rack. Well beyond the second fork
he car dropped swiftly down short
tut steep declivity, and, before she
'ould see her danger and apply the
,rakes, plunged into mud above the
inns. Laboring heavily, 1t stopped dead
after few convulsive heaves the
,ngine sighed and stalled.
CTO BE CoNTINUED)