Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-10-24
ELAMINGM
- JEWELXf
.b ROBERT W CHAMBERS s
! 3 e W CHAMBERS
e1ooQ GEORGE 4 popAH coMnAiY

unless he got into the house, where
two rifles might hold out against
five.
There was no use trying to get
to Ghost Lake for assistance. tie
felt that whatever was about TO
happen would come with 4 rush. 1t
would be all over before he had
gone five minutes. No; the onfS
thing to do was to stay where he
was. $50
AS for his pledge to the little
Grand Duchess that was always IN
his mind. Sooner or later somehow,
he was going to make good MS
pledge.
He knew that Quintana and his
gang were here to find the Flaming
Jewel.
Had he not encountered Quin-
tana, his W errand had been the
same. For Smith had started Tor
Clinch's prepared to reveal himself
to Stormont. and then, masked TO
the eyes-and to save Eve from a
broken heart, and Clinch from
States Prison-he had meant to roo
the girl at pistol point.
It was the only way 20 save
Clinch; the only way to save the
pride of this blindly loyal girl. For
the arrest OF CIinch meant ruin to
both, and Smith realized IT thor
oughly.
A slight sound from one of the
out-houses-a sort of wascn-shed
attracted his attention.. Through
the frost-blighted rag-waeds ne
peered ~intently. listening.
After a few moments a faint
glow appeared in the shed. There
was a cracking noise. The glow
grew pinker.
Inside Clinch's house Eve awoke
with a start. Her ears were hlled
with a strange, rushing. crackllng
noise. A rosy glare danced n
shook outside her windows,
The girl tore open her bedroom
door, Jack" she cried in a terrified
voice. The barns on fire.
horse.
horse!"
He had air eady sprung from his
chair outside her door. Now he an
downstairs, and she heard bolt and
c. ain clash at the kitchen door and
his spurred boots land on the porch.
oh" she whimpered, snatch1ng a
blanket wrapper from a peg and
struggling into it. "Oh, the poor
horse! Jack! Jack! I'm coming to
help! Don't risk your life! I'm en-
ing-I'm coming
Terror clutched her as she Stun
bIed downstairs on bandaged feet.
AS she reached the door a great
flare of light almost blinded her.
"Jack!"
And at the same instant she saw
him struggling with three masked
men in the glare of the wagon-shed
afire.
His rifle stood in the corridor out
side her door. With n u n
was on the stairs again. There came
the crash and splinter of wood and
glass from the kitchen, and a nan
with a handkerchief over his face
caught her or h landing.
Twice she wrenched herself loose
and her fingers almost touched Stor-
mont's rifle; she fought like a cor
nered lynx, tore the handkerchief
from her assailant's face, recognized
Quintana, hurled her very body at
him, eyes flaming, small teeth
barred.
Two other men laid hold. In an
other moment she had trippv~ Quin-
tana, and all four fell, rolling over
and over down the short flight of
stairs, landing in the kitchen. still
fighting.
Here, in darkness, she wigglcd
out, somehow, leaving her blanket
wrapped in their clutches. In an
other instant she was up the stairs
again, only to discover hat the rifle
was gone.
The red glare from the wagon
house lighted her bedroom; she
sprang inside and bolted the door.
Her channels jacket with its looks
full of cartridges hung on a peg.
She got into it, seized her rife and
ran to the window just as two men
masked men, pushing Stormont
fore them entered the house by the
kitchen way.
Her own door was resounding 18th
kicks and blows, shaking, shivering
under the furious impact of boot : d
lifle-butt.
She ran to the bed, thrust her
hand under the pillow, pulled out
the case containing the Flaming
Jewel, and placed it in the breast
pocket of her shooting jacket.
rhe blows upon her bedroom Coor
had ceased; there came a loud