The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1922-07-29
OHo22 NEA Service. Ixac.


in the road and be prepared to come
help you. Have faith in me for my
only wish is to keep you and yours
from greater suffering.
"A FRIEND"
Great heavens!" exclaimed Miles.
Anyone but an unsophisticated child
like Miss Patricia would have seen
at a glance that this was the bunk!
Tell me what she told you, Zorn; what
happened to her?'
She says that Saturday night she
saw that note lying on the floor Just
under her opened window. She never
thought OF doubling the good faith
Of the 'infirm old woman threw a
few things into a bag and waited for
the signal. 1t came and Miss Patri-
cha slipped down the drive to where
a limousine stood at the gate with
one man behind the wheel and an
other holding the door.
After that things happened too
quickly for her to utter a cry. The
man took her bag, clapped his hand
over her mouth and bundled her in
ilsC. and they W. off. She r+nlan-
bers struggling, but a eweetish smell
ing cloth-chloroform probaaiy was
placed over her face and then every
thing was blank.
When she came to herself there
was a rush o. cool air in her face,
for the window behind the drivers
seat was down and the two men were
talking.
Her heavy beaded hanGbag was
still on her arm, and, without stop
ping TO think, she smashed the man
over the face with it, tore open the
nearest door and jumped, rolling over
and over into the ditch. They cursed
and halted, bat another car was com
ing and that gave her an opportunity
to scramble up and over low stone
wall into a mass of willow shoots
growing by brook.
They gave up hunting for her
and drove off. She stumbled along in
the darkness with sense enough 10
keep to the main road. A moving van
come rumbling along and on an M
pulse she hailed il; she says the idea
flashed across her mind that IL she
could find out the name OF the near
est village and get word to Mr. Wells
he would keep her confidence and
come TO take care OF her. at the same
time sending a warning to you.
When she asked them where they
were going and they told her Free-
dale Miss Patricia thought at oace
Of this Riggs and got them to give
her a lift.
faNIhafar-ar fha,r -.
her climb in and on the way she ar.
ranged with one of them TO take that
note to Wells house when they got
back to the city in the morning. They
reached F'reedale at dawn and Miss
Patricia got down and went directly
to the Higgs place"
Did she recognize either OF the
two men who abducted herr" demand.
ed Miles.
NO. But when one OF them flung
her travelling case into the car she
saw that his sleeves were rolled up
and device OF some sort was tat
tooed on one arm"
Tell me how you located Miss Pa
tricia," asked Miles.
The scrap Of paper she had used
for that message to Mr.. Wells started
me in the right direction" Zorn re-
piled. Il caught the first train TO
Brookside. It wasn't difficult to To-
cate new family named 'Slocum' and
learn the name Of the furniture mover
The boss Of the moving gang de-
scribed the house at Freedale where
he had left the girl I took the early
afternoon train and located the girl
at the Hlggs place.
Did you see Wells last night at
eleven?" asked Miles.
Yes. 1t came near being a dis
astrous appointment for me-
Disastrous"
When I left his house somebody
tried to hold me up; hit me, with a
blackjack and only the soft felt hat
I was wearing saved me from being
knocked for a goal! See?" Zorn re-
moved his cap and displayed a strip
of plaster where his smooth. blonde
hair had been clipped away. He
sneaked up from behind and landed
on ME. but something must have
scared him for he took to his heels
and was gone before I could recover
sufficiently to give chase. It's on me.
isn't it?"
1T certainly is" agreed Miles, but
there was a peculiar quality in his
tone Are you going back TO the
city now
Zorn nodded and rose.
Il wish you would deliver this let
ter. I daren't trust them to the mails
and time is an essential factor. 1t is
to Professor Nigel Lorton. at the
Archaeological Museum"
It was late that afternoon before
Patricia put IN an appearance and
there was a new, shy dignity in her