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Show HEAVER CITY PRESS rKE JO1 of LTOMf IBo aiUNCU UULUING JACK Illustrations btj tllswortb. IJounq i THI CUMBER . .n.ih'i visit Lb har ".-unt, Lady Erythj. Lembe. oo"" ITjsrvaula abbey. Eiaadf Lambs. Almes. B1 . K V! m- -U arMM Vioount Scroop., tntroduosa who laughingly on ?rtd BpWna." motoreycU. part. udcouela. inrln lrn B.rn.re. b.r 7, out for J.rvauU. th With Aim fore at out moeu H. She to Impersonate her mil ik ag e. BUI. Tglv.s her m Amy Snookes, at "out of a job." BUly offar. e.11-10 tak b.r Into partnarshtp to mad-? of In a spirit Sphinx. tb. The sh. accept. advjnWr. proctid to tb. town of Btan-to lodgtnes -11 taking a.para cottaio. Whll. Alms, is I LUy visiting Gorglna at Jervaulx. th. plc. la burglarised, and Ith famous Lamb, emerald, art w Alme. escapes, Stolen. Police 'id, th. thieve, ar. "Jack th. and "Calamity Kate," who travel on a moiorcyem. dhij, who ha. shadowed Alme. to la He follow, th. thieve.. knocked out, but emerge, from th. light with the UmM .meraias. Almee. with the pollc. In pursuit In a secure hiding- plac. Alme. the crag plU, among cave t him urs th. wnoie story. n confestells her that she make a frank sion to ber father but, on reflec- .Climber" J.r-ivau- lx good tion both realli. Almee'a Aa-lurlname has been compromised. save to a Almee h. has plan In the cave her, Billy leaves her and. proceeding to Jervaulx. the emeralds to the astoundBilly tells a the police, a reward and accepts a chauffeur's Job from Lady Erythea. Aims gets th. plac. of parlor maid at Jervaulx. Alexander thinks he recognizes Almee as "Calamity Kate." Oeorglna divulges Almee'a Identity. Hearing her story, Alexander consenta to keep th. ewret Alexander finds himself very much Alexander! In love with Georglna. sister. Lady Diana, arrives. Another visitor Is th. Vlcomt. de Justac, her suitor. Diana recognition Almee and threaten, to denounce her. Alme. confides In De Justac. De Juasac 1. accepted by Diana and Alme. makes h.r prom-- . Alexander Is 1m to keep silence. Lady Eryaccepted by Oeorglna. thea. still In the dark, la delighted. Lady Erythea. story that satisfies ed CHAPTER XXI M93M S es ay Mntjr Csatsj ecreu from your partner," the said. He kitted har again mora than always tell you everything." one. Than he sat back, bit bead In "Give me till tonight," pleaded Billy, a whirl. There waa the longest pause hate to talk about It now. if. yet; a allenca that teemed Intermi By tonight we aball have either won or lost out w ell win I WW you trust mer Almee seated herself on th. tort k--. neath the sweetbrlars. "All right then." she said h.r.r.11. "Left forget our troubles for a bit Hit down you look to tall, towering op there, that I can hardly see vnn and IH tell my news. It's much more Interesting than yours. Do von know that Alexander has got himself en. gaged to my dear fat Georgia, and tney re idiotically happy -Has her cried Billy, drormlna-- be side her. "Good for him She's a real trump of a girl, that And the parson's as white as they make them he's a nne fellow." "Yes. Georgte will exactly suit him. shouldn't have, a bit" "You!" exclaimed Billy. Aunt Ervthea's Idea Is "Exactly. that Alexander's marrying me. You're not very bright today. Blllv. They'll have n funny tangle to straighten out tien the crash comes." "Gee I They, will. We'll have to help lieni somehow." "Of course we 6halL But I wonder how we'll do It And that's not all the Vlcomte has suddenly become be-trotheaV as he calls It to Alexander! sister Cold Lambe." "She'll tone him down," said Billy. "Not a bit He'll tone her ud." re plied Almee confidently, "and a Jolly good thing, too. So there they all are. r Continued. along the wider lane In direction of Jervaulx, nis eyes fiimilng the ground and the ditch. A He passed e of short the gate trough which Billy had wheeled the him when dodging the police, he looped quickly and picked up a scrap menu, it was the broken en a or an khflust silencer. "I was right I" ejaculated Billy, ilere tliey crashed again or the en- ne pave out for good. And they i'ue the very way I did myself. And lie of the two was lame dead lame. ure tiling they couldn't have got kr thut night. And If they weren't able ride the thing, what did they do Ith It?" i f harried to the far end of the Billy Stared Before Him Gloomily. where the last of tlie tracks had He hesitated, and glanced I oughtn't to have mentioned It to yon. SWil, the distant crag-pits- . Billy I know how It depresses you. What should I have done myself It s horrible all this sentiment I hadn't known the ground J" be Billy stared before him gloomily, and