Show rTh The White FeatherBy Feather By LE LECHMERE WORRALL AND J. J E E. E HAROLD TERRY Continued from yesterday A ordered the tha corporal e up men Is there anything sir he added turning to Brent g at resent present present I think corporal ft Ita a minute Isn't that the telee tele- tele e ery one listened and a faint int in- in t ringing was heard from the thel l 11 see what it is Dont Don't remove the her ner yet et corporal ordered Chris eral e eral minutes passed before he hee helback e back and as he had shut the rafter after him those In the sitting n 11 did not hear even a one sided condition con con- tion a. a fact which annoyed Mr lock ck considerably He was just won- won th the corporal would al- al him to go into the hall where he to Brent on his right as to p-to be told what was going on MISS Hiss Myrtle diverted his atten- atten Finding the strain of waiting too h for her she rose made a a. way way- gut but determined dash in his di- di and fainted away in his arms r L lams cams task that night had been so much difficult as supremely peasant le sant Nevertheless she knew easily one little chance thing go- go i. i wrong wrong may upset the most perfectly pl plans n and her heart was pounding 11 rily mingled anxiety and ex- ex ment ent as she waited in the car t. for fora fore a e other women She herself was at wheel because the physical strength both the plain clothes m men n might needed to prevent any unforeseen lonton onjon ton the part of Mrs Sanderson when they learned the The car had a berline body so Miriam and the man beside her herboth heril il both th of them inside the other 1 ib sat with this his back to them on one seats so as to face the toners ners The car was a heavy one Miriam to drive b but t it had a self- self ran easily beady Already readY Miriam's gauntleted hands hed shed the wheel more in nervous- nervous s than in preparation The differ- differ B between her and Brent was that as' as he was always strung to a Ater teg gayety and coolness when at the critical point she hough lough ough she never lost her head went pugh nigh agonies with nervous tension ow her feelings were much those of actress who suffers acutely from just before she goes on stage Miriam's blood seemed to be wading coding through her head her hands t icy lcy cold She knew that hunly hu- hu speaking nothing should go goIn gom m In with their plans plans and and yet how howy y y-i y y it was for the unforeseen to hap- hap Miriam irlam was more more like Uke a man than the usually accepted type of won wo- wo n in that her anxiety was entirely and not any personal fear those engaged in It She was fairly e nothing untoward could happen to ds because she was impressed by own belief in his bis luck but even had Inot not been her deep affection for fort I t would have been merged In the ortance of what he and she were ng Miriam was by hy tem- tem ament the true adventurer which v la is thing from an ss ess esay he be car was drawn up behind a curve the h shrubbery which edged the short ye eIt It was very dark there for the out and no gleam from house was visible The door of the stood open one of the men beit be- be e- e eit it and Miriam strained her ears the sound of the foot- foot ps Presently they came the short footsteps she was expecting 9 swathed bulk of Mrs Sanderson h 11 the th-e smaller but not less rotund Yn 11 of fraulein beside her loomed ugh Jugh the gloom as patches darker LS L With rith ith relief surging at her heart lam lam got out of the car and went ard them Here Here Ier y you you u are my comrades she shei i speaking peaking In German but very These are arc my friends the comes com- com es 1 told you about Is everything 8 eAre Are we free to start Everything Is done replied frau frau- I that is to say everything frau I is in Uness lIness Charles had nothing to do the bomb and see that Fritz I if 3 his work properly then they will willie to ie on on and join us in London in time while it Is still early morna morn- morn tf a I And nd one else The English they all in bed asked Miriam Y are in bed I wish I could I e e given them all the same sleeping light I 1 gave to Miss Myrtle but I 1 Inett nett not I d doubt they will sleep sound it They will sleep steep the which they will never neversen sen Yen n and the ecstasy In fraulein's e h oddly through the dark- dark s. s Come come urged Mrs Sanderson let us talk here Let us get tf It had to be ye e done tonight but bear to st see e It let us get getaway getaway away away as quickly as possible YO aro ro right We Ve must not waste I e said ald ld Miriam See you two sit aJI far back hack as aa possible Herr i Schmidt will sit opposite you and his friend by me The luggage is already on the roof The two women took their pla places es in the car and Miriam and Schmidt tucked rugs round them so deftly that the throwing of lien them Ulem off oft would not be bl a n very easy matter Then Miriam l took her place at the wheel again Her heart had left len off oft racking her with its heavY beats N Now Y W that th the Um time for action ct o had come she felt cold and calm Her pulses were unhurried her brain n c ear It had been the Jl waiting waiting wait wait- ing 5 that h J tried f her so severely She switched on the head lamps and started the car and the next moment the they were running silently out on to the high road The road down to was v.