The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1938-10-20
Cnspter ~

A%Ees
~ The Hostage 49,
THE smoke filed my eyes, SMART
i ing, singing, binding, so that
I marVeled how Hugo could hold
the car on the road. but on we
HURLED, right into the red heart
Of the inferno, and suddenly, as
the whole world around seemed
filed with a single sheet of screams
ing, soaring fame, ] saw him
wrench at thu wheel and swing II
round; as we sWerved violently "a
the right, I felt that we were
climbing again, and at the same
moment q giant flaming pine fell
crashing across the road we had
Just left.
Isaw that Noah More was lean
ing forward, gripping Hngo,s
shoulder and pointing ahead with
q bony finger. He was screaming
out curses, urgings to 90 faster still,
shrin threats Of what he would do
70 Cess when we found him. The
uncanny voice poured forth in a
crazed monotone, and / shudd ered
involuntarily, for il seemed that
itneeded only this, the realization
that lunatic sat beside me. to
add the,hnal touch Of horror.
The unseen track. grew steadily
rougher. and the Hispano was
humping wildly from side to side;
but ] had a faint, growing slls-
picion that the smoke was thin-
ming ! could see the scorched and
blackened hillsides on either hand,
with only fiery thread here and
there to show that devastation still
fingered. holding It's hand. I
glanced up, saw the night sky
above US fiecked with stars and
the moon riding clear, and ripped
the coverings from my face.
Were thEoughl" l yelled, and
a. ! spoke. Hugo pulled -
abruptly.
We had come to another set Of
CROSSROADS. The mailman at my
side pointed to the right-hand.
sleeper path. Up and up we
climbed. humping and skidding,
through a darkness Of trees; and
then we came out on the crest OF
the ridge. and before US lay mar
row. wedge-shaped valley, with
the track running down, like a
thin black ribbon through rough
fields, to & dark huddle at the bot-
tom that / guessed to be building.
But now we were back in the
track OF the fire. The valley was
still untouched, but there was a
scarlet light at the head Of it, the
hot wind struck once more against
my cheek, and heard again the
horrid roaring noise. The glow
strengthened as / watched, and
Fleuriot realized Il at the same In
stant. Hugo gave a wild huzza.
Were In timel" he yelled. but the
other. his anxious eyes fixed on
that red horizon. muttered under
his breath:
only Just my friend. only iustl"
Down into the valley we shot.
Tocketing and ricocheting from
unseen boulders, while the lunatic
At my side screamed and chartered,
and Dunning, beside Hugo, took |
something from his pocket that
guessed to be a gun and carefully |
looked Ii over. The inn was big
shadowy place. and as we pulled |
up at the entrance, where rotting |
gates hung open from the massive
pillars, had sudden cold fear
that once again we were too late |
and our quarry had gone.
The knife
WE climbed out painfully, and
w Is we stood for q moment hesi- |
tsting, Fleuriot laid q hand on |
DunninR's arm. "Xou have Run?"
he asked sharply. "Wait here. then.
and keep an eve on this poor crea-
ture. tits your business to see that |
no one breaks away through this |
gate He turned TO Hugo. You.
my friend. viii similarly guard
the door OF the main building, |
while you and I, Monsieur Archee. |
will encircle IL, making contact at
the farther side" He added on q
warning note But no noise. you /
understand No calling to Made
Ottilie. even II you should /
zee her. When we have made our
we will return here. all
three. to arrange our campaign.
He turned away, and Hugo and /
] padded softly at his heels across
the great yard. 10 the lowering /
walls Of the farmstead itself Here
Hugo halted obediently e the
&uoR under it9 orerhanR,ua lintel. I
and Eletlfioa tuTned% n xssIf
right and i left feeling NY Way
along the rough stonework 10 the
angle az the building.
As I rounded II. the red glow |
from the west struck my face. and |
] saw that the wall ahead Of me |
Was cut By a couple Of windows
both heavily suffered. but though /
] tried them ningerly. one after the /
ether. they were securely fastened
from the inside. and no CLEAN Of
light showed. l erept on, feeling |
my way. round the second corner |
% the rear Of the house and halted
abruptly. holding my breath. TOR
Fieurlot was there before me.
cronehed with his eye to the ledge |
Of another window
He signed sharply 20 me 60 be |
careful Is tiptoed forward and
kneit beside him.
I looked setting my ere to the |
crack between the bottom of the |
shutler and the ernmhlinR stone
work and bit back an exclamation.
II was a bid roon that I stared
into. the farmhouse kitchen ~ the
Inok nf IL hat II Waa harn and