New Britain herald., 1923-10-05
NOW GO on wIrn ruE srony

lie settled down now 10 unrelaNed
Tstehfulness. A long string OF ears
came along from out Of town. then
en- almost equally long string from the
opposite direction; couple OF
trucks: and then from the north a
lone fiiyser containing two men,
Just before IL reached the cut. a
trio OF motors came MP from the
south and the fiivver stopped. iis
driver getting out to fuss with the
engine.
The three cars came IN and passed.
Nothing else was In sight In either
direction. The driver Of tho fiivver
climbed back Into his seat and
started for the cni.
1.-TWO minutes Is all ! can allow
them at the most" Charlie whispered
excltedly.
The long indicator OF the stop
watch swept around Its circle. One
minute gone. Another round, and
stili the car stayed down In the cult.
Before Il came into view again, there
had elapsed exactly three minutes and
20 seconds.
Hardly did the top OF II appear
over the edge OF the dip before
Charlie. slipping the stop watch into
his pocket. swung down through the
branches.
He rushed across the Jungle" and
Jerking his motorcycle out from under
its concealing pile OF brush. pulled II
into the road. But when he at
tempted to start, he found the mech
anism gone dead. Impatiently he
leaned over to see what was the mat
ter, and found to his amazement that
the spark plug was missing. Hastily
he rummaged in his tool bag for an
other, but although he would have
sworn lie had three spare plugs, there
was none to be found
Then he suddenly froze. On the
flap OF the tool bag was chalked
rude TX" within a crce-the sign of
the Combine.
The thing was plain enough TO MIN
now. In spite of all his efforts az
camouflage, his artfu twists ana
turns, the agents of the Combine had
evidently succeeded in trailing him
to the Jungle" and there while he
slept, had effectively put him out OF
the running.
Charlie cast up his eyes. as he HIM
self would have expressed 1t, like a
diving duck, and wretchedly shook his
head. He was facing down the by
road toward its junction with the Lone
Hill road on the other side of the
railway land now there swept across
his field of vision the suspected
fivver.
Driven hard in its progress toward
town, it was covered the distance
down from the archway during the
two or three minutes that he had
spent in lamentation. Charles plan
had been to lead it along the highway
on his motorcycle and let it overtake
and pass him, so as not to give the
suggestion of pursuit. Now the sight
of it. spinning triumphantly by, only
added poignancy to his humiliation.
Then suddenly his fingers went
fumbling at the leather case which
held his field glasses. He noticed
that the rearAleft wheel of the flivver
carried new tire, and remembering
that the Lone Hill road had Just been
freshly oiled, it gave him q new idea.
He jumped to his feet and leveled
his glasses on the flivver's whiring
wheels. A little thrill of hope woke
In him. His eyes had not been mis-
taken. The three old tires had a
smooth thread; that Of the fourth was
corrugated. Perhaps 1t might be
possible to follow that spoor on the
oily roadway.
He bent another look through the
glasses at the back of the recedng
car to take the number on its license
board. 1t was 2,155,633.
You never can tell" He screwed
UP his lips. "Chances are that it's
false number but they might have
forgotten to shift. Anyhow that and
the tire-tracks are the only clues I've
got, and I'll take 'em for what they're
worth"
So pushing the crippled motor
cycle beside him, he hurried on in the
Eivver's wake.
CHAPTER XII
DR.. Bristow was sitting at his desk
in the outer office of his suite going
over pile of letters.
The clock on the rpantlepiece had
lust struck nine, and Bristow's
brows puckered she surveyed the
accumulation of mail yet to be con-
sidered. He had sat down to 1t i'm
mediately after dinner and was still
not half through.
As he picked up the next envelope |
and drew out its enclosure, thcrc |
came a tap on the door. Before he
could respond. this was pushed open
and Anita Copley entered.
ScAh, Anita!' He leaned back in his
chair. strictly on time, and I've
scarcely begun. Vile nuisance, this |
sort of thing. No more of it for me
tonight anyway Well he thrust the |
pile of letters away from Rim and |
turned toward her, how is the little |
sister today?"
Just the same" She helped her |
self to a cigarette. lighted it, and |
sank far down in an easy-chair, |
stretching her feet out before her.
1--WE put her to bed and locked the |
door on her; she won't stir. She |
doesn't even get up in the morning |
until 1 tell her to. She seems slower |
stupider every day. Her writing. too, |
is awful--more incoherent."
He nodded. She's strong physi- /
cslv. though. BY the way, has she |
seen hanging around Kelsey any |
fsore7 found her sitting under