Evening star., 1927-09-27
THE BLACK JOKER
BY ISABEL OSTRANDER.

He was playing his part to perfec-
ton, and Janet rose waveringly to
| her feet, tottering out to face Bill,
still dazedly, and to mutter: "Soeur
Angelique" again and again. She
| had taken her cue; if she went
docilely she would not be harmed,
and although every instinct rebelled,
she forced herself to acquiescence.
Without another glance at her ally,
she permitted them to lead her away.
stumbling and leaning heavily on
| Bills hated arm.
What is it?" one Of the men NUT.
tered" She amt actually gone crazy,
| has she? We didn't bargain with the
old man for this.'
/ "Shut your fool mouth" Bill re-
torted. shes delrious, that's all.
! Got kind of a fever. maybe, from
! trying to swim the pond last night;
you can see she must have been in
it up TO her neck, May1l fix her up
right and We'll have no trouble get.
| ting her there, that's sure. If she
| can't make it to the bus, well carry
| herr
| Janet took the unmitting hint and
made the light, covered truck that
waited hundred yards down the
| deserted road. She had no mind to
| be carried by these ruff1ans, to the
| danger Of having her hair fall down
| and disclose the weapons concealed
! in it. She must find a way to hide
| them when the odious Carlin woman
! took her again in charge.
| Bill helped her not urgently into
the truck. and put the seat cushion
under her head when she sank down
| upon its floor. Two of the men
| climbed up beside him and the other
c1t IA foi nd oh Io,.
to shoulder to conceal her, their feet
| hanging over.
She longed to scream. to thrust
| them aside and leap out. but that
would undo all her former efforts and
end only in recapture; besides there
was the young mans warning. and
although she could not understand
she meant to obey and watch the sky
| next day.
The truck, with Bill at the wheel.
made good speed, but the road was
constantly twisting and turning, and
she had no means of knowing how
far the distance had been which she
had travelled that weary day. Dusk
came and night fell before they drew
up, once more, at the porch of the
house among the willows, and with
the opening door a strange mans
voice sounded. deep and more rounded
than those of the rest.
What news?"
Got her" Bill responded briefly,
but with an odd sort of respect in
his tones. "She's sick. though; out
of her head. Don't make any trouble.
just talks kind of rambling. Guess
she's got fever"
Good She may talk to some pur-
pose" the heavy voice remarked.
he, ~
diagnosis: bring her in.'
This time Janet permitted herself
to be carried, muttering and tossing,
but through her half-closed eyes she
looked at the stranger whose tone
was that of a master. She saw a
thick-set man with a mouth like iron
and a name of tangled, sandy hair.
Could this be the leader of her faith
er's mysterious enemies?
She was borne upstairs and laid
upon the same bed from which she
had risen to hoped-for freedom on the
previous night, and then the sandy
haired man commanded from the
doorway: ''That1l do! Send May up
to her and then come to me. I want
this story straight, do you hear?"
Bill obeyed and Janet heard the
clang of new bolts being shot home
on the door. Instantly she had slipped
from the bed and torn the file and
knife-blade from her hair. A fresh
" lighted candle stood on the dresser,
and by its wavering glow she glanced
about wildly for place of conceal
ment, when all at once she saw that
the mating which covered the floor
had been worn through near the foot
of the bed. 1t was the work of a
moment to slip the two implements
under the loose flap, and when Mrs.
Carlin hurried in, she found the girl
tossing with unbound hair upon her
pillows