The Washington times., 1922-07-09
(Cont'd from Last Sunday
/ CHAPTER xxvI.

r.
ed, and sat upright. There
was a singing in her ears and her
head ached heavily. She felt q
little sick, and utterly bewildered.
Then, as her vision cleared she
gasped. She was in a rather stuffy
room, in which the odors Of coffee,
wood, and oil mingled d little suf-
focatingly. Mating was upon the
floor, beaded curtains covered the
absurd windows. Before fire of
damp logs Haines squatted, trying
to make toast. 49,.
For a moment Terry stared at
him dazedly. Then, as recollection
dawned upon her she flung aside
her coverings and sprang to her
feet. Giddy, she caught at a chair,
and Haines, dropping the, toasting
fork, leaped up.
Through the, hazy mingling of
smoke and oil fumes they stared
at each other. Terry tried to
speak and coughed instead. Hei
face looked pinched and small in
the lamplight, and Haines turned
abruptly to where a coffee pot
was steaming, caught up a cup,
and filling it, handed it to her.
"Drink it as it is," he ordered.
"Tt'll pull you round"
Almost mechanically she obeyed,
giving the cup back into his hands
with a little grimace. Then she
Strengthened herself.
"Where am II" she demanded,
and Haines, gathering up the toast
and fork, and settling himself on
his heels again answered:
"Island-down Thames. One of
those fashionable places in the
Summertime-bungalows and all
that. Just at present quite de-
serted. Towing path on one bank
closed temporarily to the public
owing to damage by floods. Other
side private woods of an estate
all tangled vegetation lately uncul-
tivated. Might easily be in mid
Pacific. Have some more coffee?"
Terry steadied herself and let
60 of the chair. Her face was
still white, but her bewildered eyes
had begun to burn.
"You brought me here?" She
spoke low, out her voice rasped
on the silence. Haipes carefully
turned the toast. 5s.r
"Yep." His tone was noncha-
liant. Terry's teeth clicked.
"How?"
Haines grinned, but there was
no accompanying amusement in
his eyes. Under their lowered lids
they were shadowed, as If with
faint shame, yet unwavering.
Brute force, in the beginning
aided by a little .chloroform and
wooden scarf. Afterward it
wasn't difficult to administer the
right sort of dope, enough to keep
you quiet on the run down here.
And, by, the way, we're not likely
to be traced or followed. I parked
a car ready for emergencies in the
coppice back Of the inn at Brook
bridge. Trespassing, Of course,
but couldn't help that. Pretty
dark when we got that far, and
most of the village congregated at
the bar. It only took minute
to lift you from one car to the
other. Ran yours down to the
village garage-ran back to the
inn and had a drink-then came
along on here. Very simple,
really, though, Of course, a bit
Observation-Disclosures like movie
stunt" "
He did not look round. Terry
was quivering with rising anger,
but she had heard him in grim
silence. She asked now:
"Why?"
Haines set the slice of toast on
q plate, buttered it, and brought
it to her. He filled her cup with
coffee, added milk and sugar, and
pulled up chair.
you'd better eat before I tell
you. It's midnight, and you
missed tea and dinner. You'll be
feeling q bit shaky."
Terry sat down. Her limbs
were trembling and she still felt
sick. She swallowed the toast at
first with difficulty, but ate the
second piece he gave her. With
renewed strength her anger famed