Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1923-03-16

ing inwards to the wall, the others
leading outwards.
Billy at once ran noiselessly round
to the garden gate and peered up and
down the lane. No one visible. He
returned quickly, got a rake from the
shed, and carefully raked over the
footprints also those beneath his own
window. Then he made for the gate,
and, after a moments thought, un-
locked the shed where the Flying
Sphinx reposed. He wheeled the
cycle out, freeing the engine, and tip
toed softly down the path with 1t.
Not till he was clear Of the lane
and well out on the high road did Billy
start the Sphinx, and then only at a
very gentle pace. At an easy seven
miles an hour he ambled along the
road, heading for Jervaulx abbey.
1t would have surprised Aimee
Scroope considerably had she guessed
for one moment how far Billy was
abreast of affairs. The carefree, In
souciant Billy, who seemed to live for
nothing but the Sphinx, was Infinitely
more wideawake than people gave
him credit for. The cool blue eyes
missed very little; the brain behind
them was able to connect facts to-
gether shrewdly.
Aimee had not the faintest suspl-
cion that anybody at Ivy cottage knew
she had made an unconventional exit
by the window the night before. Billy
however, was perfectly well aware OF
the fact. Early that same morning,
before setting off for Syderford, he
had observed the footprints beneatn
her window, which, to a keen eye,
told plainly that Aimee had dropped
from the treIlis, and later on had re-
gained her room by the same path.
Clearly the partner had made a mid
night excursion for a very definite b
1ect people do not roam the country
side In the small hours for nothing.
The Incident of the carriage on the
Stanhoe road puzzled Billy; he had
mentioned the carriage casually to-
Mrs. Sunning-saying nothing about
the collision-and learned that 1t could
belong to none other than Lady Fry
thea of Jervaulx abbey. He was told
a good deal about that establishment.
It was easier to start Mrs. Summing
talking than to stop her.
Obviously, Amy had something to-
fear from ~Jervaulx; something that
bound her to secrecy, and led her to
run risks. 1t annoyed Billy that she
should have anything to fear what
ever.
Sometimes said Billy to himself,
as the lodge gates of Jervaulx came
In sight, "a broncho FLY with the
spring blood in her will get dom
stunts an galloping among the gopher
holes. When they do that they're
liable to fall an break a cannon-bone.
It's the same with her. If she doesn't
want me, why she doesn't. But If she
does, Tn going to be right there"
He dismounted some little distance
short Of the park entrance. The dark
pile Of the abbey was visible, a quar-
ter of a mile across the grasslands.
Billy paused and reflected. The
Journey could be nothing more than a
scouting expedition. He wished very
much that he had been closer on All
mee's tracks.
Just then he observed a light flash
out in n of the abbey windows.
Faint, tintinnabulatory sounds were
borne to him Upon the night breeze
the changing of a bell.
He watched the house with alert
and thoughtful eyes. In a few mo-
ments two dim figures became visible,
moving swiftly. An imaginative on
locker might have thought them to be
COLLINS, gambling across the sward.
But they kept an uncommonly straight
line, crossing the park and heading
for a point a few hundred yards to-
Billy's right. Two people-running
swiftly.
Billy followed them with his eyes.
The foremost was long-Hmbed, scud-
ding along with giant strides. The
other, close behind, moved no less
swiftly, but it was a figure of vague
outlines, apparently wearing a cloak
or dust-coat. They vanished from
sight against the park fence where
the lane turned.
eff that amt a hold-up," said Billy,
starting way from the fence, there
never was one yet!'
He heard the cough and splutter of
a starting motorcycle under tall trees
far up the lane. For one moment he
listened, then made a dash for the
Sphinx.
"a getaway !" said Billy. my job!"
He threw his leg yer the Sphinx
and whirred off round the corner. He
lifted his chin and gave a joyous
laugh, like the bay Of a hound. The
lust of the hunter was in his blood.
The rider ahead, already aware that
he was being chased, let out his ma
chine at breakneck speed. The ray
from Billy's lamp showed him a man
crouching low between the handle
bars, his arms spread like the wings
Of a bat. On the pillion behind
crouched a small, muffied figure.
"Give upr' shouted Billy, as he