Evening star., 1927-10-12

but she managed to free herself and
plunged on.
A lantern flashed behind her, but
in such wide arcs that she knew she
had not yet been located. though the
horse shouting of the constabulary
as they wallowed and lunged about
seemed to be coming closer, when all
at once she tripped over hummock
and fell.
Janet felt that her last ounce of
strength had failed, she could not
rise, she was beaten! She was scarce
| ~ conscious that something came to.
ward her and passed, then another
! figured appeared, caught her up in
his arms and, turning, dashed off in
| the direction from which he had come.
| "All safe, Seven of Hearts!" Dur
ants voice breathed in her ear. "Ben
will hold them, We'll take to the wa.
| teri"
Behind them she heard the voice of
the old man raised in a wordy combat
with the two troopers and then she
saw. facing her a stream whose rip
| pies reflected the stars, with a little
skiff straining at its rope against the
bank.
Durant lowered her into II, cast off
he loop of rope which had been wound
about a stout Sapling and, leaping
past her. seized the oars.
Il come out here to burn brush, /
tell your' Bens strident rage reached
them as they swung out into the cur
rent. You fellers come botherin' the
old woman and Minnie this AFTERNOON
and upsottin' the house, and now
The voice was merged in the dis.
appointed growls of the troopers and
all were stilled in the distance as the
oars ground in the rowlocks and the
little craft headed upstream.
Wont the motor cycle sink us?"
Janet gasped. still breathless from
her struggle in the swamp.
NO. This is Ben's own slkiff built
to carry the products of his STILL"
Durant's tone was buoyant as ever
as he labored against the current.
Sorry ] had to leave you there:
thought 1t was safe enough and we
had to get the bike aboard. Want
to make the bridge if we cam"
Seeing that he was saving his own
breath Janet lapsed into silence, but
the stream appeared to be much
broader than when viewed from the
shore and the stars were very bright.
with each stroke of the oars spray
dashed up on the bow and it was an.
parent that they were making little
headway.
What if they were seen and fol.
lowed? Surely a couple OF horses
could gallop along the bank at
tar greater speed! Would they be cut
Off at the bridge?
Durant was facing her as she sat
huddled in the stern and she could
not glimpse his features distinctly.
but she saw his figure stiffen sud.
denly. then he pulled with all his
might on the right oar, steadying ID
with the left until they were tax.
ing the current nearly broadside and
the boat rocked gently, making for
the opposite bank.
Janet did not need to question him.
for distant shouts told her that her
fears had been realized. AS they grew
nearer they were accompanied by
rhythmic thuds and glancing over her
shoulder she saw two shadowy
mounted figures dashing along the
bank they had just left, making in
the direction they had themselves
headed for
The bridget How far were they
from 1t? She knew now that Durant
meant to land, but the side of the
stream they We're approaching pre-.
sented a dark and unbroken line of
defense woods. The resourceful Five
of Diamonds might turn the motor.
cycle adrift in the boat, but with.
out it would they not soon be ridden
down by the men who must know
every bypaths and wagon-track of that
region?
Then upon her. apprehensive ears
came the sound which had dreaded,
the clatter Of hoofs on hallow plank.
ing!
They've reached the bridget" she
cried.
Durant nodded coolly.
They'll have to come roundabout
way back on this side" he replied.
eff can strike the cove :"
Janet glanced again at the black
gloom of the wooded bank they were
approaching and now she saw, lit
the way down stream, break in its
line, a separation of the trees like a
crevice into which the water appeared
to flow
"Is that TT" She pointed.
Eyes! We mustn't drift past II or
we'll never make our way back in
time! Steady now, Seven of Hearts,"
She clasped her hands tightly in
her lap despite the pain of the cuts
from the rank marsh reeds and
watched the opening as 1t widened
before them. The horses had passed
the anu 1t S6SID6u lHdL every
minute they must burst from among
the trees on the shore and head them
off! Would they never reach the
bank?
Then a sudden swirl of current
caught them, and heavy and fat-bot-
toned as their small craft was. it
bore them along as though hitched
to some submerged creature of titanic
strength apd speed.
Janet uttered a little exclamation of
despair, but Durant pulled madly on
the oars to bear into the cove.
They were abreast Of it now. so
near the bank that she could almost
have reached out and touched jut.
ting rock, but maliciously the boat
seemed to swerve from it--they were
| passingi
Then with a desperate, magnificent
sweep of the oars Five of Diamonds
drove 1t into the shelter of the cove.
where it sped up on the shelving
| bank and grounded.
"Oh, you made itw Janet cried.
Were safer
The words were stilled upon her
| lips by the call which rang through
| the sudden crash of branches, up
with your handsr'
CONTINUED in Tomorrow's Starr