Evening star., 1927-10-12
In Ambush.

In Ambush.
v ANET thought that everything
was lost, but the old woman
cackled contemptuously.
~ 'eYou young men are mighty
bright, but them's tracks o.
the wheelbarrow! The boys was cartin
dirt this mornin' from the gully fol
my truck garden. Look round IL YOU
want. but / dunno why you allus pick
on Ren and us when you're lookin
for somebody
Guess we'll do that, Aunt Carrier
The other trooper spoke for the nrs'
time. "We pick on you because you
and your old man are back OF most
OF the ievilment in these hills! Come
on. Jim!'
The mending dropped to Janet's lap,
but she reached under it for the re-
volver as the two members of the con.
stahulary unceremontously pushed
open the bedroom door and clattered
nm the ladder. She was allied indeed
against the forces Of the law now,
hut she realized only that the gallant
young man who was fighting such un'
enual odds to serve her in this crisis
must not be taken.
Then another thought came to her
and she whispered fearfully to the old
woman:
MY clothes! They'll find them in
that ROOM"
Not where I've hid 'em" Aunt
Carrie shook her head as she listened
tensely for sounds from above.
should have thought to scuff up them
tracks in the road, though
The tramp of heavy feet and slam
Of trunks and old furniture being
10 10
shake, but the dreaded uproar of dis
covery did not come and presently the
two searchers reappeared.
Think mebbe I'd fetched that bi'
cycle thing you're talkin' bout up to
the attic?" Aunt Carrie demanded
tartly, but they only laughed good.
naturedly.
II wouldn't put it past your the
young trooper called Jim" replied.
"We'll Just take a look around the cell
lar and sheds and then be on our
way"
Janet shivered again. One danger
was past, but If they discovered the
machine itself they would not rest
hands, when the fabrication of her
relationship to the old Hill woman
would be shattered.
But again the agony of suspense
ended In relief, for they did not find
the motor cycle and after hasty
search of the shed and outbuildings
they mounted and rode away.
Their pace was slow, however. and
their saddles rubbed as they drew close
together, bending to examine the
tracks once and talking with a grave
air.
Janet sighed with relief as she tried
to slip the revolver into her waist
without the old woman seeing her, but
the sharp eyes saw the gesture.
You've got grit" She nodded aT,-
though, once they got a notion"
The girl scarcely heard: she was
listening to cautious feet descending
the ladder and when Five Of Dia-
monds. as she must always think of
DWant, came into the kitchen, she
gave a little cry.
"oh. how is it that you weren't
foundr'
"a miraclev' he shrugged. "They
opened the trunk and poked in it, but
] was under a heap of clothes. 1t
seems that always when you are in
danger I must leave you to fight it
by yourself"
She knew that he was thinking of
the time when Bill had discovered her
in his tent and he had been forced
TO let her go under superior odds.
and shook her head at him. What
would become of me IL you were
taken?" she asked. But Aunt Car
rie thinks they won't go away, for
they saw the traces of the motor
cycle"
II know!' he interrupted In his char.
acteristic fashion. IT saw them from
the gable window as they road away"
Then how can we leave@ Janet's
tone was almost deapairing.
Wen manage" he replied cheer
fully. "The suns pretty low and we
won't start till nightfall. hut I want
you to try to get some rest now. Go
and lie down in the other room. Aunt
Carrie can you set hold Of one Of the
boys and send him out after Ben? /
want to talk to him.
Janet obeyed meekly and when she
had eurled herself up on the hard bed
she was quickly asleep from sheer
physical exhaustion, but in her dreams
the crash Of the overturned motor
cycle and the wreck of the special re.
turned to haunt her in all their horror,
and she woke quivering in every nerve
when the old woman appeared with a
candle.
An hour later a cart drawn by two
mules and heaped high with brush
creaked slowly away from the cabin
and started along the uphill wagon
trail under the stars. A soft wind
stirred in the deep woods on either
side, but the two passengers, half
smothered under the brush beside the
motor cycle, could only gasp and grasp
the sides Of the jolting cart to avoid
being tossed about in the deep ruts
1t was worse after the brow of the
hill has been passed and the mules
trotted down the slope swinging their
burden from side to side, but ut the
bottom they turned off into soft,
marShy ground and stopped.
Shaken till her teeth chartered,
Janet waited until Durant had drag.
ged out most of the brush and then
lifted her out, depositing her carefully
on a dry hummock of course grasses
while he turned back to the cart. A
grizzled, little old man had descended
from the drivers seat and helped.
with unexpected strength, to unload
the machine. Half wheeling and half
lifting 1t, they disappeared along an
obscure path which Ben seemed to
hnd by instinct, for there were no
lanterns on the wagon and the moon
had not yet risen.
Janet hesitated, afraid to step down
into the Quaking mud She was again
In her pedestrienne knickcrs and stout
shoes, the revolver in her blouse fo