The Elk Mountain pilot., 1923-07-26

nave tracked him ihrmyh Ter.
begged me to say norliing ahont her
And didn't. gave him that muci
rope. Never told the police I'd seen
her close by. Running down women is
their job. If it's got to be done. lei
them do 1t. They haven't any choice
but had. All the same." said Billy, "if
I'd dreamed for moment you ware in
the pits, I'd have chased fifty female
thieves sooner than you should take
chance I ought to be horsewhipped
for riskin' it."
Il think 1t was fine of you, Billy! !r
cried Aimee with sparkling eyes.
mol" he said Its you that were
fine"
This" said Aimee, is what comes
OF growing sentimental. Neither of us
would have dreamed of making such
such fools of ourselves a week ago.
What will become of her? VIII she
get away2"
Il don't know or care. If she made
the road. there's juice enough In the
Sphinx to take her hundred miles
from here. I only hope they don't find
her with the machine. But I'll bet they
don't. She'll get clear and cover her
tracks-she's the sort that does"
But the Sphinx" said Aimee, with
intense remorse. "our Sphinx, Billy !
I've lost her for your
Billy laughed.
"We'll mighty soon have another
there's two hundred landed at the
docks last week-same model; and a
factory being equipped to build the new
model over here. Mass production"
What! You never told me 1t had
got as far as that! Butt wanted the
old one, Billy-our Sphinx"
Maybe you'll have her yet. Only
I'm not going to let her make trouble
for you. We're pretty near done with
trouble"
But how"
Never mind. I'll tell you some time.
Gee! how you'll laugh! But I'm CIV
ing you the cinch-it is So"
"Billy!" she cried, isn't that splen-
did Though IL"
"Well?
II haven't been worrying so much
about it lately" said Aimee swiftly
''f'ut it's good to know. And what's
going to happen now"
II know one thing that's going to
happen now," said Billy, and ne kissed
her with-as de Jussac would say
empressement.
"Billy!' said Aimee little breath
lessly. Aunt said We had to be
decorous!"
$50 we are" replied Billy. He kissed
her again.
Half an hour later Billy, passing the
main porch, encountered Lady Ery-
thea.
Spencer" she said, II was about to
send for you. The person from Scot
land Yard, who has just left, informed
me that he had not only captured one
of the thieves, but that you had rem
dered him invaluable assistance. II
really seems a remarkable ending to
the affair-but 1t does not surprise me
In the least I said from the first that
you were more likely to make a sue
cess of this problem than all the po-
lice in the country. If they would only
consult you. l was perfectly right
my judgment, in fact, is never wrong"
''Yes. my lady"
Il am quite capable of reading be-
tween the lines" said Lady Erythea
with suppressed triumph. ut is my
conviction that the capture of this
abominable thief was due entirely to
you. The police are imbeciles."
Billy shook his head.
ION the contrary, Inspector Ark
wright is an uncommonly clever man,
my lady," he said respectfully. "As for
me, had-luck. Luck's a queer thing.
Even cleverness won't always beat it,
Lady Erythea looked little out of
her depth.
in any case" she continued, II am
very pleased that this absurd suspicion
of the police regarding you is cleared
up and that you come out of the affair
with such credit. 1t confirms my opin-
ion Of you"
Lady Erythea contemplated Billy's
tall figure and serenely handsome face
with certain regret.
II am sorry" she said, that you are
leaving Jervaulx."
Billy smiled.
1.-THE week have spent in your lady
ships service" he said gently, has
been the happiest time of my life"
Lady Erythea was not given to ex-
pressing her emotions. But her aus
tere face positively tinged faint pink
color with pleasure.
Ito be ContinuedJ
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