Evening star., 1933-01-15

released the torrent of bright, blood
stained hair, his heart stood still, she
w2s so white. so broken. He laid his
head against her heart, the tears
starting to his unaccustomed eyes,
burning them with bitter pain, and
then relief and hope flooded him She
was alive! Her heart was beating.
"Alacia! he shouted aloud. "Oh,
my God, my Godl
He lifted her in his arms and started
toward the place where he had left
his car, still too bewildered to fully
realize what he was doing, The blue
Bugatti zoomed past him, missing him
by foot and covering them both with
= dust, and Armand broke into dog
trot Safety! He must somehow get
her to safety. He called as he ran.
as though to summon help out of
the air by sheer will power.
"A moi!' he cried. "Au secours, au
secoursl"
Below him on the waters edge the
harbor patrol was already running
towards the wrecked car which lay
partially submerged at the foot of the
cliff and lone fisherman had turned
his boat and was pulling frantically |
shoreward. Suddenly a voice hailed |
him in answer to the call which had
been almost a prayer.
~ arrive!" it said. Courage la |
bas!" and Armand just as he reached |
his car, saw several figures approach
ing on the narrow footpath leading |
up from the port. Evidently the acci- |
dent had been seen by the people in |
the lower grandstands nearly an eighth |
of mile away and help had been sent |
The first person to reach the scene |
was little man in black who came |
pantingly up the last step from the |
lower level, small bag in his hand |
Evidently he was one of the doctors |
officially appointed for just such an |
emergency, for he took immediate |
charge. He was followed closely by |
and the men stood back respectfully |
while Armand laid the unconscious |
form Of the girl in the car and the |
doctor made brief examination, fore
ing a stimulant between her teeth. |
There was an endless moment of |
anxious waiting before Alacia opened |
her eyes with a long shuddering sigh. |
The doctor turned to Armand and |
beamed over the top of his pince-nez |
fully 1T will take a bit of tailoring |
to sew it up. but there appears to be
no fracture except to the right arm.
But, monsieur, do you realize that this |
Is Woman?"
81 do!"' said Armand, so relieved he
could almost have laughed aloud. II
have realized it for some time!" Then |
he bent over Alacia, afraid, yet anxious, |
to meet her eyes She was trying to |
say something and when he would have
motioned her to silence her face blanch
ed to an unearthly pallor with the ex-
trelne effort of speaking.
The carl" she gasped THE jewels /
The back of the drivers seat Look
for them"
He had forgotten all about them;
forgotten, indeed, everything but the
dreadful injury he had done her. But
at her words he suddenly realized with
a rush CT alarm that even now the /
wrecked car was in the hands of strang-
ers He took her helpless fingers in
his as though determined to give her |
strength to speak further, willing with |
all his soul that she should be able to |
reply.
"And santiai7"' he begged. Why
are you in his place? Where is he?"
But the doctor motioned him away.
That is enoughi" he said. Cannot |
you see the young lady has fainted?" |
There was nothing to do but obey |
the gesture of dismissal, and resigning |
Alacia to the doctors care, Armand
made a gesture of command toward
one of the gendarmes.
PUT away your notebook" he said,
land follow me-" And with that he
led the way toward the shore where a
crowd was gathering at the waters edge.
staring out at the dark mass of wreck
age which had been the Europa. Ar
mand shouldered his way through the
crowd, walked to the water and waded
in Immediately shout went up from
the watchers. There was splash of
hurried steps behind him and a heavy
hand was laid on his shoulder.
1T is the car of m'sieur?" asked the
gendarme dubiously. Armand shook
his head.
1T is not my car" he admitted. but
1t is extremely important that I ex-
anime it."
IF it is not yours" said the officer
firmly, 'it is forbidden to touch it."
Armand shook the mans hand off
But 1 must. I tell you'll" he cried
1mpatiently. The young lady asked me
to get something. You heard her!"
The police official was insistent.
"All the more reason" he said dog
gedly, why the car must remain as
1t is. For it is certainly not the young
lsdy's car. 1t is forbidden for women
to drive in the race, as msieur doubtless
understands very we'll There is some
very strange reason behind all of this
and the proper officials have been no
titled. Until they arrive there is
uOtD1nB 10 De done.
You don't know what you are talk
ing about, my good mani" said Armand
freezingly. The young lady is Mile.
Sayers. the owner of the Europa, and
am acting on her instructions" The |
mans eyes narrowed unpleasantly
And Santini?" he asked Where is
Santini? That is his number is! |
Monsieur, regret, but I think you |
had better come with me to the Bureau |
de Police!" 1t was wholly maddening, |
and this officious young Monagasque |
in his absurd gold-braided uniform was
grotesquely firm about his responsibility. |
But to leave the car unprotected was
out of the question Then. just as
Armand was hesitating as to his reply, |
a figure in white came running along |
the stony beach. The newcomer was a /
mechanic with a crimson 5 on his |
uniform, and he painted up to the /
little knot Of police who had by now /
gathered about Armand, his face red, |
his eyes bulging with anxiety.
Il hear Santini has been killed." he |
cried. Il am his helper, and nobody |
els2 is TO touch this wreck except my
self. We will demand an official ex
animation and until we get it, the car |
shall not go out of my cnargeP
'Yes?" exclaimed Armand. And is !
this not matter OF the police?
VINO Jue HeH are yUu! bIIc HAL
demanded. Keep out Of thisi"
IT am the Prince d'Orsant" said |
Armand guilty. The man shot a quick |
glance at the speaker and his manner |
changed.
You understand my position. mon
prince" said he II was the last man |
TO ride with Santini and 1 may be |
blamed To protect myself, I must see |
that nothing is changed in that mass |
of wreckage which might be laid to |
my carelessness" The mans voice |
was a cringing whine and, slowly as he |
looked at the number on the mans |
overalls, Armand remembered. 1t was
the same man who had whispered such