Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1925-04-17

way grew more uncomfortable He
could not bear to meet Joyce's eyes
| And ironically, in the midst of his
triumph there came to him memories
| of other days-happy days with Es-
| telle, in the first flush of their union
She had betrayed another man to go
to him, but she had never betrayed
him. They had loved each other
Even Railway had loved.
For the first time he thought al
most with pang that he would never
see Estelle again.
! He looked about him at the eternal
toward the brink of the lake. He
was already safe. There was a trail
along the lakes edge, but 1t was i'm
possible for any one to catch up with
him-if there were any one to follow
for two hours yet.
He drove the motor boat ashore. He
put his equipment on the bank. He
collected wood to cook some food. He
stopped over Joyce and raised her In
his arms to carry her ashore. She
offered no resistance now, only her
eyes, blazing with scorn, stared stead
! lily into his. And with new access
OF passion he crushed her to his breast.
you little devil I" he whispered
you little devil, you had me scared.
And love you all the more for it,"
Then, lifting up his eyes, Railway
saw something that sent all his dreams
and hopes crashing to the ground.
Half a mile distant, topping little
bare space among the trees, he saw
two riders trotting along the trail
toward him. At that distance 1t was
| impossible to distinguish them.
He set Joyce down, and, looking at
them, burst into furious oaths His
horses! Yes, he had forgotten them
Two riders how many more be-
him? How many men had that d-n
Anderson brought with him?
Hastily he carried the unresisting
girl back into the boat, threw in the
utensils that he had taken out for the
meal. and started the engine again.
| Soon the boat was cutting its way
downstream once more. 1t was going
faster than any horse could follow.
Railways spirits began to soar again.
He looked at Joyce, lying quiet in
| the bottom of the boat. She was no
longer looking at him. She had fallen
asleep. A slight smile lowered about
her lips. 1t frightened him, that
smile; it was as if in her sleep she
communed with some protecting force
that assured her of safety.
And suddenly his heart was filed
with superstitious fears. This woman
seemed unbreakable. He thought of
Estelles words. And now he wished
that he had taken her advice and let
| the girl go.
About the middle of .the afternoon
he ran ashore again, gathered more
| firewood, and cooked meal, eating
ravenously. He tried to make Joyce
eat, but she lay still in her bonds, ig-
noring him. When he kissed her, her
| lips were cold as ice.
He cut her bonds He drew her
into his arms The touch of her I'M
resisting body against his own re-
stored his courage.
"Joycel' he cried. "Joycel I've
got you now! You're mine"
| She was not looking at him. She
was looking pest his head and smil-
ing. Involuntarily Railway turned
mis- head to see
A mile away, on the shore of the
lake, he saw the two horsemen riding
steadily toward him.
Furious oaths burst from his lips
At that moment he seemed to read his
doom. 1t was incredible that they
could have ridden so fast. He must
| pitted the last ounce of his machine
fuel against horse flesh-and won.
Once more he carried Joyce back into
the boat. Once more he hurled his
craft downstream.
| An hour passed The sun was be-
ginning to decline. And now out of
the far distance faint murmur
broke upon his ears. Railway knew
what it was; he had often heard it
before 1t was the roar of Reindeer
falls. Beyond those there was no
trail-nothing but impenetrable forest
through which no horse could pass
Beyond the rapids he was safe. And
he had often navigated them. He
knew the narrow channel between the
rocks.
Once more his hopes revived
Looking back, he could see nothing but
the forest, reaching down to the lake
shore. The roar of the rapids grew
louder. They appeared in the dis
lance, line of foam crinkled with the
black outcropping of the rocks.
However, the engine began to miss
fire, and Railway perceived that the
gasoline was almost exhausted. He
filled the reservoir from the drum
The engine ratified and stopped. The
boat began to drift sidewise with the
increasing current
Railway examined his engine He
/ nf hot kI,c