The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-09-17
CHAPTER v

d
gown, and was about to tiptoe ou
of her room, in search Of Cherry.
: Twas after o'clock. Her sister
would be furiously angry with hel
for interfering but after all sh'
owed her loyalty to her father, anC
he had had good reason for ordering
Chris. Wiley off the premises.
She was just opening her door
when a shrill scream rang out, star
tlingly loud in the deep silence Of
the hot night Cherry! WHAT hat
Chris Wiley done to her, to make
her risk exposure like that? Faitf
was running noiselessly through the
dining room when her fathers low
harsh voice stopped her.
"Was that you. Faith? I heard
some one scream" He snapped or
the dining room light and stood re
vealed in his at-dampened night
shirt, his dark thin hair rumpled
out of it's careful, daytime parting
his thin, hairy legs and bunioned
feet grotesque in their nakedness
But Faiths eyes were fixed in hor
ror upon the heavy, old-fashioned re-
volver that he carried in his right
hand.
III thought I heard a burglar, .
Faith lied with stammering quick
ness Oh, il he would only go back
to bed, so that she could investigate
without getting Cherry into trouble
"Where's Cherry? Home YETI" he
lowered his voice so as not to dis
turb his wife, who was sleeping
heavily under the influence of a bro
mide.
Before Faith could reply, the
scream came again, loud and sharp,
hut ending abruptly, as If the
screamer's mouth had been sud
denly muffled.
Mr.. Lane brushed Faith aside and
ran into the living room. Faith heard
him stumble against the old wicker
rocking chair, which he cursed as
he flung it aside. Almost paralyzed
with terror the girl at last forced
her unsteady legs to carry her. Oh,
Cherry, little Cherry! She was Sob
DlIlS DIS she run Ll5 ID 5CNAJJ AOAAON
ing Mr. Lane to the porch.
PUT that girl down, or I'll shoot!'
she heard her fathers usually mild
voice roar out.
Faith seized his right arm, strug-
gled with him desperately so that
the pistol pointed harmlessly to-
ward the floor Of the porch. But she
did not take herseyes from the drama
that was unfolding before her amazed
eyes.
In the faint light from the dis
tant street lamp the man who had
been running toward a car parked at
the curb, struggling, kicking girl
in his arms, dropped his burden sud-
denly, so that the little figure
sprawled like a broken doll on the
graveled path. Still exerting all her
strength to keep her father from
taking a shot at the fleeing figure,
Faith saw the man leap into his car,
start the engine with incredible
swiftness, and roll away.
Jim Lane dropped the pistol to
the floor, looked at FaiU with wild
haggard eyes, in which murderous
!, anger was still glittering, then ran
on his bare feet, to where Cherry
was still prone in the gravel
sobbing like child, with pitiful
choking gasps.
what was the Hathaway rascal
doing to you, honey?" He lifted the
girl Is his arms. "I'll kill him for
thisI I'd have taken shot at him
when he was running away, but
Faith wouldn't let go of my arm
Tell Daddy, honey"
The girl crying Historically
wound her arms around her fathers
neck, but did not correct his mis-
take.
''It wasn't Mr.. Hathaway, Dad,
Faith cut in sharply. Cherry
'I don't know who it was" Cherry
shuddered. cit was so hot I couldn't
sleep, and was lying in the deck
chair on the porch--oh, Daddy
Hold me tight! I'm scared, I'm
scaredr f~
"You don't know who it was?'
jim Lane demanded incredulously
''Faith-what do you know about
this?r He turned on his Older
daughter.
IT tell you I don't know who II
wasl" Cherry protested quickly. hel
breath coming in sharp gasps. q
was just lying there, half asleep
when suddenly n man picked me III
in his arms, screamed"
II heard your Jim Lane cut in
'sYou didn't recognize hin?"
"It was someone I never saw be
fore In my life," the girl sobbed, but
she reached ont a hand and seized
Faiths and pressed it warningly. 81
tried to talk, to ask him who he was
but I was-just-just paralyzed. He
said he had been watching me for 6
long time, that he was in love with
me, that he was going to take me
away with him. pleaded with him
but 1t wasn't any use. Then he
stopped talking, just flung me acros:
his shoulder and began to run dowr
the walk with me. Oh, Daddy, dar
ling, I'm so glad you came--in time,
Faith. go phone the police!" jim
Lane lifted the weeping girl into hi.
arms and started toward the house
at never heard of such an outrage II
my life. Phone for the police,
sayr he commanded sharply, al
Faith stood hesitating beside him.
+, "Oh. Daddy, don't get the policel'
Cherry begged, shuddering. "Yol
scared him so badly he'll never com,
backl And ia be disgraced! The
newspapers! Oh, Daddy. couldn''
stand 1.-THE disgrace, the police
asking me questions please.- Daddy