San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-04-18
N (S.S
Al) AS
..e> DOUGLAS GRANT
BY DOU0l As GRANT
q ue4 NsA. SERVICE INC

the court, through door in n wall,
down an alley and over another wall
BY means of small ladders already
placed there. A second passageway
an open door of iron grill, and to her
amazement the girl found herself
upon a side street, broad and desert
ed save for themselves.
Her companion gripped her arm
and hurried her on relentlessly when
Sallie. painting. would have cried out
the truth to him but as they turned
the corner and the headlights of a
car approaching slowly up the street
came into view she managed to
wrench herself free.
'Fitch, listen, you must listen or
you'll get into trouble with your
chief! Let me go and I'll give you this
string of pearls / only let you think
was this Diamond Bess' so that
you'd help me get away from those
terrible people, but I'm not" she
sobbed brcathlessly. az don't know
anything about her except what /
read in the paper, 1 never saw those
diamonds"
my Gawd," He seized her again
In a grasp which made her cry out
with pain. "Still trying to double
cross, are you? l thought you'd be
on the level with d pal as had done
as much for you as what have.
Bess, but you're like all the rest
That was Sloat himself that !
croaked outside your door there
croaked. do you hear, and III go to
the chair for it if I'm caught! They
was goin' to take you to private
horspital that doctor has out in the
country and do you in, l heard the
whole thing and in three days at
most the papers would have had the
death of Miss Copeland from injuries
got in that wreck. Bli'me me, wish
Id let 'em take you!'
"You -must-you must believe me.'
Sall:e walled.
"I'll believe You all right when the
chiefs through with your Fitch re-
sDonded. venomously. "And me get
tin soft on you, Here's the ear.
Now you come along and come along
quiet, or I'll give you rap on the
NOludu lib. fO HtlD lut
Sallie had forgotten her pistol but
now she raised it desperately just as
the sedan rolled IN to the curb and
its lights were extinsuished. With
contemptuous laugh Fitch twisted
her wrist and the pistol fell to the
sidewalk.
"Here. Bill" He spoke into the
onened door Of the sedan. ITS Bess,
all right. but she's tryin' to do us
dirt and make getaway! Toss her
in and gag her if she poems. Wait
till l find this gat and we'll be off ="
As the car rolled on Sallie covered
in her corner. realizing the futility
Of further struggle. Her sense recled
and she felt that consciousness was
leaving her but she clenched heI
hands and bit deeper into her lower
lip. fighting with all her strength tC
keep command of herself. To what
sort of awful den were they takin:
her? What would their fearsomr
leader do TO her when he found on
the mistake. if his, gang did not hest
tate at murder. Sloat-.
A shudder shook her from head Il
foot and she shrank still further int
her corner. Fitch beside her and Bill
in front were grimly silent and th'
stolid. bulky man at the wheel haf
not even turned his head. It apDcare,
to the terrified girl that they drov'
for countless miles. turning cornc-'
which she could only Judge by IT,
lurch and swcrvc Of the CIR and nj
though she dreaded unspeakably thpl
Journeys end the suspense became un
| bearable.
At last. just MS she felt her self
control Shining from her. the ca
stopped with a jerk and the fellow
called Bill opened the door and go
out.
Think she'll give any trouble
Fred?" he asked.
"Come on, Bcss. no bluffing now
No. she'll go quiet: she's all i'm
In pitiful obedience SGllie hal
striven to rise but her knees CAV
way beneath her and she was Onl,
dimly aware that they were half
carrying her M a flight of ston
steps. Then door opened and closei
and she felt the warmth of a hous