The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1934-12-20
CHAPTER w


cupied In st. Francis Wood. Lanny put
her car In the garage, entered her
home. and sat down to read Nance
Beldens letter. And when she failed
to find 1t she did some Of the loglce.
thinking of which she was so eminent.
ly capable In situations where her
emotions were not being proved upon.
Good work." she decided finally.
THAT girl picked up on the road to
Greenhrae stole 1t out of my handbag
when | got out to look at the fiat tire.
She must have visited Nance before |
got there. She WAS fiashy sort of
damsel. too. now that | think of II.
An underworld huzzy, doubtless doubt
less. too. known TO the police. So
Nance had no opportunity to slip her
the letter. The matron watched too
closely. Nance feared that would be
the case, so she had an alternative
plan. What shrewd Judge of human
nature that girl is She knew she
could work on me, and oh, what fool
| was to permit II Why. I'm as law
less as she Is, only I'm responsible
member of society and she isn't. Nance
knew | wouldn't fall to visit her: SO
she described me to her confederate,
who spotted me when drove up to the
main gate and parked my car,
when the confederate saw me com
Ing back she drove nall about an
inch Into my rear tire-simple as two
and two are four. The nall was driven
all the way In and the air was out
before we'd gone a mile. Oh, dear
dear. dear, what slmpleton am! |
suppose ought to do something about
this, but then II do. how can | ex-
plain my conduct to the prison off
cials?"
She realized thoroughly now the ex.
tent TO which she had been an acces
sorry before the act What act, she
wondered Well. she would have to
keep the details Of this adventure to
herself. Even Stephen Burt could not
share her confidence In this. for Lanny
was Justly proud Of her intelligence
and integrity and loathed the thought
that suspicion of either might obtain
In the mind of her beloved Stevie. She
feared. should he learn of her adyen-
ture, that he would never quite trust
her again And that would be unbear-
able.
That sly miny-telling her she could
read the letter before mailing 1t. that
Ii she did not approve OF Its contents
she was free to destroy 1t. That was
the point upon which the susceptible
Lanny had Impaled herself.
We'll, 1t can't be anything so very
important, she decided finally 1T
couldn't be part of plan to escape.
because escape from that place Is Inn
possible. Besides, no woman convict
has ever succeeded In escaping from
San Quentin. In all probability 1t was
just private message to one Of her
old underworld friends. That girl lis
too intelligent to dream of formulating
plans for escape. Why, she couldn't
get out of the front gate. She'd have
to swim the bay to escape, even II she
succeeded In getting through the exit
from the woman's quarters and past
that suspicious guard In the little
house there
SO Lanny made herself a highball
and resolved to dismiss all thought OF
the incident She also resolved to give
Nance Belden piece of her mind IL
and when she decided to visit her
again. And she was not at all certain
she would make Nance another visit.
Two weeks later. while she was sit
ting before the fire. reading. her tele.
phone rang and a mans voice said:
rs this Miss Rebecca Lannlng?n
"Yes. Who Is this?'
Never mind. You wouldn't know
me If told you who | am. I'm a
friend of Nance Beldens."
"Oh, indeed" Ironically. And who
might Nance Belden be-"
Ianny was nobody's fool. On the
instant every sense was alert, for II
this was trap set by the authorities,
who. In some mysterious way. had got
ten wind of her escape, she was re-
solved not to walk into 1t.
Are you going to be at home for
nm hour. Miss Lanning?" the voice pur-
sued 1t was a pleasant enough voice
Lanny reflected
Il am, but what business Is that OF
yours?"
"Oh. well, II you're going to be such
cutup." the voice rejoined, "I'll not
bother to argue with you over the
phone, I'll come out. Good-by."
He hung up. leaving Lanny In state
~ acute mental perturbation. which
did not subside until she heard her
doorbell ringing some ten minutes
later 1t subsidized then. Her courage
always mounted when there was al
Immediate situation to face. Nance
palden,s friend" she decided instantly
TO BE CONTINUED.
Memories of Youthful Years
xmfns ~ vauthfttl vaurc a ~