The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-12-18

now was my time to climb into the hood. I reached for the upper edge of the tonneau, caught 1t, and swung myself up. In an instant l was con- cealed.
 A moment later the car stopped, and I heard the voice of the man Smith.
 q watched the road, Banks. while you came. Nobody crossed it. and I'll swear there's nobody in the places I've looked over.''
 'tAII right said Banks. Beat up the other side, and I'll run the ma you"
 The car backed and turned. :. As we neared the gate, Smith came to the side of the car,
 Not a sign, he said. 'fThe fel- low must have got away before Mag set the light down there. She ought to have picked spot farther on.''
 "Oh, we'll" said Banks, i've gave him scare. I guess he won't both CT us. Hang this mist, anyhow!'
 What could we have done to him out here?" queried Smith,
 Pun over him, Of cousse." Banks pen, even on Morton's Neck
 I shuddered at the shameless de- viltry of this remark
 The men changed places, and pre- stopped short, and I heard the big iron gate clang to behind me.
 Then I dropped lightly to the road behind and slid in among the trees that lined the road.
 CHAPTER V.
 Micah Graham.
 Somewhere above my head the ceam of the searchlight still shot out over the road beyond the gate, but down among the trees everything was black.
 My impulse was to make my way quickly toward the house, but reason warned me to look first for way of escape.
 I turned to the gate. It was a little lower than the top of the wall at each side.
 Above the wall ran the two bars whose purpose \ knew. It was a good nine feet to the top of the gate. The wall itself was about a foot high CT, and the electric bars added fully yard more.
 I groped my way along the inside Of the wall in the direction of the sound.
 Presently the noise of the waves told me that must be near the northern boundary, and I worked to the left, and came to the gap that opened on the sound.
 I looked down into the opening. Two dark shapes were bobbing thefe twG b9atS t5oss shpgly ty a7 9or9d red be gan to crawl toward the harbor.
 I had covered about half the dis tance to the boats, when suddenly I was startled by the sound of whis- ting. Throwing myself fiat and pulling my coat up over my white collar. I peered toward the whSzt!or. Banks passed within twenty feet of me. His hands in his coat pockets. noted the breadth of his hu1king shoulders the easy power of his long stride.
 He went on down to the boats. Cau- tfously I retraced my way. crawling
  safely. and waited.
 After a time Banks came back. I remained where I was until I saw him ascend the veranda-steps and
 I worked my way toward the house. There were three windows at the end of the house which was approaching. The farthest one showed a light.
 Tiptoeing across the graveI-drive I took a position under the lighted window. It was open a few inches at the bottom. heard some one
 ''Everything is tight" he said.
 'SWe are never safe as long as we keep the girl' The speaker was a woman.
 "That's right, Mag A third voice entered the conversation '-Pve said all along we ought to put her out of the way. We can get along
 
 My dear Smith, will you never un- derstand fine points? Don't you see that the ransom is the quickest 
 ''The other is safer,' insisted Smith. .'I don't like that fellows rosing around this evening""
 Banks laughed.
 "Oh, some village 1oafer," he said. give up the girl. We may have to show her though. That's why I'm keeping her at all"
 'T don't like it,'' said Mag: ''But listen: This afternoon I tele- phoned to Pine Shore and told Miss Trevis to put out to the middle of the Sound tonight at one o'clock, in the Graham launch, with sixty thousand dollars. She is to bring one man with her. They will show three lights, and we will come to them and get the money" Smith. Central might have over heard and had you nabbed."
 Not the way I managed 1t. And the Trevis woman was too iuttered to give anything away"
 There was a chatter of dishes
 "Now, look here Mag; you are I retty wise, but you don't look as far as you might. Smith and I will go; while you stay here with the old man."
 win you take the girl?"
 "Of course. Can't you see it? We draw up alongside; they toss us the ransom, expecting us to transfer eMe girl: We manage it so that she drops into the water. If necessary we'll ram 'em and light out.'
 I heard enough. Moving away, went around the corner to the back Of the house.
 My plan was to get to Marcia's window, must see her, talk with her So I prowred around at the back of the house. looking for ladder, or that would serve as one. I searched among the litter of the yard. There was nothing like a ladder, so far as I coud see in the gloom. but after a time I came across a pole. It must have been twelve feet long stout and a little springy, yet nor very heavy.
 I carried the pole to the house, un- der the lighted window of the second story.
 The pole reached almost to the sill of the upper window, which. I oo- served, was slightly raised.
 D gging at the gravel with the toe of my boot. I found good footing for