Evening star., 1927-11-02
THE BLACK JOKER
BY ISABEL OSTRANDER.

imself III see e don't bother you!"
But the red-headed young man
paid no attention to them, and 1t was
quite by the merest coincidence that
he did not start to leave until they
had risen from the table. Janet saw
the move and in the vestibule hung
back for Lucy to precede her.
1.-The train sways so," she MUIR
mured Il can take hold Of your
arm from behind to steady myself"
| Lucy went ahead, all unsuspecting,
and voice breathed in Janet's ear:
Station. Third taxi from end.
Waiting"
1t sounded in its brevity like an
oral telegram and when Janet turned
her head he was gone, nor did he
reappear in the Pullman till they
were nearing New York and 1t was
time for him to collect his bags.
Nov, miss, you're perfectly safe
ere, and the car should be waiting
somewhere about. If you'll stop
, where you are so I'll find you again
I'll ave q look for it," Lucy an
nounced. leading her charge to the
fringe of the jostling throng in the
vast station. Nothing can arm you
ere. and We'll soon be at 'ome."
She pushed her way into the
crowd and Janet gaZed after her for
a moment with misted eyes, then
turned and wormed her way through
the arch to where the taXiS waited.
The door of the third from the end
of the line stood open, the chauffeur
evidently on the alert and the CLEAN
of a red head inside. Without
hesitation Janet sprang in and shut
the door. and. accompanied by the
execrations of his fellow drivers. the
chauffeur swung out of line. raced up
the incline and was off with a roar
through the crowded streets.
Her companion had been eyeing
her with eager friendly interest, and
now she turned to him.
You understood what I meant?"
she asked. THAT I've got to reach
Nat as quickly as possible?"
Ten of Hearts nodded.
"Sure! That's where I'm taking
you-Mineola.''
"Mineola!" Janet gasped.
HE hangs out near there with his
plane when he isn't under special
orders. We've all been combing
the East for you since you left the
Eight of Diamonds and she's been
crazy with anxiety. There are half
a dozen each of us riding the trains
between here and Boston, Phila-
delphia and Chicago on the chance
of picking you up, and every motor
road is covered as well as the docks.
That girl with you was English,
wasn't she, Miss Dane? That looks
as though you've been in the hands
of some of Mariott'S crowd"
"Of Mr.. Marriott himself" Janet
responded. "That's how / happened
to leave Mrs. Kerr. II had a mes
sage and thought I'd do something
all by myself and instead I walked
straight into trap"
She had decided quickly not to de-
nounce Mrs. Kerr as a traitor to this
unknown member of the pack and
somehow she could not speak of her
father just yet. She would ask Nat
whom her father and Mr.. Afford had
trusted most.
And he took you to Boston," Ten
of Hearts asked quickly, adding:
You see. Miss Dane, we are all still
on the trail of Marriott and his
friends: they're more important just
now than Norman's crowd"
II know" Janet smiled to herself.
do you know where Norman's
house is. near Mineola? It's just
little cottage with several willow
trees about it, and a stream that
empties into little lake."
"Yes!" Ten Of hearts started.
"I want to go there tonight"
Janet said simply. 'Will you take