Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1930-07-25
ALICE
DETECTED
A PAIR OF
KIDNAPERS
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(0 by D. J. walsh.)


A LICE ARNOLD shut the school
II house door behind her, locked
1 n it. slipped the key in the
pocket of her thick brown
sweater and started down the road
toward the farmhouse where she was
at present making her home. 1t was
a raw, cold day and the dirt road was
full of puddles. Alice, deep In
thought, splashed into puddle before
she saw it. The incident added to the
trouble she had been having all day
and for a moment she felt desolatlng
sense of depression and insufficiency.
She felt, poor girl, that all the years
she had spent preparing for the pro-
fession of teaching had been thrown
away. The only school she could get
was of the Sawmill Hollow type. Saw
mill Hollow folks did not have daily
papers, radios and telephones. In or
der to keep her job Alice simply had
to fall into the existing order Of
things. 1t was a crucial test of the
girls character. Even so, she was
not sure that Mr.. Simpkins, the
trustee of the district, was going to
hire her for the ensuing year.
Startled by horn, she jumped to
one side as huge green roadster
came floundering through the ruts.
The presence of such a car on a road
which automobiles avoided, particu-
larly at this season Of the year, as
tonished Alice. She saw that the car
held a man and a woman. Thirty
feet farther down the road was a
sluice rudely filed in with stones.
The green car hit the slulce with
a terrific bounce and stopped. After
an interval of useless effort the driver
lowered the window on his side,
looked out and yelled to the girl.
rs there any place round here
where we can spend the night?" he
demanded. 'Im stuck"
"Yes, there's farmhouse right
around the turn ahead Of YOU" Alice
replied. I'm going there now. I'll
walk on and tell Mrs. Peck you are
coming, if you WISH"
I'm much obliged to YOU" said the
man.
Alice was sure Mrs. Peck would
take the couple in, for it would mean
money, always vital consideration
in the Peck family.
sure, I'll take EN-" Mrs. Peck
said. Il never done such a thing be-
fore. What you feel ought to charge
'em for supper, breakfast and lodgin,
Allie?"
Alice named a price she considered
fair, then went on up to her room.
Presently she heard the motorists ar
rive. The mans voice sounded curt,
grabbed. They came upstairs to the
spare bedroom which adjoined Allce's.
At the Jingle of the supper bell she
ran downstairs to find Mrs. Peck
waiting for her.
"Ill have to ask 'em more'n you
said. Allie" the woman said. "Theres
three. They've got kid with EN-"
81 didn't see any child" Alice said,
puzzled.
w tllt lHtN We SOl OLCs All
up. Hes sick. The woman said she'd
stay upstairs with him and I could
send her supper up and some bread
and milk for the young one"
At midnight Alice was awakened
from deep sleep by the cries of the
child in the adjoining room. She
listened and heard the man and wom-
an get out of bed and move about.
The child cried on. Another sound
sent the blood flying to Alice's cheeks.
The woman had slapped the child.
"a baby's mother" thought the girl
Indignantly. ought to know when her
child cries like that something is seri-
ousy wrong. What kind of woman
Is she?"
Springing from her bed, she flung
on her bathrObe and went to the
strangers room. She knocked on the
door.
HAS your baby got the collc?" she
asked. Cant | do something's"
A poignant silence followed. Then
the man answered harshly.
go back to bed. Wen attend to
this little brat ourselves"
IVES chided the woman. .Shut
your big MOUTH
Yves, The name the man had given
to Mrs. Peck was Robert l.. Ruther-
ford. Yves
Alice ran swiftly and lightly down.
stairs to the bedroom of Mr.. and Mrs.
Peck and raped softly.
Mrs. Peck came to the door, trailing
II bed quilt snatched from the bed.
She had a lighted lamp in her hand.
"My land. Alice! What's the mat
Ter with you? You're white as a
ghost"
flush! Don't let them hear you
upstairs. Mrs. Peck. that pair in your
spare bedroom are kidnapers They've
stolen that baby"
allie. How you talkw
"Ill swear to It. You and Mr.. Peck
must do something. Probably the
man will put up fight. He may have
II gun or something. He's tough
customer"
"Tll tell Jake. II there's anything
going on in my house like that wen
stop It mighty quick"
Within five minutes Peck and his
wife emerged from the bedroom. They
marched up stairs. Mr.. Peck thumped
IN the door.
81 want To come IN" he cried.
ave paid for this ROOM" returned
Dhp guest. You can't come In here"
is that sO?' snarled Jake. lie put