Evening star., 1927-11-05
THE BLACK JOKER
BY ISABEL OSTRANDER.

His own car was of the touring type
but with an engine geared for speed
and now, as furious as was the pace
OF the other. he was creeping up on
| II! IL he could only catch it before 1t
reached the taxi, lock wheels with 1t
| IL necessary or crowd 1t off the road
into the ditch!
The driver of the taxi was deaf to
| the approaching nemesis. He was well
on his own side of the road and intent
only on reaching his destination with
the prospect of a fat tip efore him
and a long loaf home: il crazy devils
like that one behind wanted to burn
up the highway, let them! They d
plenty of room.
Janet, too, heard the oncoming car
with little interest. but as its rumbling
roar increased she glanced idly from
the left window expecting 1t to shoot
past. All at once, however. it seemed
| to her that there was the sound OF
two cars, not one, and she thought
| she heard a vague sound of shouts
raised above the tumult, but she could
not be sure.
Without reason. alarm stirred with
| in her and she reached out her hand
to touch the chauffeur'G shoulder
warningly through the opened front
window. when, with a hideous crash,
the whole world was blotted out. .
4 dreadful weight pressing upon
her. pinning her down, Thai was the
| first sensation which came with re-
turning conscio isness. 1t was like q
horrible nightmare and she struggled
feebly TO liberate herself from it. but
with the first movement came lntoler-
able pain! She thought that she
screamed, but heard no sound or 1t,
and only that swift, darting agony
persisted. only that mountainous
weight settled more heavily upon her.
Darling pinpoints of light danced
before her eyes and somsthing IKE
t ars. only warm and sticky, was
streaming down her face' but the
weight seemed lighter. she was
scarcely conscious of it, and the pain
was dulled. Instead there came an
odd buoyancy. she felt that she was
rising, swaying as on strong current
Of air, drifting.
Janet came to herself with start,
to feel the sensation of weight once
more, but now it was just at her side'
pinning her arm across her body,
There was a tight band about her
forehead, though, and strong anti
septic odor made her nostrlls ana
throat smart. Wonderingly she opened
her eyes. to find herself lying on an
,ld-fashioned tufted sofa in quaint
but totally unfamiliar room. with
white-coated man leaning over her and
two women in wrappers and grotesque
hair crimpers lowering about.
She tried to speak. and at the move
ment of her lips the man smiled en-
couragingly in a brisk. professional
way.
"Youm do now! Swallow this If
you can, and don't try to talk. There's
been a little accident, but you're all
right, barring a scratch Oh. your fore
head and an arm that will have to
stay quiet for a while"
Janet drank the medicine and tried
to smile her thanks.
"I-remember." The words were a
mere whisper. "A car ran into US
from behind"
Then all at once she started vio-
lently, glancing down at her dress.
which had been opened at the neck,
and fumbling frantically with the one
hand which would obey her impulse.
That which she carried was still safe.
With that knowledge relaxation came
again and she heard the surgeon say:
'Quiet, now! Mustn't try that.
young lady! A friend Of yours hap
pened along in the nick OF time. and
he's waiting to see you when you are
strong enough"
A friend? A wild thought of Philip
Marriott flashed across her mind, but
she put it from her. scorning her own
weakness. Could 1t be one of the
human pack of cards or an ally of