Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-08-11
XIII.
!, Johnnie Comes Into BIS own.

CHAPTER XIII.
Johnnie Comes Into His Own.
When Clay shot off at a tangent
from the car and ceased to function
as q passenger. Johnnie made ar
effort to descend and join his friend
q speed that made this dangerous
He leaned out Of the open door and
shouted to the driver.
femme. out, doEgone you. ]
wantta get out right here"
The chauffeur paid not the least
attention to him. He skidded round
2 corner. grazing the. curb. and put
his foot on the accelerAtor. The car
Jumped forward, sweeping, down the
wet street, now and again skiddins
dangerously. It swung into Fourth
At the widest sweep ofsthe arc. John
ME stepped down. His feet slid from
under him, and he rolled to the curb
across the wet asphalt. Slowly he
ffot up and tested himself for broken
bones. He was sure he had dislocated
a few hips, and it took him some time
to persuade himself he was all right,
except for some bruises.
fBut Johnnie, free. had no idea what
to do. He was as helpless as Johnnie
imprisoned IN the flying cab. OF what
Clay's plan had been he had not the
remotest idea. Yet he could not so
hope and do nothing. He must keep
searching. But where? One thing
stuck in his mind. His friend had
mentioned that he would like to get
a chance to call the police to find out
whether Kitty had, been reached. He
was anxious on-that point himself. At
he first cigar store he stopped and
was put On the wire with headquar-
tiers. He learned that a car suppoxed
to be the one Wanted had been driven
into Central park by the police a few
minutes earlier.
Johnnie's mind carried him on a
straight line to the simplest decision.
He ran. across to. Fifth avenue and
climbed, into a bus going uptown. At
the Seventy-second street entrance
Johnnie left the bus and plunged into
the park. The impish gods who de-
light in turning upside down the best
laid plans OF mice and men were
working overtime tonight. They ar
ranged it that a girl covering among
the wet bushes bordering an unfre-
quented path heard the "Hi-yi-yi''
or Arizona and gave a faint cry for
help. That call reached Johnnie and
brought him on the run.
a man beside the girl jumped up
with a snarl, gun in hand.
But the Runt had caught a sight
Of Kitty. A file Of fixed bayonets
could not have kept him from trying
to rescue her. He dived through the
brush like a football tackler.
A gun barked. The little man did
MOI even know lit. He and the thug
went down together, rolled over.
| ola Uod 1fS1RfAVyeNHy at AN1h >xh4-
got to their feet simultaneously. But
the cowpuncher held the gun now.
The crook glared at him for a mo-
ment. and .bolted for the safety of the
bushes in wild flight.
Johnnie fred once. then forgot all
about the private little war he had
started. For hts arms were full of 4
sobbing Kitty. who chung to him while
she wept and talked and exclaimed
all in a BREATH r..
left me here with him while they got
away from the police. Oh,
I've been so scared. I didn't know
I thought"
as ali right. IS all right, rr girl.
Don't you cry: Kitty. Me n Clay
won't let 'em hurt you lone. We sure
won't"
l. she nestled closer, and Johnnie's
heart lost a beat. He had become
aware of a dull pain in the shoulder
and of something wet trickling down
his shoulder. But what is one little
bullet in your geography when the
sweetest girl in the world is in your
arms?
1T amt nothin' but a hammered.
down liI' hayseed Of a cowpuncher,'
he told her. his voice trembling, IAN
you're awful pretty an'-an'-"
A flow of color fluttered to her soft
cheeks. The silken lashes fell shyly
Il think you're fine and dandy, the
bravest man that. yer was
do you-fgure you could? T.
II don't reckon you could ever"
He stopped, abasned. To him thi.
creature of soft curves was a heaven.
sent charm. All the beauty and vital.
ity Of her youth called TO him. I,
seemed to Johnnie that God spoke
through her. Which is another wa,
OF saying that he was in love with
her. -
+ She. made a rustling little stir n
his arms and lifted a flushed face
very tender and appealing. In the
darkness her lips slowly turned tc
his
| Johnnie chose that inopportune mo.
ment to get sick at the stomach.
Tin goin' to faint" he an.
nounced. aad did. :,
When he returned to his love-stor,