Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1937-05-07

Like nunJer JdhlIlS d jump, ShS
car seemed to sail off the ground
when the track dropped little then,
with the heart-stilling plunge of a
roller-coaster the two scatter darteo
at the darkly flowing water. Ian's
grip on the wheel frightened spasmodi-
cally as over the runabout shot a
sheet of water, which DETECTED by the
windshield, passed over his head. The
car staggered like a life boat in a
hurricane. Ian summoned all his fail
ing strength and sought to steady
the wheel. He had fleeting impress
ion of the other car high over head,
it's occupants yelling like mad.
The dripping automobile was back
on the road almost before he knew
it, for he was feeling very sick in
deed. He must keep on. His mind
was haunted by vision of Leonard
in bed, pale and helpless, and of Ilya
who loved the boy so.
There began a queer buzzing in
his bones as he saw the short cut re-
join the main Highway. Far ahead
glimmered a tail light; another car
was going in the same direction. Bob
Skine?
4 Like a terrestrial rocket, Ian'S car
scared to the summit of a hill and
from that vantage his hot eyes be-
held sprawling white houses of Hat
van lying far below.
On the straight, white road he
could see the headlights of car sway
ing, dancing, like those of an automo-
bile that is driven at headlong pace.
Something told him that yonder Bob
skine had taken alarm and was DASH
ing at top speed for the plane which
would bear him to safety.
The wounded man at the wheel
groaned in despair. After all he had
lost. No human effort could close
that gap of three kilometers before
the Russian got to Hatvan. Yet, with
that stubborn unwillingness of his
kind to call quits until the last effort
has been made, Ian bent forward,
praying Bobskine's car might break
down, might blow a tire-anything to
prevent his reaching the plane in
time. But at the same time he knew
that such convenient miracles rarely,
if ever, occurred.
More and more indistinct became
the outline of the road, until the eff
fort to focus the Keeling headlong
landscape became tremendous. How
cold he was-and how weak, the car
seat had become slippery with blood.
All he knew was that Bobskine must
not reach that plane-must not escape
to ruin not only the lives of Ilya and
Leonard, but his own and Lolita's as
well.
On rushed Ian's car. At the top
of little rise Ian saw he had gain
ed on the other, but not enough to
to catch it before Hatvan was reach
ed.
A black curtain seemed to momen-
tarily obscure the drivers staring
eyes and instinctively his foot left the
accelerator. Great God, he must have
lost lot of blood, he had almost gone
under that time. He'll. His speed had
dropped good twenty kilometers an
hour. He sensed rather than saw that
Lolita was peering at him; then he
skidded around a corner and saw Hat
van still good kilometer away. To
the right lay wide and apparently
level field across which could be seen
the jolting lights of the other car
which must have turned at the vii
lage and was now travelling at right
angles to him. While Ian made a des
perate effort to clear his head, Bob
skine's car swung around a little
curve. It's lights, striking ahead, mo-
mentarily revealed in a meadow the
outline of large yellow and black
monoplane, the propeller of which
was turning over lazily.
1t was an open job, Ian saw, a four
scatter warmed up and ready for a
quick take-off. Towards it Bob
skine's car was now dashing at top
speed, lucky he could not know his
pursuers were only girl and badly
wounded man.
Summoning all his will power, Ian
determined on a final gamble to re-
trieve struggle which seemed DOOM