-as not V very y good and short a as the Way Va was Miriam l was most anxious that no contretemps such as a burst tire should delay them i Supposing f for r instance that Charles Charles' and n Fritz managed to escape from th the house and come up with them upon the road she and the detectives would be I outnumbered and the whole gang might manage tomake to 3 make their escape in the car It was an extreme supposition but Miriam knew that it was as well to think of everything as far as pos- pos sible stole Accordingly she drove carefully along the precipitous and heavily rutted roads the soil of which was sticky from recent rains The police station had of course been warned of their coming and as being a seaside town was in complete darkness darkness dark dark- ness Miriam had no fear tear that the scene which might take tale place in the street would attract too much notice All was certainly going well and yet et It seemed to her that as the car descended the winding road her spirits too dropped in ratio with the descent It was true that she carried with her In the car two murderesses but she carried also their trust and confidence confidence con con- which she had lied excessively hard to attain Under the circumstances circumstances circumstances circum circum- stances she really did not mind betraying betraying betray betray- ing their trust and confidence in irk the least What she minded was the sea of her own lies she had had to wade through If the matter had rested with her she would have had the whole household arrested directly after the affair of the shot pigeon She had none of Brents Brent's enjoyment In balancing on ona ona ona I a tight rope over an abyss The sooner sooner the whole thing was over and settled the better she would b be pleased and then would follow for her one of those I little calms during which she tried to tomake tomake tomake make herself believe she enjoyed ed her well earned repose but which only I lasted until the insatiable desire for ac action ac- ac tion was too strong for her again i Miriam coaxed the car round the I sharp turn that led Into one of the by streets of and slowing slowing slow slow- ing down drove cautiously along it to toward toward to- to I ward ward- where the gleam of a red light showed her the police station was awaiting them The next moment she 1 stopped the car In front of the open door I What is the matter asked fraulein sharply leaning forward There is nothing gone wrong with the car has there No Ko nothings nothing's wrong with the car replied Miriam half turning round in her seat and slipping sUpping her hand into the big pocket of her overcoat till tilt she felt ther t her fingers close over the butt of her small but very useful revolver We I have arrived at our journeys journey's end that's all What do you vou mean asked Mrs Irs Sanderson Have you some new plan Ach Ach- Ach she ended on a scream for forshe forshe forshe she saw saw that the car had been quietly surrounded by police Miriam said nothing because she could not think of anything to sa say It seemed to her that the car was charged full of fear and hate and rage which were almost tangible things beating about her head So much so that she let go of of her revolver and her hands flew up Instinctively to cover her ears and eyes It was a sharp feeling of relief as of I Ione one brought back from some nightmare to reality that she heard the car door open and the voice of the Inspector saying the familiar words of arrest Then the thing that she had half expected expected expected ex ex- to happen did happen Fraulein who had struggled herself free from the enveloping wraps dived into her pocket with her free tree hand her hand her left I arm was held by the erstwhile Schmidt A cry from Miriam l warned him and he caught fraulein's other hand too as she was sn snatching out a ready cocked automatic This little incident gave Miriam the feeling of unreality which she had felt felton felton felton on first seeing the Marconi installation installation tion and in consequence she again felt the old uplifting of the adventurer spirit As long as the affair was sufficiently sufficiently sufficiently melodramatic she could enjoy It thoroughly It was the hours of Idleness Idleness idleness Idle Idle- ness which bred criticism and depres depres- sion This all of them asked the Inspector tor of her as Mrs Sanderson and fraulein fraulein frau frau- lein were practically lifted out of the car and stood upon the pavement Miriam 1 laughed aloud In her relief I at the easing of the strain all allor of or this little lot Inspector she saidI said I am expecting Mr Brent to provide you with two more later on I To be continued tomor tomorrow |