was silent fought. "I'll try here first." Less tl an a hundred "Isnt It I" Insisted Almee. yards to the etu was a clump of brushwood, "Sickening!" said Billy, bitterly. Almee glanced at him and, looking growing alone, a little oasis on the pare field. away, stirred the grass with the point The bushes masked a narrow clay of hit shoe. There was a long pause. pit, twenty feet deep, that had been "What was It you were saying Ived In times said Almee. past to bring up the about things "I told you." replied Billy, "that be tavj marl subsoil and spread It over ie Mnri? field. It wus now complete- - fore tomorrow It will either be a com 1 cloaked with brambles. Billy pulled plete crash or all clear." hem spurt, and saw Almee nodded. something gleam- nlmly at the bottom of the pit. "I see. That means. In the first case. was the buckled frame of a big that III be exploded broken done 'in Indian motorcycle. for " lth a whoop of triumph Billy "NaT said Billy, sharply. Umbered down the steep side of tlie "It does, though. But In the second. TU nd disappeared through the bram If things go better I shsll Just be Ales. He remained below some time. back at Scroope. In a sort of mild disI When at last he stood and gracestood In the corner. That's emerged And jo the brink, Billy's face wag rather nothing much. I'm used to It and bit eyes troubled there you are I Well, the curtain' toon i "Great Caesar's ghost I" he said. going to ring down. Our partner . pVho'd have expected this? Now If ship" can pick Rlllv turned to her Quickly. up the other track. I'll have -It finished," continued Almee quiet , rime hi m, hands I H hurried In the dlrectloo of the ly, looking out across the pair. "1 to ride the Sphinx for crag-pits- , then suddenly pulled shan't be able rm aorrr about that it on mil short and glanced at bl wrtst' would have been fun." lttch. Rlllv ranoht his breath. "Almee he exclaimed. You mean," he aald slowly, "that I "e had an appointment with Alme and an urgent one.. It was al shan't ate you sgalnT .. How can youT Our "J past the hour. Billy set off at "I mean that over. Billy. "in. and In ten minutes reached the little holiday It rendezvous. Almee was fhera already Bit fingers cloeed on the turf on In i mujtli aerge walking-cloaand a itw alda of him. and dugto deep. me. To nn"ka hat trimmed with calico tIo-"I understand. It'i up " in spite of the costume sb morrowwe dont tven know each He r f ,'. r lisnt r '.". k "Mr V vividly lovely. C.. dun't kniw vnn think f ant waaie my afternoon off like this. I Tir 1 He let go the turf, and caught ber bands. "Alroeer irtt. Before either of them knew how !t ss I could." K.nniMt h. had her In his anna. said Billy wild nn are vnn Innblnv nritmA anontr the said, eyeing him tuspl ly. -- You're the dsrllng of the world. The loveliest brightest tmng wai wvr do you think yoo '"-j- ust seeing you," blurted Billy. breathed. Almee TUt Isn't true. I've never teen yoo could try and love "Love your aald Alms, trembling. exritd before. You've found out -Who could help loving you, """thing. What la and kissed ber. vm h.p tight K1"y Paused. tt " . AAV said Almee, " lnie. I have found oat tome- was so frlglitned "'n. be said "but there't In a stifled voice. -- rrlchtened-P H b ttr to do. mil Iquietly, liBTMt antra all th. -In my hands. be rnniueo That you'd Ifi the most ma tunt vet. rn .n vw iKmi tBvw -- t belnt .eoUmafttaJ," pnted ment ! got It set" , ' looked at Mm rtttfuUy. Almoe wf think yon ought to hart tat BlUy felt etuaneA "I'm sorry." nanted Blllv. "'! "Cimi at i, tor mr Itr ' t11' m . nable. were to recalled earth by a They staccato noise. "Yap I Yap I :Yapt Yap I Ylpe ytper Almee and Billy started violently. A small white Highland terrier, with Its four legs braced, was barking at them excitedly, bat not wholly with disapproval Almee felt stricken at though by a sudden paralysis. Behind the terrier stood Lady Erythea, erect and rigid. The glare In her eyes waa the glare of a destroying Gorgon. 