The Washington times., 1923-02-22

would ponder on the queer
ways Of fate, on the strange coin
cidences that make for what we
calf sinevitapility." With. so tar
as she knew, no evidence against
him. DON Carey had convicted him.
self:
re was a murderer. By all pos
sibis Implication. Carey had con-
fessed, and Garland had corrobo-
rated the confession. And they
asked her to become party to a
: murder! So. :,
she would never again be as
angry as she was now, 1t
seemed 10 her inflamed senses
thai they were insulting not
merely herself but vandervent
niso.x They were suggesting that
she was yenal, capable Of putting
bodily safety above honesty. And
IN belittling her, they belittled the
man who had. Of all the women IN
the world, selected her. For now
IN the stress OF the moment, 1t
was as though vandervent's flow
ers had been q proposal. she
fought not merely for herself, but.
by some queer quirk OF reasoning
for the man that she loved.
Her left hand held whip and
reirs. She dropped the reins, she
rose to her feet and dashed savage
~ at 0arland's head. She heard
him scream as the knotted leather
cut across his face. She saw him
stagger- back, relinquishing his
hold ot the bride. She turned.
Carey's two hands sought for
her: his face was but yard away,
and. into Il she drove the butt OF
the whip. He, too. reeled back. j.
Her hand went. above her head
and ihe lash descended. swishing-
Is, upon the side Of the horse.
There was a jerk forward that sat
her heavily down, upon the seat.
A sidewise twist. as the animal
leaped ahead, almost threw her
out of the sleigh. She gripped at
the dashboard and managed to
rieat herself. And then the sleigh
went round a bend in the road.
The snow was piled on the left
hand side. The horse, urged into
the first display of spirits that,
probably. he had shown in years.
bore, to the left. The left runner
shot into the air. Clancy picked
herself out Of a snow-drift on the
right-hand side as the horse and
sleigh careened round another
turn.
For a moment, she was too be-
wadered to move. Then she heard
behind her the curses o.. the two
men. she heard them plunging
along the heavy roadway. calling
to each other to make haste.
She was not panicky. Before
her was a narrow roadway, branch
ing away from the main highway.
Up it she ran, as swiftly as heD
heaFfly-shod feet-she wore over
shoes that Mrs. Hebron had
pressed upon her-couid carry her
over the rough track.
Round q corner she glimpsed
lights. A house stood before her.
She raced toward 1t, her pace
slackening az q backward glance
assured her that Garland and
Carey must be pursuing the empty
sleigh. for they certainly were not
following her.
Bat the horse might stop at any
moment. He was an aged animal,
probably tired of his freedom al
ready. Then the two men would
turn, would find her tracks lead
ing up this road. She refused to
consider what might happen then.
One3thing only she knew-that she
had justified herself by refusing to
treat with them. 1t was an amaz-
ingiy triumphant heart that she
held within her bosom. She felt
strangely proud Of herself.
Across a wide veranda she made
her way. She rang a door-belI,
visible under the veranda-lieht.
She heard footsteps. Now she
breathed easily. She was safe.
Carey and Garland, even though
they discovered her tracks, would
hardly follow her into this house.
Then the door opened and she
stood face to face with Sophie
Carey.
For a moment. neither OF them
spoke. Then Mrs. Carey held out
her hand.
why. Miss Deane" she gasped.
Perfuncterily Clancy took the
extended fingers. She stepped in
side.
Lock the door, she ordered.
Sophie Carey stared at her. Me-
chemically she obeyed. She stared
at her guest.
"Why-why--wha wrong?"
she demanded. Her voice shook
and her eyes were frightened. o..
Clancy's eyes .clouded. She
wanted to weep. Not because OF
any danger that had meraced her
that might still menace her