The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1936-01-17
STORM MUSIC

little wiry flgure-and was heading
straight for the stairs.
1t was my old friend, Dewdrop.
Now I saw in a flash that unless of
the four 1t was he that had been lying
In wait to identify me at Lass, stood
very fair chance of being no more
than suspected as I went by.
I, therefore, held on my way, and
since he was looking down, Dewdrop
did not perceive me until he was three
steps off. And then our eyes met
for an instant.
His surprise was his undoing.
| AS plain as though he had said so,
I knew that he knew who I was and
the second he spent in staring served
| my turn. AS his fingers flew to his
mouth, l hit him under the jaw and
leaped for the door.
| Now all would have been very well
| IL had not made one mistake.
1 had had the advantage Of Dew
drop, for he had been standing below
me and l was the heavier man. But
the hall below us was tagged and l
was afraid to hit hard lest he should
| topple backwards and split his skull
| on the stone And so, though the blow
was heavy, it was not heavy enough.
| Lay hold of me he could not, for his
balance was gone, but as gained the
forecourt his piercing whistle rang
out.
Ny cousin heard it, saw him. He
had his back to the inn, and the bon
net of the Rolls was open and he was
making some adjustment, spanner in
hand. For an instant he stared. And
then the bonnet was shut, and the
spanner was in his pocket and pis-
toll was In his hand.
Before could speak
''Take the Wheel" said Godfrey,
"and back her the way we came.
There's corner a hundred yards back.
Turn her around there and wait. Is
that their carp
| "Yes, but"
| "Quick," cried my cousin, and
started to stroll to the inn.
| AS flung myself into the Rolls,
I saw Dewdrop, running towards US,
| stop in his tracks. AS Godfrey fired,
the fellow turned and doubled, dodg-
ing from side to side: to my amaze.
ment my cousin began to give chase
| The engine Of the Rolls was run
ming and 1 let in the clutch. Then
| lifted the car towards Godfrey across
! the road.
A closed car was standing in the
forecourt beside the door of the inn
AS Dewdrop whipped behind it, my
cousin fired again. Then he turned
to see me waiting six PAGES away. :.
Pharaoh was standing in the door
way, with a hand to his hip: as he
drew arms. Rush thrust out from be
hind him and sent him against the
| jamb. shall always believe that
this blunder saved Geoffrey's life
| had never stopped the Rolls and
as Godfrey leaped for the step I lei
her go. In that instant two shots were
fired, and a bullet went by my face to
splinter the driving mirror. And then
we were flashing through the village
Godfrey was speaking
'T'm much obliged, my son. But
another time you simply must do as
say. It's you they're after, not me
And now please put her along. I've
holed their petrol-tank, so I hardly
think they'll start: all the same I be
lieve in distance"
Twenty minutes later we glided out
Of a by-road on to grass-grown
track: where this curled into a thicket
threw out the clutch.
my Cod" said Godfrey, and wiped
the sweat from his face. "And after
all that trouble to cover our tracks
Fate beats the band sometimes. And
now tell me exactly what happened"
told him the truth.
| Colossal" says he. Colossal
| There's no other word. However, there's
no harm done" He pulled out a map
"And now let's see where we are
We ran through village called Wa
| gen some four miles back"
We were twenty-five miles from Plu
mage, and the hour was just one
| o'clock.
"Tea with the goddess" he said, "at
five o'clock. What could be better
But don't want to wait till then. Be
sides, we must find lodging"
Plumage lay more than two miles
from the high road. The farm was sci
on the floor of fair-sized valley that
ran due west. The dwelling itself
was handsome, white and gray and
low, with shutters Of olive green.
II must try and paint that" said
Godfrey. "The world will say it's
unnatural, but never mind"
We stole down the lane in silence
and as brought the car to rest, Lady
Helena Yorick came out of the house
and, behind her, a great Alsatian, q
very beautiful hound.
! Here for the first time saw how
| truly lovely she was.
introduced my cousin and the lady
gave him her hand.
II know your work." she said. "You
| painted my mothers brother six years