1 1- 0- itle distance been "If yon knew what through," he said a little hoarsely. this past week trying not to let you CHAPTER XXII Not Guilty. The guilty pair arose to their feet Almee, from rosy red, had turned extremely pale. There was every excuse for It Lady Erythea's expression was enough to unnerve the stoutest heart. "And this," In a voice like the clash "In the face ing of a motor's gear-boof my express, warning ! You are dis charged." She took a step towards Almee. "And at for you " Billy Interposed his large figure be tween them. "Madam," he said, "If you have any comments to make, please make them to me. Or, better. still do not make them at alL" Hit voice waa quiet and respectful. But hit chin waa lifted remarkably high, and bit lips compressed dangerously. Lady Erythea struggled for breath. "Are you presuming," she aald. In a strangled vole, "to dictate to met" Mr. William Spencer bowed. "I hope my lady that It win not be necessary. What I do presume it to defend Miss Snooks against any This la ber reproaches whatever. afternoon off." Almee looked at them both espe cially at Lady Erythea. And for once the "tand," on which she had ao.often been complimented, deserted her. Almee turned suddenly and fled. The terrier, under the Impression that It waa all an extremely Interesting game got up for hit amusement pursued her out of tight round the bushes, giving tongue excitedly. Billy kept hit eyes fixed on the Intruder. "If you require an explanation, Lady Erythea," he said quietly, "I guest I can give you one very briefly. I have Just asked Miss Snooks to marry me." Lady Erythea waa mentally stag "You have asked her to gered. marry your she said, staring at Billy. "And the hat done me the great honor to content" Billy's grim expression relaxed Into a very charming smile. "I feel sure your ladyship will not throw any obstacles In the way of this humble romance," he aald gently. "We shall be very happy to have our em ployer's approval." His employer gased at him dumbly. The announcement came at a shock. And It was difficult even for Lady Erythea te resist Billy's smile. Aa well attempt to resist a sunbeam. She melted Imperceptibly. Her faculties were bemused. Billy, despite the smile, looked to extraordinarily dignified that Lady Erythea almost felt an Impulse to apologize to her chauffeur. She made an effort to recover ber austerity. "You have asked this girl to marry you after an acquaintance of four daysr she said acidly. "It that an American custom V Billy's smile Intensified. haven't much experience, tny lady." be aald, "but I think Iff a British custom, too sometimes. With two inch recent examples at hand, har ladyship felt unable to con tradict him. She looked at him stead ily, wondering why the felt no resent tnent There waa something to re markably disarming about Billy. "What yea tell.ne. Spencer," she said at last, "places a new aspect on the case. It la, I suppose. Within your discretion to engage yourself to a young woman If yon with to do to. The Bituatloa In which I found you led me to suspect mere irresponsible philandering a thing most stringently forbidden with In the precincts of Jervaulx. Admitting the seriousness of your Intentions," she continued with returning Indignation, 1 am still unable to consider your behavior dec orous," "I waa very careful to choose a place Just outside the park boundary, my Udy," said Billy gravely, "and I was obliged to make use of" the small amount of free Urns at nty disposal Lady Erythea drew a long breath. "I am making unprecedented allow auces for you. Spencer," she said, "since I cannot forget bow far I am Indebted to you for the recovery of my emeralds. If I was under a misapprehension as to your conduct just I will say so now, It was natural more. But I gather from this event that you will be leaving my service la sny case, so I will merely give you a week's notice If you are williac to stsy so long." "Yea, I guess I Dn quitting rather soon,'' said BCly, "but IT1 be very glad te serve your Isdshlp , la the meantime, and I hope TO give sat tsfactloa, But nay I take It that ft wua't put It tcruas thut wu wUt n ay anything to Amy . I have nothing more to say In the matter whatever." replied her lady ship abruptly. "But you must under stand that the conduct of both ef you will have to be rigidly circumspect and correct" Billy twinkled. "We shall be careful t give your ladyship ne grounds for complaint" he aald. Lady Erythea had a vague Impres sion that Billy was laughing at her. It was stranger still that she did not seem to feel any resentment "Yon may go I" she aald, with a ges ture of dismissal BlUy saluted and walked away. She watched his taU figure till It had receded some little distance, and then recalled him. "Spencer t" Billy returned. Lady Erythea In spected htm through her lorgnette. "Are you sure that this It a wise thing you are dolngT" the said slowly. You seem to me a somewhat superior young man. I think you could do much better for yourself Billy twinkled yet more brightly. "I should hate to disagree with your ladyship," he aald, "but I am quite sure I couldn't" Lady Erythea turned and walked away with a dazed air. Billy passed through the gate Into the lane, and made for the abbey at his best speed. He hoped that