San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-10-11
CHAPTER XVIII.

1t was Just about the time that
Charlie had gained from the Princess
the clue which pointed to the SAM.
tarum, that Hope and Kelsey in Bris.
t0d's high-powered car went crashing
through the hedge and sweeping down
the road.
Their plan had been to drive west.
change the car at some garage. first
disabling it, and then proceed in an
other less conspicuous one to New
York.
But Kelsey noticed that she had
headed east, which was we'll as it
would lead the pursuit in that direc-
ton. Half a mile beyo:.d the hos
pital, though, she turned into q mar
row lane, and he soon saw that by
circuitous routes she was now making
her way west.
Neither of Them spoke. Crouched
over the wheel, Hope drove-a valky-
RE of driver, and for the time moth
ing more, every fiber of her bent on
that. And in the first ecstasy of es-
cape. Kelsey gave no thought TO the
dangers still before them.
Twilight was falling now. As they
whirled on, following tangled and
tortuous by-paths, he could no longer
see ahead of him.
With n twist of the wheel Hope
brought them out Of lane they had
been following through the scrub oak
onto more Travelled highway, and
ahead of them he saw the lights of
garage. She slowed down and stopped,
rubbing her numb hands.
"Run ahead and reconnoiter." she
said. "and / will get ready to put the
carburetor out of commission. if the
coast is clear. Then, with another
car, we will make n detOur around
that bend and strike into the main
road"
He was already out Of the car, and
starting on his way.
Two or three minutes passed and
then he came running back. There's
n car there" he painted. "There were
men in it-Bristow's chauffeur. The
garage men were gathered around it.
We haven't second to lose. They're
after u.s."
She jumped into her seat. and
slowed the machine sharply around.
They whizzed down the road and back
into the scrub-oak again. He heard
shouts behind them. and the loud hOnk-
ing of horn. with an answering hOnk-
honk to the right and left-the baying
of the pack.
Kelsey looked back. and as he did
so.Na car shot out from an intersecting
road and took after them. 1t gained
steadily.
They've got us pocketed." he said.
"Not yet" The wind blew back her
words to him
They had come to a point where the.
road forked in three drcctionA She
turned into the first one.
well try for our old house now"
she said eve can get to the back
entrance by n short cut through the
woods just beyond here"
Our old house?" He had not heard
of il before "ISut the car. They will
track us by. that, no matter where we
60"
"Let them" she said briefly. and
with what struck him as remarkable
sang froid under the circumstances.
He looked back again.
1ncy We fOlfOweu, ne Sald. lney re
on us now"
The words were hardly out of his
mouth, when there was n rush OF
wheels. the pur of an engine. and the
pursuing car shot by them to draw up
ahead in the middle of the road.
There was nothing for them but to
stop. They could not hope to pass in
that narrow lane. and it was equally
impossible to turn.
As the car passed them, Kelsey had
made out that there were two men in
it. One of them leapcd over the side,
and came running back.
Kelsey flexed his muscles and wait
ed. The man hurrying toward them
was big burly fellow. but Kelsey was
no lightweight himself. Armed or un-
armed, he was ready for him, and then