Evening star., 1927-10-11
fContinned from Yesterdav,s starl
CHAPTER XXI.
The Cabin i'm the Clearing.

~ OF horror such as she had never
known before all but ingulfinl
her, but an arm was thrust back
ward to clutch her shoulder and Five
of Diamonds cried out:
Its all right! No ones killed,
thinki Pull yourself together fol
we've got to travel fastr'
Shrinkingly she dropped her hands
and gazed for a f1eeting instant at the
great, gaping hole in the ground
where the track had been, and q
scant 90 feet on the near side of il
the special train lay huddled in a
meadow, where it had left the rails.
NO one-killed!" she gasped
The exclamation was lost on the
wind, however, for they were on
once more ard the wreck passed like
kaleidoscope from her vision. She
realized dimly that they had left the
state Road and were scurrying
through a lane mounting a hill
coasting down it, winding in and out
through a dozen narrow roads that
crossed and recrossed till she lost all
sense of direction, but climbing
steadily.
Jolted and shaken so that it seemed
every nerve and muscle in her body
must be torn apart, Janet could only
cling to her companion, sobbing for
breath and praying just for strength
to endure the racking torture Whlch
appeared TO be never coming to an
end The hills were looming higher
and higher and range of mountains
rose in the distance, while they passed
only occasional dwellings now, and
these, mere weatherbeaten shackS set
in a few stony acres.
Their pace slackened as the road
ted
ted till it became a mere wagon track
through the woods and at last Five
of Diamonds turned in at a clearing,
drove around back of wretched
cabin and, dismounting, helped the eX-
hausted girl to alight
She stood limp and swaying for
moment, then smiled family.
'Where-where are we?"
with friends" he assured her.
We've come through so far and we ii
win out, but now you must rest"
A pen of squealing and grunting
hogs was near and few thin fowls
pecked at the bare ground about the
woodpile but although smoke curled
from the rude chimney of the cabin
no one was in sight as Janet looked
uncertainty about her. Then woman
emerged from behind a shed and hur-
ried toward her. She T-cs tanned
leathery brown and wisps of gray
hair stuck ont from beneath her faded
sunbonnet, but there was kindly
smile on her gaunt, anxious face.
Come right in, dearie!" she said
to Janet II been expectin' you Run
that down cellar, Frank, behind them
brine barrels. C'nstabulary's been
busy long the road for the last hour
or two."
eG - .s;oato5 &hn v,oforc1.ole
and Five of Diamonds nodded.
81 spotted two Of them. Take the
young lady inside, Aunt Carrie; she's
tired out Where's Benz"
Him and the boys are watchin,
the old woman responded briefly and,
turning, she led Janet into the smoky
but clean kitchen and seated her IN
a rocker. First you take this and
then YOU must eat. After that / got,
some proper clothes waitin' for you.
Janet Inurmured her thanks and
took the sweet, strong, homemade
cordial which iaer hostess held TO her
lips. The shock Of the wreck and the
long, racliug ride had exhausted her
so that she felt no. desire for food
until a great bowl of steaming chicken
stew and hct biscuits were placed
before her, when she discovered that
she was farnished The meal over,
Aunt Carrie" led her into an inner
bedroom, and when she re-entered the
kitchen to find Five Of Diamonds just
finishing his meal the young me-
chanic Of the oiI.smeared overalls had
vanished, leaving girl In fresh
calico gown with her short hair braid
ed and Iooped back and bag OF
mending on her arm.
She seated herself in the rocker,
laughing at her companions stare.
I'm Aunt Carries niece, She an
nouneed, there on a visit. Who are
''Tm not present, if any one comes Z
He laughed too, bat his face grew
swiftly grave. tYou heard what Aunt
Carrie said about the constabulary
They're mounted police, you know
for we're getting up in the mining
region, but it's us they're after, look
ing for the motorcycle that ran the
tandem into the ditch. Wen have to
dodge them now, as we'll as nor
mans gang, but that was to be ex-
pected."
aThe tandem9' Janet shuddered.
.aTry not to think of them" His
tone was UNEXPECTEDLY gentle. They
would have taken you back II they
could"
"And the wreck?"
saThat was Nat, with bomb from
the plane but he was careful to de-
stroy only the track ahead. 1t WASH I
as bad as it looked to you afterward
The engineer had chance TO put on
the brakes in time so that they just
slid of the rails and turned over easy
enough for nobody on board to get
more than q shaking up, I'd bank on
it," Her companion paused and then
added in a low tone with a cautious
glance toward the closed door of the
bedroom: These people know moth
ing, we just use them occasionally
and pay them well for it,
"I understand They-they are not
friendly themselves with the con
stabularly?"
Janet had hesitated, and he shook
his head.
They're trustworthy enough for us
but the old man runs a still and the
bows bring home hogs and chickens
they never bought in market; they're
not any too anxious for close ac
quaintance with the law"
s'She called you Frank"
eyes. I've done business with hei
before for our friends. My name il
Francois Durant."
"Oh" Janet's face frightened. 'Ot
course! I'd forgotten the Point
o'Avignon,' and when you spoke
French to me that day
eNo. My people came from the
south Of France, but tonly know q
few phrases my mother taught me
Hark"
lie sprang to his feet, but Jane
eyed him in surprise
81 didn't hear anything only thu
call of some wild bird.
That's it-old Ben's signal! You've
got a gun?"
Here in my waist; it's the one
took from Mariottn' She trembled
You don't suggest that / use 1t IL
II ii is the mounted police?"
'sNot if it is, but If it should hap
e ~ en,,,n Of Nnrnnania gam