Almee might be waiting for him somewhere within call, but there was no sign of her. Thinking It likely she would be in the neighborhooa of the garage, he hurried In that direction. He was within sight from the park boundary, when Monsieur de Juasac, approach ing the fence from the abbey, saw him and called him by name. Billy was too far away to hear. The Vlcomte whistled, without result He saw BlUy disappear in the direction of the crag-pitDe Jussac hesitated. uncertain whether to follow. "Our amazing chauffeur appears to be In a hurry," murmured Bert rand. He took out a cigarette, and smoked It reflectively. Bert rand was looking a little puzzled and anxious. Finally he wandered slowly back towards the abbey. As be n eared the main entrance the quack of a motor bora waa heard. and an automobile drove up rapidly, It contained the stolid Inspector Panke from 8tanhoe. Beside him sat a slim and active-lookin- g man In a gray tweed overcoat De Jussac, raising his eyebrows. drew near unobtrusively. The man in tweeds got out and stepped briskly up to Mr. Tarbeaux, who waa standing on the steps. "You have a chauffeur here," said the man In tweeds quietly, "who calls himself William 8pencer " "Yea, sir," said Mr. Tarbeaux. Bertrand de Jussac moved away. with the air of one retreating from a situation with which he bad no concern. He lit a cigarette as he went, but once on the far side of the rhododendrons, Monsieur de Jussac began to move with uncommon swiftness. "Is he on the premises at the mo-mentr. said the visitor. do not know, sir," replied Mr. Tarbeaux with cold resene, eyeing the police car. "If you wish to see her ladyship do. Inform her at once, If you please, that the police are here." Mr. Tarbeaux went indoors, leaving the visitor on the step. It was some little time before Lady Erythea her self came to the entrance, grim and in hand. forbidding, Ark "I am Detective-Inspecto- r wrlght from Scotland Yard," said the visitor. "I wish to see your chauf feur, my lady William Spencer." said her lady' "For what purpose r 1 1 et r T uavw atwl wliir, In him. If that uiutf confidence 1 comim-- really is your Intention, It la my opinion you are about to make fools of your selves." . Inspector Arkwright looked both surprised and Irritated. "I am here with full authority, my lady," he said abruptly, "and my task Is to clear this matter up. Out of consideration for you, I have corns here quite openly, and what my In tentions are I mutt at the moment keep to myself." It Is Spencer's afternoon off, I be lieve," aald Lady Erythea. coldly. "I do not think he la on the premises?" The Inspector was plainly takes aback by his reception. His Hps tightened to a thin line. Just then a policeman on a bicycle came riding rap-Idl- y along the drive. It was Constable Poison. "Beg pardon, sir," he said, dis mounting and saluting the Inspector, "have you found the man you are looking for here?' 'Whyr aald Arkwright abruptly. Well sir, I know him by sight of course," said Poison In a lower voice "the chauffeur. I mean and as I came off the Stanhoe road awhile ago, I saw somebody like him crossing th forty-acr- e field and going towards the I thought I'd better hurry crag-pit- a on and tell you. I'm sure It was he." "Excellent I You ar a man that keeps his eyes open," exclaimed Inspector Arkwright "Come, Panke leave the car here. Poison, show us the way." The three of them departed to gether hurriedly In the direction of .,.... the park boundary. Lady Erythea stared after them with mingled anger and anxiety. She waited for tome time on the steps. pondering, and then went slowly In doors. Her eyes were troubled. The three police, crossing the park. left It by a wicket gate near th sweet-bria- r clump. After a abort consultation with Poison, Inspector Ark wright gave an order. Th three men spreading out In a wide seml-drc- l. stalked th crag-pit-s by way of the lower meadow. CHAPTER XXIII Jack th Climber. Mr. William Spencer, ' after arriving where stood th the fallow-fiel- d clump of bushes that hid th broken Indian motorcycle, mad a rapid sur vey of th situation. H resumed bis task of quartering the ground for tracka. This, being unfruitful, occupied but a little Urn. Ha gav it ud and went forward again, dipping down Into the crag-pit- s beyond. Billy had formed upon th factors already In hit possession a theory which appealed to him strongly. He hoped to prove It But the hope was very slender. "If Td only got wise to this two days ago," he said gloomily, "I might have done something. But there's no saying how old the tracks are. And there's so little time," He looked about him