Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1936-07-04


Unfortunately she had led them 70
an ideal rendezvous cottage ia the
wood.
mo" she said.
The next second she shivered as
something cold was pressed to her
wen give you five minutes to make
up your mind" said the fair man,
glanclng at the grandfather's clock.
Ann gritted her teeth. In that mo-
ment her reason told her that she was
probably acting from false sentiment
and a confused sense of values. But
logic was Of no avail. She could not
betray her trust.
NO" she said again.
The second man crossed to the bed
and pressed his revolver to Miss Vests
~Her, too" he said.
Ann looked at her old governess In
an agony, imploring her forgiveness.
She's only 15," she said piteously, as
though in excuse.
And I'm an old woman" grunted
Miss West. your reasoning is sound
But you forget someone younger than
your pupil. Your unborn SON."
AIMS face qlivered. but she shook |
her head. Then the old governess spoke |
with the rasp OF authority in her voice. |
Ann, I'm ashamed of you What is |
money, compared with two valuable 4
lives, not TO mention those still to /
come? understand these gentlemen
do not wish to iniure your pupil. They
only want to collect ransom"
That's right, lady" agreed the fair
man. we won't do her no harm. This
will tell the old man all he'll want to
know"
He laid down typewriter demand
note on the table and added direction
10 Ann.
when we've gone off with the kid.
nip off to the old man as fast as you'll
AN go and give him this" II
With her legs tied to a chair?" asked
he deep sarcastic voice Of the old
woman.
She's got her hands free, amt she?
Them knots will take some undoing, but I
rs up to her, amt it?" Z
True No doubt she will manage to {
rec herself .. But suppose she writes
his note and the young lady does not q
ccept the invitation? What them"
The fair man winked at his COM u
anion. a
Then youn both be unlucky." he j
epIied.
Ann listened in dull misery. She could
lot understand the drift Of Miss Vests n
ueStions. They only prolonged the
gony. Both of them knew they could v
lace no reliance on the promise OF the I
idnapers. The men looked a pair OF b
lerciless beasts. c
If she wrote that note she would lure 8
er poor little gilded pupil TO her Il
cath. s.
She started as her governess spoke
aAnn, you've heard what these gent B
men have said" She added in bitter D
lockery Of their speech. They wouldn't G.
ever break their word. Write that II
ote" Ia
Ann could not believe her ears. Yet r
he could feel the whole force OF herl
tally playing on her like an electric h
artery. 1t reminded her Of a former re
Eperience, when she was a child. Her in
1cle, was paid for her education, was 81
] Oxford don and he raised an objec- hl
ON against Miss West because she
as unqualified.
In the end he consented to give his in
zee viva-voce examination, on the III
suit Of which depended the governess' ca
te.
Ann passed the test triumphantly, M
It she always felt, privately, that Miss vi
est supplied the right answers, as she NJ
t staring at her pupil with hypnotic
ack eyes. ST
Now she knew that the old magic was
work again. Miss West was trying la
tell her something without the aid Of
)rds.
Suddenly the knowledge came. Her Sc
governess was playing for time.
obably she was expecting some male th
sitors from the manor, as the earl na
d his sons often came to the cottage. nj
hat she, herself, had to do was TO
I'VE off the five minute sentence of nc
ath by writing a note TO Stella, which tiC
IS hallmarked as a forgery so that
e girl would not come. pI,
As she heSitated she remembered az
at she had extracted promise from do
{ pupil to disregard any message. 20
e question was, whether It would be In
eyed, for she knew the strength of 70
+ fatal attraction, and that Stella Yc
$ eager to visit the cottage.