The Western news., 1936-01-30

Copyright by Ninton. Baich 4 Co.
WNU Service

l hauled myself out OF the water to
stand by her side.
Helena, where are your
Gently l closed the grating.
Again the Count lifted his voice.
'FanIng!" he bawled. "Faningl'
Helena touched my arm.
~ could tell him where flaming Is.
He's gone to the bridge. Nobody knows
of this exit, but Flonn and me-"
The tunnel seemed without end. 1t
was dark and damp and noisome and
ran uphill, and was more than thank
full when after five or SIX minutes |
saw the faint light OF the evening and
found the air more fresh. The mouth
of the tunnel was masked by riot
OF underground, but when we were
clear of this screen, saw at once that
we stood due north of the castle.
And now for Axel" said Helena
"And Sabre, hope. When he can't find
me. he'll remember the last two nights
and come to the Plumage ride
It was now ten minutes past nine,
and dusk had come In. We had, there
fore, no fear OF skirting the edge OF
the forest, for the going was better In
the meadows and we we're at least
half q mile from where Axel would be.
The castle was lighted now as | had
never seen 1t, but Of course we could
see no movement and hear no sound.
The lights suggested that the building
was being searched.
We pushed on breathlessly.
We had covered half the distance
when Helena caught my arm and
stopped In her tracks
Somebody was whlstlIng-not very
far away; whistllng as though to bring
dog to his heels.
Then we heard Pharaoh's voice.
Good dog" he cried. 1Good dog"
The man was out In the meadows,
somewhere between the bridge and the
Plumage ride.
In fash I saw what had happened.
Sabre had left the castle, and
Pharaoh had seen him go. The porter
no doubt, had told him that that was
the Countess dog, and the fellow had
guessed In an instant that Sabre's In.
stinct was leading him to his mistress
wherever she was. And so he had fol
lowed Sabre, but had lost him because
1t was dark
"Come on" said L Now that he's
lost Sabre, he hasn't chance"
IF he hears the horses" breathed
Helena.
We were nearly there now, but Wher
Pharaoh whistled again, he was mol
so far off as before.
AS we stumbled Into the ride,
found the dog padding beside US. HI
may have been there for five minutes
/ for all know. And there was Axe
waiting, ten minutes before his time
| Good dog" cried Pharaoh.
judged the man to be fifty pace'
away.
In a fash | had Helena up on tn,
lively gray
AS she stopped to whisper to Axel
| | turned to the other horse. but, per
| haps because he was startled, he wOult
| not stand. AS | swung myself up, h
| backed sideways against the gray, an,
before / could find my right stirrup
| Its dangling iron had clashed with tha
| of Helena. making ringing sound.
The whistle which Pharaoh was lei
ting suddenly stopped.
| heard the man running toward
us as we turned the horses about.
And then we were both sitting dow
and riding hard for Plumage.
We dared not spare the horses
the hunt was up.
Pharaoh would run to the castle. fin
the Count and induce him to order
| car. and we had to ride to Plumag
| and drive from there to the high roa
1 before that car could reach the mout
! of the private lane.
AS we came to the apron
sI'll take the horses said Helens
nYou 20 and get your things"
AS she caught my bride. | flung my
self off the bay.
In my bedroom wasted no time, bu
snatched up razor and seized the frs
clothes / found; yet ere | was bacl
the horses were fast In the stables an
Helena was returning to take her sea
In the Rolls.
Thirty seconds later the Rolls sill
over the bridge.
4
| had often read and heard speak (
IAN agony of apprehension, but feve
until that evening. when our heat
lights sent darkness packing out