Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1923-03-23

O0A ~ ANAN1% ~ N+oN N EOA%
may get the bracelets onto the real
thieves right away. I'm not much
stuck on that chance. Police, wher-
ever you strike 'em, are-well, they're
just police. We're in a lot more dan
ger from them than that dead-beat
who broke into JervaulX, and the fe-
male rattlesnake he had along. The
police mustn't get you, at any price.
And-they mustn't get me either.
Only there's more to it than that.
Half a hundred things. There's a
mighty tangled deal in front of me.
"Now, Pm going to sail right in. All
you've got to do is lie here in this
cache till about seven or eight o'clock.
I'll be back here by then. If I'm not"
said Billy quietly, it'll be because
I've fallen through. You bet your life
l won't. Buff 1 don't get here by
then, you must throw your hand in,
just get straight to your father, best
I way you can. Dc you promise thatY"
"Y-yes! But tell me what you're
going to do, Billy !" she said breath
lessly.
Il ali lCli NOu any lllinSs Ill DdNC
to play the hand as it's dealt me; it
just depends how the cards fall. And
don't you worry any," he said ear
nestly. "If you get doubtful or scary,
just wash it right out of your mind,
an say this 'Billy's running the thing
for me, an he'll see me through! = I'm
off. Shake!"
With a sudden gesture Aimee put
both her hands in his. He gave them
a crushing grip, and broke into the
sunniest smile.
"We sure are SEEM life, partner! !"
he chuckled.
Aimee replied with a rather tremu-
lous laugh. The next moment Billy
had dropped her hands, and was gone.
Once clear of the crag-pits, Billy
made for. the road by another route.
While climbing a gate he glanced at
the luminous dial of his wrist watch,
and emitted a whistle of consterna-
ton. Aimee's account of herself was
absorbing, but he did not realize till
now what an unconscionable time
they had spent in the cave. The night
was nearing its close.
Billy avoided the roads. He struck
right across country and reached Ivy
cottage with as little loss of time as
possible. But the eastern sky was
rapidly tightening when he arrived.
Entering the garden with extreme eau
ton, Billy found everything quiet. Ee
climbed the trellis deftly, and heaved
himself through Aimee's window.
With a certain ms of embarrass-
ment Billy swept the walls with his
torch, unlocked the blue dust-cloak
that hung on the door, folded it small,
and packed it inside his jacket. That
was the main object of the expedition.
He also annexed a cake of soap, a
towel and a brush and comb-these
latter he had himself bought for Aimee
at Syderford on the first morning.
Billy again descended the trellis,
raked over his footprints carefully,
and with all possible speed shook the
mud of Ivy cottage from his feet.
1t was broad daylight when he had
crossed the fields and came within
sight of Jervaulx abbey. He hid the
cloak and it's accessories under a thorn
bush, glanced at his watch again,
seated himself under the hedge, and
lit a cigarette.
He drew the jewel case from his
pocket and examined the necklace,
thoughtfully emitting putfs of smoke.
Then he replaced the case in his
pocket and finished his cigarette, his
smooth forehead wrinkling into tiny
lines. Finally he rose and walked
briskly towards the entrance lodge of
Jervaulx.
There was no electric bell in the
great porch. He pulled a pendant
handle of wrought iron, and was an
swered by an archaic changing inside.
After a brief pause the doors were
thrown open by Tarbeaux the butler.
He looked at Billy inquiringly.
II want to see the proprietor-on
urgent business" said Billy. "Is he
up yetr'
eff you mean Lady Erythea Lambe,"
said Mr.. Tarbeaux with dignity. "her
ladyship has not yet risen."
81 am a stranger here" said Billy,
but what l want you to do is get a
message to her ladyship that 1t will
be worth her while to see me as soon
as convenient. Say I've important
news about some property that's miss
ing from here"
Mr.. Tarbeaux became more alert.
"Come this way" he said, and Billy
followed him.
In less than ten minutes Lady cry
thea arrived, pallid after her night of
stress, but unconquerable, clad in a
purple wrap. Billy turned to face
that tremendous presence.
"What do you want to see me
about?' she said sternly.
With his sunniest smile. Billy
opened the leather case and laid be
fore her the Lambe emeralds.
HLADTED XIII