Evening star., 1941-06-28

Xavier Merrill jerked his head |
up. He looked steadily at his daugh- |
ter.
Locke said, Il know
Il can see things" Janielle went .
on, that l did when I was younger |
and I wish they could be undone
now. I made my father discharge
a goYerness once. I regret that
Il wanted you to have everything,
Jan" Xavier Merrill said. softly
! when your mother died I prom
| ised myself that
Locke allowed the moment to last.
Il can understand he said finally.
Jan Admits Her Love.
Janiene continued, Then there
are things that l have not had the
| courage to do Purely through
blindness; selfish stupidity. But I
know that there is one thing l
won't allow TO slip by l am going
to do what l know is right; what
1 know I was intended for I am
going to tell YOU that I love YOU"
"Janielle!" Locke exclaimed His
heart jumped
Don't say anything yet, please.
7 want to explain to you, if can.
I knew that 1 loved you from the
first moment l saw you, I guess.
I could feel something happen in
side me, but I refused to recognize
1t because I thought that 1 was
much too good for you You see,
my sense of values was distorted by
what was around me. But last night
was the time when l was sure. When
you kissed me I knew. 1t doesn't
matter what YOU are, what you do"
Her voice trailed off into a soft
whisper
"Janielle," Locke said She lifted
her head and her hair was a tOusled,
light frame about her pale face.
"JanielIe I love you. l knew that
at almost the same time you did.
That was why I came with you.
That's why I'm here now. 1t had to
be this way between US
I know" she said unsteadily Il
didn't want to go through with our
plan this afternoon. I was going
to hold you to that engagement"
She laughed suddenly, in a slight,
high voice that made Locke glance
up alarmed.
I'm all right she gasped un-
steadily. Tt is just that if I had
decided not to go through it, We
might not be here Janielle laughed
again, but now there was touch of
hysteria in her voice
A Desperate Chance.
Stop that" Locke lurched side
ways toward Janielle and his chair
hoped an inch. Janielle quieted,
her eyes watching him as he lurched
again. The chair moved another
inch. Locke stared at Janielle, hope
lighting his brown eyes Are your
fingers free?' he whispered.
YES"
Can you move them very much?"
"A little"
Start praying I'm going to try
to get around in back of YOU
Xavier Merrill said. Get over
here to me, boy. can do it better.9
Locke answered shortly, Too far"
He jumped the chair again. 1t
teetered dangerously and Lockes
breath caught in his throat If he
tipped over now there wouldn't be
chance. If they could work fast,
that was all. Anything was better
than dying without a fight. He
edged another inch then an
other.
Don't move, JAM" Locke eau
toned.
81 won't"
I'm a moment :"
Locke felt Janielle's fingers.
Now" he said quietly. His back
was to the door. He wouldn't be
able to tell when their two captors
returned. He could hear Janielle's
hard breathing. Her fingers were
exploring the knots, searching for
the ends. The moments licked bv
agonizingly.
Jim, can't do it. can't. They're
too tight" Janielle's voice was
poignant with despair.
Keep trying" Locke urged quiet
ly. Janielle'S fingers continued their
search. The moments went by and
the inside of the shack grew darker.
Its no use, jim Her hands
fell away and she began to cry
softly.
A FiendiSh Plan.
Locke sat still. furiouslv thinking.
Time flowed on and gradually the
darkness inside the shack became
intense. Deep in the woods like
this Locke thought, the night seems
to come on fast. He edged about a
little, watching the door.
A moment later Locke heard the
sound of approaching footsteps.
Farrell stood in the doorway, his
big, round-shouldered body cutting
a fearful silhouette against the faint
light from the outside.
The little love birds back to
back, he observed dryly. His voice
changed abruptly. What do you
think you're doing?" He strode for
ward and yanked Locke's chair
aside, scraping it across the floor
and finally setting it down near the
wall. There was table Just behind
Locke and now he heard Farrell
scratching a match and then a dim
glow lit up the darkness. Farrell
had lit a kerosene lamp that had
been on the table.
Have you all been praying?" Far
rell taunted. IF you haven't, you're
a bit late now"
Janlelle spoke up, her voice steady
once more. What do you intend
to do?"
Miss Merrill, Chuck and me've
fixed your car. 1t can drive only
one way straight. There's a
little hill directly up the road, an
there's long roll straight down the
other side At the bottom you'll
come out on a road, but you won't
be going the ordinary way. You'll
be going straight across it and
through a fence. There's drop of
about 500 feet. When you three
kiss the rocks below, Chuck an me
won't do any more worrying"