The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1934-07-27

NeAhlCp anu AuhU1CO AllD uuluU uduu lIGG
to greet her.
Now, as he reached out his hand,
the small object which he had so
hastily hidden in the sagging pocket
tumbled out. 1t struck the floor with
a strange sound Of weight and for
some reason Sonya stopped and picked
1t up even before the man could catch
1t as it fell.
"I'll take it." he said quickly, give
1t here"
But again for some dim reason
Sonya held the little thing and looked
at it curiously.
1t was fiat, narrow can about the
size of the little can In which Serge
Savarin got his tobacco for his pipe,
and it was shaped very much the
same, having rounded top and fiat
bottom.
But there the similarity ceased, for
this container was made of solid brass
and thickly and beautifully carved
with Chinese characters, while at the
lower edge the small, belligerent figure
Of fighting cock stood boldly out in
bas relief.
And it was unbelievably heavy for
Its size.
This much she saw and felt before
the proprietor of the store reached out
and took it from her so quickly as to
be rude. He fairly snatched it and
dropped 1t once more in the sagging
pocket.
Then he laughed unctuously, rub
bling his wet palms together.
IA new tobacco, Miss Sonya," he
said, "for my personal use. Very select
and, may say. costly. Now, what can
l do for you todayT
Looking at him curiously Sonya
named her small purchases, and he
hustled about, getting them from shelf
and bin. And turning idly the girl
looked directly into two dark faces
under Mexican hats which peered fur
lively at her from around the door
jamb. She knew with q thrill of por-
tent that they were the same two men
whom she had seen that day long back
with Starr Stone, when he had brought
her purchases out to the car in Parks
place.
Their black eyes stared steadily at
her. and turning again she caught a
flash between them and the stores
owner.
Chilled and frightened, she gathered
her things and went swiftly out,
mounted Darkness and rode from the
town at long lope. She knew in
stinctively that she had stumbled on
something of Importance. and that
Parks was, in some dim way, q part
of it.
Oh, what was it all aboutl Where
was Starr Stone, and what would his
master do to him?
Starr Stone-and Parks-and planes
and contraband sent east from some
where along the Border-about the
middle-about here.
She knew-deep in her heart she
knew-what Mr.. Marston would give
a lot to know, what he had come here
to find. What Rod Blake would help
him find If he knew. Rod Blake-Rod
Blake on Starr Stones trail. He would
be as unrelenting as Ell Captain lie
once he knew all the shining things,
the sweet things, that Sonya knew, the
dark things, the evil things which she
knew, too. The whole terrible thing
was too much for one girls loving
heart to hold, and Sonya felt as if the
bottom were falling from the universe,
as if soon she and all her little world
would be destroyed.
Her hands, clenched tight on her
reins, were ice cold, the heart in her
breast as cold. And the shadows Of
twilight were beginning to fall across
the great levels of the sage, the sun
was down behind the Bad Lands.
And then. from high up and far
away, a sound fell on her ears, the
thin small sound Of engines In the
blue coming rapidly nearer. She
stopped and looked up anxiously, and
presently she saw it-a tiny speck that
grew and lowered until it was circling
over her, seeking a place to land.
1t was the little gray ship she had
seen before, the powerful blunt-nosed
thing which could land and take off
with such incredible swiftness. 1t was
down, its bouncing tail stilled, its en-
CINE throttled down but running, and
man was climbing over the side, coming
toward her across the sand. Was 1t,
could it be, Starr Stone?
She peered hard for a CLINT of bronze
hair beneath his helmet, but could not
see it. nor his eyes behind the dis
figuring goggles.
And then he was here, close at Dark
ness head, and his hand was on the
bit. She saw then that he was dark,
a Mexican--that another like him was
coming from the ship-and then stark
drama took the silence and the still
shadows.
For Sonya Savarin. fighting for her
life, came out of her saddle, saw
Darkness sailing away in a panic of