The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-09-14

a fieeting glance past Stan and reached toward the dash of the car. An instant later a couple brushed against him. Stan was pushed rudeit aside.@ As he moved he saw a carefully dressed young man hurriediy guiding Q. girl to the open door of the car. Stan stared at the window of the car as the door slammed shut. A pair of shapely ankles and two trim slip pers rose above the sill. A man who had been crouching in the back of the car rose into view and bent over the girl. There was a flashing of kicking slippers and a muffled scream. Then the car leap- ed away from the curb. ..
 ;. It rocketed into the traffic like mad thing but it did not get away. before. Stan Ball had leaped on the empty trunk rack behind the spare tire. The little curtain at the back window was up and he was able to crouch down so he would not easily be seen should it be lowered.
 The car sped away, darting through the traffic while curious pedestrians grinned at the spec tacle of big town car dashing along with cowboy riding the trunk rack. Stan grinned at three successive policemen who deferen- tially allowed the big car to cut through their warning signals. It was plain all the men oIf the beat knew Asper Delo's private limou.- sine. Two of the officers waved threatening clubs at Stan and promptly dismissed him as an im- pGdent hitch hiker. He had caught a glimpse of. a tip-tilted little nose, a pair of red lips and a mass of brown hair as the girl had been rushed past him. He was sure he had a very diverting half hour ahead. . <
 The car swerved and shot into a side street. AS the traffic thinned it's speed increased. The back cur tain wGs raised little but Stan could see no faces. For 10 minutes they raced west, then made a right turn and sped into a treeIlined ave nue. From the avenue the driver swerved into a country lane ana the, dust began to roll up in clouds Stan shut his eyes and clung to his precarious seat as the car lurcned and bumped along. The dust was stifling but he. grinned and hung on.
 When the car turned again the dust clouds lessened and he open ed his eyes. They were sliding along an old road ,choked with grass and weeds. Thick brush ana willows crowded close on each side as though striving to close the trail. n,x. ,f~ l. rr ?, oi.aca e,vftnhoh Efan with stinging, sharpness as be leaned out to see what was ahead. 2. He tucked back when he saw that the road ended abruptly at the door or a dilapidated cabin.
 Picking a thick clump of willows he unloaded feet firat and rolled into cover beside the road: Instant, ly. he scrambled to his feet and peered after the car. A wide grin cracked through the dust around his mouth. The car was stopping at the door of the cabin. Both its doors swung open and the three men leaped out. Without delay they pulled the girl after them and rushed her into the cabin.
 Stan slapped his belt with a sigh of regret, He had not thought he would have use for his gun in the city. and had left 1t in a saddle pocket at the home ranch. Now he found himself about to 7, tangie with three armed kidnapers. He slid back into the willows and head ed for the cabin. ,~ I@ <;
 "Elegant!" he muttereda as he thrust aside the long willow leaves and looked through them. Two hof the%thugS ran out. of the cabin, a well.dressed fellow and a tall. companion. They leaped into the big caryand started the engine. With the motor racing nladly they swung around and headed back down the narrow road: Stan gave them only a glance. "Now for the rescue of the fair one." he grinned and, began stealthly approach to the cabin. >, :. He advanced upon a brush GOV cred side of the building and lean- that had lost it's chinking. What he saw made his lips pull tight and his eyes darken..r | A slender girl sat on, a backless chair facing Q .heavy-set man with .eetling brows. The fellow had taken the only chair with a back for himself and was tilted back watching his captive with evident enjoyment. He was armed with 2 short, black automatic and looked capable of using 1t. e
 "You most likely won't get muss- ed up none. lady. Least-wise not fer q spell. When the boys get back with fiivver you can write little note to your old man telling him to slip us 25 grand" The thug sspat accurately through 8 knot-hole in the floor. t4'%'
 Stan Balls hands closed hard as he shifted his eyes to see the girl