Evening star., 1927-10-13
THE BLACK JOKER
BY ISABEL OSTRANr

ana sou ana nOliOW IKE tunnel all
braced inside. We thought you'd
need sleep and rest, Miss, and if we're
stopped. I'll yell out as il at the fools
for helding me up on my job, but it1l
be a signal for you to crawl inside
| They'll never know you're there"
You are very kind" Janet smiled,
conscious all at once of a reaction
| from the excitement which had kept
| her up since the flight from the
troopers. Il hope I shall not sleep
too soundIy to hear your warning"
Hope | won't have to give any!"
He laughed and then turned to help
Durant adjust the motor cycle in its
crate. adding to the latter: "I've got
sweater and leather apron for you
and you can ride on the front seat
with me-"
The crate fastened, the two bade
her goodnight, but just before Nine
of Spades switched off the lamp
Durant thrust a small flashlight into
her hand.
Don't use it unless you really
must Miss Seven of Hearts. for it
might show from outside. We have a
good long night before us, SO try to
rest"
1t was the first personal note In
their association, but his tone was 50
I anu DiOlCCLlAlS LAidN NliEM
| they had climbed down and bolted
the van doors behind them she did
not feel frightened as she had antici:
pated. With a warm little sense OF
gratitude about her heart for such
mysteriously appearing friends the
| girl fell asleep almost as soon as'hei
body relaxed on the soft roll and she
knew no slightest movement Of the
great, runlbling vehicle which bore
her through the night.
| A loud knocking at the doors of the
van reused her at last and her haZy
bewilderment at her surrounding
was quickly dispelled by the CHEEKY
call from Durant:
! "Open the doors when you're ready.
| It's time we were off again!"
| Making herself as tidy as she could
| in her cramped quarters. Janet push
| ed open the unbolted doors and he
| lifted her to the ground, but the
morning greetings were brief and
while he and Nine of Spades un-
packed the motor cycle and refllled 10
with gas from the vans extra supply.
| she repaired to tiny brook that
gurgled behind some trees at the
roadside to wash her face and hands.
The country was totally unlike that
through which they had ridden the
Y DAY DGlOTC, dAlOSb tCNCA CAAh
| dotted with small neat farms and or
chards, with the spires of a village
church glinmering in the sunlit dis
tance.
I'VE must have come miles!" Janet
/ exclaimed as she returned TO the
road. Durant stood beside the motor
| cycle with some packages in his
hands, but the van and its kindly
driver had vanished.
mine of Spades couldn't wait" he
explained. I'VE did good many
miles during the night and were
free from the consfabulary. but We've
others still to evade. Let's hide the
bike and eat first, though.
In a deserted orchard they devour-
ed the egg sandwiches and drank the
milk which Durant had purcha sed at
an all-night lunch-wagon in the last
town and then proceeded on the, to
Janet, still unknown way
She was sorry not to have thanked
the Nine of Spades, but her compan-
ions warning did not impress itself
upon her. Surely Norman and his
adherents must have been shaken off.
1 How could they lose that single
motor cycle and find it again after
hundreds of miles!
The sun was pleasantly warm, the
TOdQ DCIIGGLy dIld dS bAEy
along Janet's spirits rose still higher.
but Durant was strangely silent.
All at once the girl looked up into
the sky and exclaimed:
"Oh, there are three airplanes!
Don't they look pretty?"
Durant glanced back at her and
Ihesitated. Then he said slowly:
They're not up there just for that:
"You mean" Janet's eyes widened,
"that they're protecting u.s., like yes
terday? How could they ever have
picked us up unless they knew just
where the van would stop? You've
never told me where we're going, but
/ should like TO know what part OF
the country we are in now! Is Nat
up there with the other two?"
Her tone was so buoyant and care
free that for the second time her
companion seemed to find 1t difhcuit
to frame his reply.
We've left Pennsylvania and New
Jersey, and we're well into New
York state, Miss Seven of Hearts,
but how much further Wen get is an
other matter. Those planes aren't
protecting us, exactly, and Nat isn't
with them. The tables are turned
they're scouts of Norman"