Evening star., 1933-01-14


a quarter of miieI mo good. this" he
decided, for the slightest deviation at
high speed would send them both hurt
ling over the edge to the tiled roofs a
hundred feet below Then the route
Strengthened out into a district COM
posed of shops. There were tram lines
here whose rails would explain a skid
very nicely, but it also was too dan
geroris a stage fc= his drama. for the
shop windows were crowded with
watchers and the sidewalks packed to
the very edge. Then almost at the end
Of the first lap he found what he
wanted. A sloping roadway led in
curves like letter IS" to the mouth
of railroad underpass. which framed
q blue patch of the open sea beyond,
and sharp turn to the right disclosed
a long fiat stretch of dirt road along
the waters edge. There was a low wall
toward the sea, protecting a drop of 10
or Is feet to the water on his left. On
his right the cliffs arose in a sheer wall,
and this was the only portion of the
route clear of spectators. Instantly he
decided that it would do. Here no
innocent 'byStanders could be involved,
at any rate And once decided. he
gave all his attention to the car ahead
and his intended victim.
~ hIdCid, all ullCOIlSCAOuS VI ucI
lovers plan, the race had become, after
the first doubtful moment something
to glory In A fierce pride and ex-
hilaration filled her, and every thought
except that of doing credit to the Eu-
ropa was wiped magically from her
mind. Indeed, there was no time for
any other consideration as the track
arose and fell in front of her, and the
ear seeming to take on wings. The
first lap, she realized Immediately,
would be the hardest because of rs
unfamiliarity and, like the man behind
her, she concentrated on making mental
notes of its difficulties. They were
sufficient, She soon found, to tax the
uttermost skill in her possession, but
keyed to a high pitch of excitement
she was ir1sensible Of the slightest SEN
sation of fear until the homeStreteh of
the dirt road along the sea front spread
out ahead of her and allowed con-
sciouS relaxing of her nerves. She
decided to keep this bit Of road in mind
as point of rest, and then plunging
through the opening at the foot of the
ramp, she was suddenly climbing
toward the Casino again in the be-
ginning of the second lap. This was
accomplished easily and it was not un-
til the third round of the amazing
course lay ahead Of her that she began
to realize there was something ex-
tfaordinary in the behavior of one Of
the cars which were following 1t was,
she gradually serised, deliberately clas-
ing her, rather than merely driving
the race.
Owing to she narrowness of q greater
part of the course, passing was not
allowed except In certain state. places.
But, as Alacia approached the curved
descent which led to the railroad under
pass for the third time, she could see
in her mirror that Affnand'S car was
dose behind More, it was edging her
toward the outer curb, against all
regulation. He must be mad, she
thought, trying to pass on such dan
gerous corner! But though she held
out a warning hand his car continued
to approach. The realization Of this
incredible situation caused her to take
the next turn badly, and very nearly
caused her a spill. but going under the
railroad bridge she managed to skid
the curve and the straight road by the
sea lay ahead Of her. Then she per-
mitted herself a hasty glance backward,
and to her horror she saw the nose
of No. 7 heading her off toward the
water. If he kept it up. she thought
IN a panic, there could be but one
result TWO cars could not possibly
pass here, and she was on the outside
1t would mean death. An icy Chill
came over her as she realized with a
sudden deadly certainly that he meant
to ram her deliberately With frenzied
hands she sounded her siren, but the
desperate wall of the horn had NO
effect on the intent of her pursuer. 1t
was a question of seconds now. With
one hand she tore off her masked
goggles and turned desperate, stricken
face toward him; saw his head jerk
back in mortified disn1ay and knew
that he had recognized her, and knew
in the same instant that she had re-
vealed herself too late. The screaming
brakes could never stop the heavy car
in time. Maddened by terror, Alacia
gave her wheel a desperate ttirn and
jumped. her head striking the low Stone
parapet, her body lying in a little
csumpled heap on the narrow foot
path as her car plunged through the
barrier into the sea, just as No. slid
past the place IL had occupied second
sooner
A hundred feet down the road, the
No. Europa came to standst,n and
Armand, springing out ran frantically
Daok toward that hideouS gap in the
low paFapet through which No. 5 had
vanished. In swift and terrifying sue
cession the other racers screamed past
him, the drivers unilesitating, and
offering no slightest motion of aid as
is the cruel code of the track The
car which Alacia had been driving
having completely disappeared, 1t was
doubtful if any of them realized what
had happened, and her limp little
figure huddled against the wall must
have appeared to them as a mere
blurred Speck by the roadside Fortu-
nately ,Armand'S car had been left on
a broad ledge which jutted like a
balcony over the sea, or the oncorning
cars might easily have piled up to de-
struction, but he did not think of this
as he struggled to reach her through
the binding dust and the gravel flung
in his face by the swift passing of the.
race
She was dead, he thought, and he
had Killed her A miracle had occurred
an evil miracle which caused 1Santini
to bear sefnblance to Alacia IN that
one awful moment when her face had
stared back at him flst before the
crash. The unconscious figure ahead, 4
lying so terribly twisted and limp was
Santini. he knew, of course. that 1t must
be Santinil Tt could not in reason
be anybody else ana yet at the moment
when he had borne down upon it with
murderous intent. the face which was
barred to him in useless appeal had
by some strange turn of subconscious
thought, seemed to be hers.
(To be continued)