Show h 7 L j c 1 0 in Jo r- r r-r r L I CI CLEAR J LE LEA A R. R t w f M MOL LOR LomG 1 I by The P Penn nn Co SYNOPSIS Prudence Schuyler comes from New Y York ori to Prosperity Prospera Farm In Maine Inherited from Cram her uncle to tomalee malee malco a 3 new life liCe for Cor herself and her brother David Davit his health broken by tragedy edY Prue falls Cans from Crom the barn loft Into tho arms of ot Rodney Gerard Ger Ger- Geri i ard artl rich young oung man Thoro Is at nt once a n mutual attraction but Prudence Prudence Prudenco Pru Pru- dence suspects men her sisters sister's sisters sister's sisters sister's sis sis- ter's husband ran away with her brothers brother's wife wIre Len Galloway Calloway tries to bu buy Prue's timber limber but sho dislikes dislikes dis ills likes him and contracts with Rod foil to dispose of or tho the trees Sho 1 is s visited b by Mrs Walter alter Gerard and her small daughter Jean They leave leavo Prue rankled David arrives from Cram New York Prue accompanies Rod nod and Jean to a circus While the they are watching tho the parade Chi Chicot ot an nn old clown down grandfather of or Gootch circus rider Is accidentally killed Rod noll had known the girl years a ago o. o I Galloway Calloway intimidates laborers so that they cannot be bo hired hirell to cut tho timber limber for Cor Gerard Mill Gooch broke her engagement to Galloway Calloway ho he be believes believes be- be Rod was the cause Rod nod calls callson on Milly to see sec If ho can be bo of ot any help Prue sees a tt flashlight picture of or him with Rodney goes to New York for Cor timber cutters cutlers taking talc talc- ing David ld with him to help select selectmen mon men from Crom among tho the Rescue Mis Mission sion slon well do hangers hang The Tho Walter Valter Gerard Rodney's halt half brother broth broth- er arrives Rid sen sends s word that he heIs heis heis is on his wa wa back with workers To keep the knowledge o of or the workers workers workers' work worle- ers ers ers' arrival al from Galloway Calloway Prudenco Pru- Pru enters her timber tract with him on tho pretense of bar bargaining 1 on tho lumbering Ho He confines her In Inn ina n n. cabin An escaped convict appears CH CHAPTER PTER IX Continued IX-Continued Continued 12 12 Was this nightmare Prudence wondered as her unsteady hand fumbled d with the diamond and platinum plat pInt platinum clasp at nt the back of her neck It must be what had seemed an amusing plan to divert ert Len Calloway Calloway Calloway Cal- Cal loway couldn't develop Into a n possible possible pos pos- sible tragedy could It The man grabbed grabbe the pearls from her fingers weighed them In his left hand Ills His leer Jeer was horrible Wax beads treads 1 Oh yeah scab I guess they'll get me three squares a da day for a year ear or two Was Vas that a n faint call cal Prudence caught her throat to stifle an nn ex ex- The man with the revolver er ver stiffened lIe He thrust the pearls Into his dirty shirt ills HIs e eyes cs went d dead ad Lissen you OU two Someone's com com- ing Tm rm get gettin Un out Ill I'll keep this gat at trained on you ou If either of you ou tip em off Ive I've been II here ere Ill I'll shoot you ou on the trail Ill I'll know He TIe backed to tD the door With a n quick swoop Prudence flung brush on the coals Smoke would woul gI give a n clue to the rescuers It caught fire and roared up the chimney Why you yoU yoU- olt Dazed IJ by her darIng darIng daring dar dar- ing Ing- the time fu fugitive e hesitated In that Instant Calloway Galloway sprang and caught him about the shoulders The revolved revolved re re- ol ed clattered to the floor Prue seized It Dont waste your our strength Gallo Callo- wa way Why couldn't she keep her ber voice olce stend steady Ive I got hUm covered Im I'm not Dot a crack shot but I think I can cnn drop him at this distance Call Galloway Calloway war turned turne nn and took a step forward Stay where you OU are I Hands up Both of you on If you move moe the next scene s-scene In this tills screen thriller will be cut b by the censor Gun In one hand han one han hand clutching clutchIng clutchIng clutch- clutch Ing the back of the chair Pru Prudence ence covered ered the two men She disciplined disciplined a a- a wild Impulse to shout with laughter Galloways Galloway's s 's face His mouth hung open as If i surprise had permanently dislocated his jaw The other she other she shivered shivered never lIever had she seen seem such c eyes es Trapped Des Des- Murderous erous She had not known that anything human could look like that David DavI ha had known though Dave e Where was he If only only only- The cabin door I Opening 1 Slowly Slow Slow- ly lyl hl 1 Soun Soundlessly lessl 1 Something sinister sinister sinister sinis sinis- ter In Its caution lIn Had the escaped convict a n pal lal Her blood bloo chilled Who had come Give Gh me that gun 1 Rodney Gerard hn hind had the revolver In n his hand before Prudence realIzed realized real real- who ha had dashed Into the cabin With a relieved ed sigh Galloway Calloway Gallo Callo- way dropped his han hands s Put em em em up again Dont be a darn fool Gerard I 1 Put em ern up i Theres There's blood on your o forehead Prue Who hurt you ou Prue's brain bruin felt curiously lI light ht Her voice seemed to trickle from a ag