New Britain herald., 1921-08-02

than Caxton. to make some purchases for Anne.
 He had traversed over a mile when l once again at the top of a hill, he saw two figures silhouetted against the sky. They were Quartley and Nora. He recognized them at once and cursed inwardly at the thoughts suggested by their friendly prox. unity.
 He was nearing the top of the hill. when, much to his surprise, Quartlev appeared, topping the rise, and came toward him, alone. Dick met md passed him, but Quartley did not raise his eyes from the road. His brow was dark and angry and he l seemed oblivious to all external things.
 Dicks foot, almost of it's own voli- 1 tion, pressed down the accelerator and the car, with a sudden roar of the double jet, shot forward over the top of the hill. ] The rough banks at the side of the road. were thickly studded with bushes | and trees. Dicks quick eyes darted l hither and thither among them and in a moment he caught a glimpse of a huddled little mass of white under the low-sweeping branches of a tree on the high bank at the left. He ran his car we'll off to the side of the road. ] crossed over, and, clearing the bank with one great leap, was by her side l in an instant
 Nora lay, crumpled, pitiful little | heap, on the grass. Her head was l buried on her arm, which rested against a boulder. She gave no sign of being conscious of his presence. She was weeping silently.
 Miss Wentworth he exclaimed saftly. what has happened? Oh, please, please do,'t cry like that!''
 Nora with an effort recovered her self. She thanked him for his in- l terest in her and seemed about to tell him the whole story of her con- nection with the Rutledge case; but l appeared unwilling to account for her recent distress. T know you sus- pect me- said Nora, and so do the
 police." But Dick assured her that he did not suspect her. His pleading 1 face and voice were in accord as he
 held out his hand The girl laid her own in 1t and returned the honest grip of his fingers. His heart was l singing with joy as he helped her down the steep bank to the road His | of wings, and the girl caught the contagion of his mood as the gallant little car sped on it's way. ] CHAPTER V. l Cold Trail
 | Peter Clancy arrived at Seaport the
 middle of Monday afternoon and took I
 could find out for certain was that man answering more or less accurate ly to the description Fox had ob- tained of Pendleton had arrived at Seaport in time for the first stage trip on the Friday morning after the murder. He appeared to be familiar with the place-at least had asked the driver no questions. Oh yes, the Idriver knew Mrs. Tooker and her hus- band, Ralph.
 l The place the old driver pointed out as belonging to Ralph Tooker was a charming old house.
 1 An old man with snowy hair and
 beard stood just inside, leaning heav- 1 fly on a crooked cane. Good aft ernoon," said Peter. in his winning, 1 twinkling Irish way. ''This is MT. Ralph Tooker, isn't it?'
 II swan, you're right there!'' ex- l claimed the old man, smiling.
 Though I don't know how you know it, hein' stranger to me. aint
 never seen you before, have IF"
 "I don't believe you have,' said Peter I'm not as we'll known as I'd like to be, I'll tell the world.''
 Pulling off his hat, Peter stepped across the threshold and followed the | old man through the hall into a low ceiled room. Beside the window a little woman sat reading. She looked up quickly as the two men entered. l Peter noted that she was much younger than her husband and rather
 pretty He stepped forward eagerly:
 'This is Mrs. Ralph Tooker, isn't it? I'm so pleased to meet you! Heard lot about you. My name is Smith, John Smith. I ran out from New York to see MT. Pendleton. He's still here, isn't hep,
 l The little woman glanced up at
 him in surprise. MT. Pendleton?" she said. "I never heard of any Pen
 dletons in these parts; did you, lRalph?"
 The old man looked at his wife and shook his head slowly.
 II don't want to alarm you," Peter said 'but-' With quick motion he disclosed his police badge. The old mans glance shifted from his wife's determined eyes to Clancy's threatening ones. Peter took a neat pair of shining handcuffs from his pocket and sat playing with them. The action was too much for the old mans inexperience to withstand.
 'I'l1 tell you all about it, since she won t." he said. 'The man you want was here, all right. I'll lay to that. He said his name was Smith, same ez you did, and I thought at first you might be a relation of his, though I must say you don't look much alike"
 1 Do you know where he went?"