Evening star., 1927-10-09
THE BLACK JOKER
BY ISABEL OSTRANDER.

woods There's nobody there. so don't
be scared, but scoot round it by the
fence and you'll come out on little
lane. Foller 1t piece, and you'll
come up with feller tinkerln with
one of those gasolene bicycles.
"A motor cycle" Janet queried as
he paused.
That's it. Maybe you won't recog-
niZe him. and if that's so. show hlm
this" He fumbled in the pocket of
| his overalls and produced another
| playing card--the seven of hearts.
The girl felt an almost hysterical
desire to laugh in spite of the gravity
of the situation, it all seemed so at
| terly fantastic. but she took it quietly.
| rs 1T mine? Am l the-the Seven
of Hearts,"
Reckon you are" her companion
| replied. If you've got any pins.
| fasten it on the lining of your coat
where you can show it easy if you
want to, but otherwise it'll be out of
! sight. And you amt to wear that
watch any more: that's the second
| thing / was 10 tell you. They've got
on to what it means. somehow--the
| crowd that feller belongs TO that
come after YOU in the field-and so
you had to be let in bout the playin'
| card business. though it's risky. If
anybody shows you a watch with the
| hands fixed or says something bout
the time of day. don't pay any atten.
| ton to EN-. It'll be somebody after
| you''
But Why" Janet cried. a trife
wildly, What in the world do they
| want me for. now that I am was
safe at home"" Why were those
! two men YOU saw skulkinC about
Daneholm?"
She did not at the moment realize
that in speaking Of it as home she
must have revealed her identity to
the man before her even if he had
| not heard of her before, but his
kindly, weatherbeaten face betrayed
no sign OF it,
Il don't know, ma'am." he re.
sponded. Il wasn't told ANYTHING
about that The feller with the motor
bicycle will show you the five of iia-
monds and you're to go wherever he
takes you. Better be gettin' to him
qulckS you can, now: it amt too
healthy for either Of you round here.
Good-by. and I surely wish you
luck"
He rubbed his big-knuckled hand
on the knee of his overalls and held
it out awkward1y and Janet clasped
it in both her own
"Good-by Four of Clubs" she said.
with little quiver in her voice. I'm
never forget what you've done, and
I'm sure some time We'll meet again."
She stumbled slightly as she took
the path he indicated and looked back
at the turning to meet his friendly
smile and wave of the hand.
The bit of woodland, though dense,
was smaller than she had thought and
she soon came to its outer edge to find
a trim farmhouse with newly painted
red barns and outhouses and a glisten-
ing, white, pale fence running all about
it. Remembering the directions given
her, Janet kept close to this as she
hurried around to the front, noting
that although the lowing of cattle
and cackle of chickens came to her
ears there was no sign of human life
in the inclosure.
The front Of the cottage faced on
a lane and she broke into a run as
she turned down it, fearing lest any
moment the hue and cry should be
raised behind her, but no sound came
to her until she neared a turning.
Just beyond and around it the clang
Of metal lightly struck tinkled on the
air and Janet halted behind a wild
berry bush. Could it be the motor
y
taken his place?
Then something else reached her, a
low whistle very much more musical
than the effort of her late companion,
and with a glad little cry she rose
and slipped around the turn. The
whistled tune was "Sur le Pont
'dAvignon"
'Oh!' she exclaimed, I'm so glad
it's your
The young man with the furtive,
merry eyes, whom she had first seen
painting at an easel beside a lake
many miles away, glanced up, tearing
off his cap.
"You understood the message?
Thank heaven" He shook hands and
then displayed the lining Of his head
gear. "See what found? Somebody
must have lost a deck around here"
II have one from the same pack,
I think" Janet opened her coat
shyly and exhibited the card given
to her, for the one he had shown was
| the five of diamonds. ''Must you
always be rescuing me, I wonder?"
I'D like the job If l could only make
success of it," He laughed as he
| turned to a small oilcloth roll-up
| which lay open on the grass. I've
| brought some things for you to wear.
| but you're all right as you are if no
one has seen you."
"Oh, but they have"' she cried.
! Norman himself and Bill, that dread
| full young man who took me away
| from your tent! They would have
| had me just now if-if the Four of
| Clubs hadn't made a scarecrow of
mev'
She hastily recounted the adventure
and the motor cyclist frowned.
"They knew it was you whom the
| Four of Clubs pretended to have taken
| for a boy? Then you'll have to wear
| these" He produced pair Of dark,
oil-smeared overalls and coarse fan
| mel shirt, together with shabby blue
| cap. "Give me your coat and cap:
We'll hide them back of that heap of
stones. Then put these on over your
| own things as quickly as you can"
Janet obeyed and retired behind the
| heap of stones while the Five Of
| Diamonds bent once more over his
machine and tinkered with the motor.
| When she emerged the girl was
| transformed into an undersiZed yet
very business-like looking young me-
chanic, but, regarding her, the cyclist
| frowned.
you've forgotten to take off your
watch" he observed. And then,
there's another thing; no matter how
| tightly it's fastened, your hair is
| bound to come down at the speed
we're going to travel, and perhaps
give you away. For your own safety's
sake, would you be willing to sacri-
| flee it--let me chop it off? There's a
pair of scissors in that roll-up."
"Oh, / couldn't"' Janets hands
| went to the soft. curling
mass like spun gold in the sunlight,
but all at once she remembered; to
! take an added risk of discovery meant
to endanger not only herself but this
young man who was daring so much
| to help her! With an effort at lightness
she laughed: yes, I can. too! 1t will