The Washington herald., 1922-01-08
Bandit Plying

- ana Nancy Darte, who was driving q
little party Of friends home from the theatre,
found herself thinking some queer thoughts
as she watched her headlights spread a car
pet Of light along the suburban road, and
half listened to the chatter Of voices behind
her. The play had been a little different
from the usual run Of things and had stirred
some depths Of her nature which were usually
placid.
She was the only daughter Of q prosperous
and eontentsd family, and was not supposed
to have either troubles or troublesome ideas.
IL any one had asked her she would have
said that she was quite contented with her
NE But suddenly, as she automatically
seesrsd her car around Q curve, she knew
nat shs wanted something different to hap
pen, ssnsthins which would satisfy this new
feeling In her heart. She was almost around
the long curve when she awoke from this half
rsverts with . jump. sounding the horn and
throwing cut the clutch and pressing hard
sn he braks with almost q single motion.
A sar was standing nearly all the way
a9oss the road. and when the screaming
brakes brouEht her machine to q stand the
frsnt wheels were against the fender Of the
silent car before her. It was as narrow an
escape as she had ever had In all her driv-
ing, and for an instant the fear she had not
had time to teel almost sickened her. Then
the blood new to her face, and she began to
Be angry instead Of afraid. What sort Of
an idiot had left q car here in such q place,
and why didn't he csme and get It?
Her hand started toward the button Of the
hsrn, but stopped with a jerk as something
came before her eyes, and voice said softly,
Would you mind not blowing that horn
Just novf' The something happened to be
Q small but extremely ugly revolver. and the
sight Of It 50 psrslysed her and every body
else In the car that for q moment she sat
With her hand still raised without doing q
thing.
Then the anger which was still rising, and
The imperiousness Of a young woman who
had always had her own way got the best
Of her. She reached up and pushed the
ugly muxzle to one side, and fairly snapped
cut at the apparition behind the gun, "Ali
right, I won't blow the horn, but what do
you mean sticking a gun in my face, and
what is that car doing there in the road?
II It is yours get 1t out Of there. want to
20 on"
Even as she spoke she realized that she
vas talking to somebody who's. features she
could net see, for q handkerchief was drawn
across the mans face in quite the approved
fashion Not until then did she really IN
derstand what had happened. Held up!
The others in the car, they were all just
girl, like herself, huddIed together with
frightened squeaks, rs they, too, realized
the situation. It was up to Nancy to deal
with this, as with every other predicsment
they found themselves in when she was along.
That was what leadership meant.
But just at this minute Nancy was not
doing any leading. OF course if she had
been q heroine In a book, or on a stage, she
would have at once done something start
ling, and carried the whole thing off magnii-
Gently. But the simple truth was that she
was Just plain scared after that first out
burst of anger, and didn't know what to do.
The man behind the mask apparently did
know, however, and took command at once.
Nobody is going to hurt any Of you IL you
behave yourselves" he said sternly. Just
keep your hands in sight, please, and sit per
f-ctly still"
The girls froze to statues under the quiet
menace Of the words. They could not see,
but what they heard was plenty. Now
put your hands straight out in front Of you,
quickly" went on the voice, and before they
knew it the FIVE pairs Of hands were stretched
out toward the man who spoke. As quick
rs a fash his hands shot out and stripped
the rings from the nearest set of fingers,
and repeated the process SO swiftly that no
body had a chance 10 move, even il they
had dared to.
1t was all over in a moment. The hold
up artist stepped down from the running
board and spoke sharply to Nancy at the
wheel. Back up and run around the end
II that car. There is plenty of room in the
ditch"
For q moment she was tempted to disobey,
bat reason took command, and without
word she shifted the gears, slipped easily
around In a shallow ditch, and sped away
toward home, while her companions broke
cut into excited and angry sobbing behind
her. Her own rings were gone, and they
were fine ones, too, and she loved them quite
Is much as the other girls loved theirs. But
she was not thinking Of the rings just then.
TT WAS queer. She kept assuring her
see to run the car. But all the time she was
conscious of q sort Of feeling Of citation
which she could not describe. She had been
wishing for something to happen. Well, it
lad happened, all right. But 1t was not just
the hold-up she meant. There was something
else which she did not recognize now, but
knew she would some day.
For a week the unusual hold-up was the
chief topic of conversation wherever the girls
concerned gathered. The police had been
notified, of course, and after searching for
clues, confessed themselves helpless to solve
the mystery. Possibly the bandit would try
It again, and then they could catch him.
L.. Ala MT do Tbera M