g great ent empty space behind her e eyes cs Hurt me 1 iso Xo one Believe It or not I was was about about to add a colorful colorful color color- ful fol fact to the state slate of Maine war wa r against crime when you crashed d In They're an Intriguing pair arent aren't th they Reading from left t to torl o rl right ht you have hn first a pearl thief then Own a just a-just Just m man SUch man such a justman Just justman man wan 1 l Steady Prue Dont Don't shiver Cl ilk like that flint Ill I'll get bet your pearls While youre you're getting those yo you ou u might make c that man roan return tH the thc c Jewels he lie stole from m my safe last las t night nigh 1 Lissen what wha t does docs the He jane jan e mean Jewels Do you ou think If I 1 had an anything I could turn int Into o l J money Id I'd be hangin round here Say sites she's crazy Was ns the man acting amazement or hadn't he lie taken talen the emerald Craz Crazy or not you'll come along with wilh us Get going I Gerard gave the lie revolver a 11 suggestive hitch hollow Follow him Calloway Galloway Keep your our hands up bout both of you rou Prue come on She Site nodded Len Galloway Calloway looked as is If he lie were burning up his face had n a purplish tinge He ile spoke between bet clenched teeth Ill get net going goIn all nIl right But nut watch out Gerard Gerar Im I'm not through with you ou Miss Schuyler's lers all ull for you Isn't she Have lure you told her hertha that tha t youve you've ou been pa paying Milly bully Gooch's bills Have you you ill Ill Ill- there you there you 1 He lun lunged ed for the man In front Caught him about the walt waist I Fum um Fumbling bling beng for hol holds s the two strained and panted The fugitive was smaller but fear of a return to prison gave hum him superhuman strength lie He twisted an and twined about Galloway's Galloways le legs s until both went down with a n crash With the agility of a cat and the cr cry of an nn enraged animal the victor was on his feet whirled and grabbed the gun from Gerards Gerard's hand hantI Crouching Crouching Crouch Crouch- ing he lie backed backel toward the fireplace Ills His e eyes es were flames He aimed the revolver steadily Beat neat It you Ou two guys and gu guys antI s and beat heat it quick 1 Ill I'll keep the pearls and pearls and the girl Prudence retreated to the wood pile She had thought her mind geared to surprises but this quick turn turn stopped her heart healt She couldn't back bael a away further the h ra l i 7 sI rd 1 J l iI iIa r a y I Ih h Hands Up Both of You wood pile was like me a wall behind her Hadn't David Dald said that nine times out of ten when one was backed against an Insurmountable wall a gate would open behind If f fJon you Jon put up the fight of your life Perhaps there was a gate pate In this wall wall perhaps A gate 1 Cautiously Cautious Cautious- ly breathlessly she groped behind her The convicts convict's fingers tightened on the revolver He lie scowled hideously at fit Gerard Hey lloy lIe you ou I Cut out that lint cig stun Beat Heat It or Ill I'll fire and and to With all her force Prudence brought the dull side of the ax fiX down on his ar arm n. n Ills sentence shattered into profanity His ills gun un clattered to the lie floor Gerard seized seize it thrust it against his back backas as fiS he lie whirled on Prue Hey Heyl 1 Cut that out Beat neat It It or Ill I'll tire fire 1 Gerar Gerards Gerard's ds d's words If It not his voice olce were a perfect perfect perfect per per- Imitation as he pro prodded ded the cursing shambling man than toward the thedoor door Calloway Galloway thundered Youre not letting him him get away Rod nod Dont Don't you rou know ow hes he's the escaped prison prisoner er cr they're hunting He nc wont won't make snake his getaway get with you at his heels beels Its It's your Job to deliver him hint to the sheriff after youve you've frisked Miss Schuyler's lers pearls ore oft him Get busy Ler Len I How could Rodney be so cool so smiling Prudence wondered Ira fran a- a I tIca lI lIe He dont don't nce need get bus busy n Here re rethe the they are arc The captive pulled the lo el lovely lustrous string from under his ragged dirty shirt Prudence snatched it from the floor and clutched d It tight against her breast Come across with those Jewels I Gerard poked a n reminder er Listen dont don't get fresh with the gat at Ive I've coughed up UI the pearls aint I I nn an I dout dont know about no Jewels Let him go got I Let him go I dont don't care cart about the jewels Please Pleas let lot him go go- goThe The rhe break in Prue's Prue s voice maddened herThe her The muscles of Gerards Gerard's jaw tightened On your our way He lIe held out th the c revolver re Take laic it hen Dont Don't let this bird stop till tin you ou have hare III him m safe behind bars Callow Galloway Calloway gripped the Rim tun lIn II He lIe e said through clenched tooth teeth I i Youre c taking chances How low do you ou know I wont won't shoot you ou I Hodne Rodney Gerard regarded him through narrowed lids and antI smiled Because youre you're such a Just man Len Drop that ax Prue you ou wont won't need It again Get going J Galloway's Galloways fur fury was partially expended in the jab he lie gave gaye the man at the other encl of ot the revolver The door swung on Its hinges