The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-04-18
CHAPTER xxv-continued.

Arkwright's inspection Of the ave
was brief.
sit is empty, but the place has been
used, and recently" he reported.
"Strange they should not have chosen
1t; it is the best hiding place In the
pit"
Perhaps they only recently discoy-
cred this desirable residence, and were
about to shift their quarters" suggest
ed de Jussac. mo doubt, If a few
watchful policemen ambush themselves
efficiently during the dark hours, they
will catch the amiable consort of that
cutthroat yonder. One hopes so. 1t is
painful to the law-abiding to know h a
malefactors are at large. Particularly
when they are females"
Inspector Arkwright looked at him
obviously, and made no reply. Billy,
also, when the two rejoined him, eyed
de Jussac with extreme thoughtful
ness, and had some difficulty in sup
pressing his emotion. He was still
mounting guard over Jake, who lay
upon his ~improvised stretcher and
gazed up at the sky with a singularly
beatifc smile. De Jussac offered him a
cigarette, which he accepted silently.
Il think" said Inspector Ark~right,
I'LL call on you W gentlemen to as
sist me and We'll get him out of this.
want the place cleared"
1t was not an easy matter to carry
the gate and its burden out of the pits.
BY the time they had achieved 1t, the
car arrived from J%ervaulx and wound
its way over the fiat turf. Jake was
lifted into it.
Il must trouble you to accompany
me, Mr.. Spencer" said Arkwright.
Anything to oblige the police" said
Billy, squeezing himself into the front
of the car. 1t was a tight fit.
The journey to Stanhoe was made
almost in silence. When the car ar
duly disposed of. while Billy cooled his
heels in a dingy waiting room that had
been whitewashed some time during
the period when Sir Robert Peel was
recognizing the force. Presently In
spector Arkwright joined him. The in
spector closed the door, and regarded
Billy with a s%phinx-like but family
humorous eye.
II think, Mr.. Spencer" he said
quietly, that you have no very. high
opinion of my intelligence?"
Wrong there" said Billy, politely.
81 don't know that I'd class the STAN
hoe staff with the worlds great think
ers. Bun I've heard a lot about Scot
land Yard, and, if l may say so, you
come fully up to sample"
There is no harm now in my telling
you that l know precisely what your
movements have been. MI. Spencer. l
know that it vas you, and not the pris-
oner. who stayed at Ivy cottage as the
tenant of Mrs. Summing. | know that
your companion, at the same time,
stayed next door. / have also a fairly
accurate comprehension of the reasons
which led you to accept temporary EN-
ployment in the Jervaulx abbey house
hold. | did not, till now, know who
you were. But the papers you gave me
establish your identity. And that
makes all the difference"
Billy was silent.
I I'm, you see, in possession of the
facts"
There's one recent fact" thought
Billy, that you're not wise to-"
Your affairs, Mr.. Spencer, though
somewhat complicated, do not call for
the Intervention of the police" said
Arkwright, with the ghost of a smile,
land no official cognizance will be
taken of that matter; unless something
unforeseen occurs. l am a thief hunter
and not a castigator of rash young
men. What I know. l shall, doubtless.
kept to myself"
Billy felt an enormous sense of re-
lief, combined with a sharp twinge of
conscience.
1.-THE irresponsible couple who en-
sconced themselves at Ivy cottage"
said Arkwright, with a dry smile, made
a good deal Of trouble for themselves"
Inspector" said Billy, did you ever
do a fool thing?"
Inspector Arkwright twinkled.
"a good many, when l was your age,
And, sometimes, even now. However.
1 wish you good fortune. I am not un-
grateful to you for your share in the
running to earth of Mr.. Jake. 1t is the
duty of the civilian to assist the police
The woman will still be brought to
book. And 1 shall call on your formi-
dable employer before l leave. Good-by
Mr.. Spencer"
Billy walked out of Stanhoe police
station and made his way back TO the
abbey on foot.
Gee" he sid pensively. But that
last stunt was awful dangerousi or
course, l see well enough what han
pened. But it was just a lucky acct.
dent neither Aimee nor that blamed
nuisance of a woman was seen getting
away. The luckiest sort of accident
Inspector Arkwright isn't the fool 7
took him for, by a long way. I wonder
how much he knows? But he can't
know that"
He shook his shoulders.
"It came near being a real crash
Just when everything had come right
1t put the wind up me worse than any,
thing yet. But there's nothing to be
scared at now"
Despite the excellent turn affairs
had taken, Billy's mind was troubling
him. He had the air of a small bow
whose raid IN the jam cupboard is
about t. be discovered. When he ar
rived at the abbey there was no sigr,