es Through the opening came the crackling of twigs under stumbling heavy heay feet rough voices The sounds dwindled In Into to forest silence Is It safe s-safe to go now With unsteady un un- unsteady stend steady fingers Prue tried to clasp the pearls about her throat In just a minute Let me do that lint Bend DentI your our head hend Gorgeous The husk In Gerards Gerard's voice roice his fingers against the back of or her neck neel set Prue shivering again the tho matter lIe He looked down at her skirt Tour clothes are arc soaked Your lips arc are blue How lIow di did you rou get so wet That's a n mean menn bruise What happened Lost m my wa way Fell Into the b brook He le pulled off his coat coat Put your our arms In Dont Don't argue Do as ns youre you're tol told Its It's not a 11 perfect thirty six but It will help keep you How did you ou know where Iwas I Iwas Iwas was 1 Jean got tot anxious about you ou Turned back and met us That child has a train brain She knew you shouldn't have gone with Galloway Calloway Why why did didou you ou do O It Jim wisher wished he could be out of the way when the gang g arrived I tried to help and now you ou crab c Im not crabbing Dont Don't you ou know that I almost lost m my mind min when Jean told me where you'd gone Dont Don't you ou know that 1 went through h h l 1 getting to you ou Dont Don't you ou know that its it's torture for meto me meto meto to see you ou shiver shirer and have e m my hands tied b by that Infernal promise Imade I Imade made If I were to touch you ou The caressing break in his voice ice the tho faint tremor of his lI s sent the blood burning to Prue's hair Oh Ohm come on Lets Let's get out of here He pulled a flashlight from his coat pocket Lets hurry Hurry Im I'm frozen Go on on lie followed as as' she entered the time trail er E Every swish s of her wet skirts i about her knees sent a million million little little Ic Icy shivers ers coasting along her veins Gerard faced her down the trail The hand that tint touched her was like ice Contrition swept her Youre freezing I Take your our coat I dont don't need It r really r-really I dont Stop talking Go on If If If- you ou dont don't I will carr carry you ou and you ou are arc not a fairy girl He lIe was cold but of course of-course of course he wouldn't acknowledge It Had Ball he heard what Galloway n had said saltI about hilly and antI mone money money ooch Ooch how cold her legs and antI feet were were like sticks of Ice led I There I 1 She Site had put the right one forward Now the time left rIght left right left right Had BatI Rodney paid the circus girls girl's bills Left- Left right Keep Keep on OH feet left right left right march time time the the words were HIn HI like a n merr merry go She couldn't stop them The hie clearing at nt last Copper Copper- red light on the trees A lire No Xo the sunset A sl sky of rainbow splendor dor The color warme warmed her all ull except except ex ex- her feet Right they Right the left left they had hatI frozen frozen- Someone caught her as stumbled bled Someone picked etI her up in his arms arras How lIow warm heavenly Left heavenly Left right right Please Please Please Jim p Jim Jim stop JIm stop those words going round and round round- Someone smothered something between between between be be- tween his teeth teethe Someone pulled off ore the time coat bundled her into something woolly and soft something that smelled of tobacco lifted her Into a car She wa was warmer Those horrid hor Imor- rid words wortIs had hail stopped whirling Wh Why should she have thought for foran foran an Instant that she was n with ith Jim Armstrong She looked at the theman theman theman man at the lie wheel Thank goodness you ou have ha put on ur coat It would be you you you- ou the the man t she said sail unsteadily lie He looked straight ht down own into her hel eyes eres Straight and deep But nut all the time you OU thought Iwas I 1 Iwas was Jim Prudence closed her lids tight That pesky Left 1 Right Hight 1 I started started started start start- ed in her head hea again She She had hatI better better bet bet- ter keep them open Rodney Gerard needn't growl at lit her Suppose she were vere to remind him of Gooch an and lucky and lucky she had found that out in n time I Gerard drew rew a robe closer about her Warmer Gorgeous If he lie spoke to her hm again in that lint unsteady voice she would cry her hm heart out on his shoulder then where when would she be Warmer Warmer but but ut-n ut a roaring fire and antI anda antIa a cup of or hot tea will seem like hea heaven Jim w will Jim Jim I You think of him eHl every minute Why dont don't you ou marry him t Prudence Prudenco shut her hel eyes She had oj Vf 1 been about to say that JIm would think him lost He lIe ha had handed her bet hera beta a weapon of defense She rushed rustled to her own tI destruction I 1 have had that Idea myself In myself In fact act It Is quite settled The Time words ord seemed to twang In Inthe Inthe Inthe the air long after the they were spoken to vibrate like a violin string which had been roughly struck What a aHe aHe alief He lief I What an nn outrageous lie She Site had stripped oft off honor and truth In Ina Ina ina a determination to protect herself I from future heartache What would Jim Armstrong say If he knew He lIe |