thoughtfully, covered The area of the crag-pit- a some twenty acres; a wide bottom of red sand studded here and there with tangled bushes. Th plac waa shut In by low red bluffs of corallne crag, with a few gaps In them through which winding paths sloped up to the higher ground. "The soli tells me nothing," said Billy to himself; "too loose and wind blown to hold a trail more than two days. But there's five maybe six caves, most of them too plain and easy anybody can see 'em. Still HI go over them. My own first I guess there's nobody could have found that' He wound his wsy through the bushes to th screen of brambles that masked the cave where Almee bad taken refuge on the night of the bur glary, and after scanning the ground near Its approaches, puahed the briars The aside and entered cautiously. cave was empty eav for that super' motorcycle, the Flying Sphinx, which stood waiting In patient dumbness at the far end, weeping slow tears of oil Into a little pool beneath th silencer. Billy laid a band upon his Arab Then bis face steed, snd sighed. brightened amazingly. "Year tlmell come .again and mighty toon I" he said with affection. He turned, and left the cava. It was holy ground t him now; for on night It had been Almee'a refuge. H passed farther along the pita, Inspecting a second and much more obvious cave on bis way. He was Just about to emerge from It when something caught Billy's eye, on the far aid of th pita. He shrank back quickly Into the cave's mouth and flattened himself against the wall watch In umtumi iMiteu toe Uu.uttk reached a point against the cliff ywi far Bllly;lde. tttee hundred w unoer a ther along, close oy xangie growth. There ah halted, and, looking round her quickly, dUappeared with extreme suddenness. "Great Christopher V said Billy. He rose to his knees, staring at the) Hi place where she had vanished. eyes were bright his face had lit up," "I was right" be aald la a hushed. tone, "But gel I never thought OS thla." He rose, as tf to follow, but on see ond thoughts subsided again ana Watted. He remained there full ttSV minutes, when the figure reappeared,, and hurried along the pit bottom m his direction. Billy wormed himself hurriedly un der the tangled briars at some cost te his skin. The woman passed him within seventy yards, walking rapidly. She was no longer carrying the bundle When she had passed, Billy peeped after ber. Though he could not se HI 13 IS fit riSw The Running Figure Was a Woman har face, h had not th slightest: doubt who she was. She disappeared1 round th bend of th pita. Billy extricated himself cautiously) from the bush and waited for soma time on his knees, staring In the d rectlon ah had taken. Thar was nothing more to be seen of her. Then, springing t his feet h sprinted t th spot where she had first vanished" with the bundle. The" hushes partially doeksd th mouth of on of th many crag caves r the entrance was not difficult to find when one was close to It BlUy walked In without hesitation. He found precisely whst he expected. On the floor of th cay, stretched upon a couch of dry bracken, lay a man. H was not a spectacle which ' In any way gladdened the eye. He waa big and lusty of limb what little could be seen of his face through a week's growth of brown stubble was haggard. His beak of a no Jutted between two fierce aye. Ona of bis legs wss extended, and swathed cal from foot to knee in dripping-wico bandages that looked as if they had been ripped from a woman's gar -- . deep-sun- k et ment BlUy found himself looking down the muzzle of a small repeating pistol, held In a hairy but very stead fiat "Stop right where yon are," aald the occupant of the cave, reclining oa ona elbow. "Don't move a step forward, nor yet a step back. Get mer Ha cal- Billy stopped obediently. culated the distance between them t be a dozen feet; there was no likelihood of capturing th pistol before th bullet struck him. The ayes of the man showed that he meant bust' nets. He was In fact, less Ilk a man than a crippled wolf. "Jack the Climber," said BlUy blandly, "I am pleased to meet yen, ' I've been looking for you quit while." "Dont gtv snarled th Jake." me that fool nam H "My nam la caveman. Mr. Jake, "Anything to oblige. there's th lltti matteJr of the vmulx burglary " against you, among others." "What are you glln' mar retorted Jake. "Th bluff doeant go," said BlUy. "Tour motorcycle's yonder tm the clay pit AU the cards are out Th man's face twitched. "Ar you th police Jr "No," said BlUy. r Jake stared at th tail form la front of htm, sad emitted a startled oath. blleve' you're th guy that , "I ing. The object which gave him pans slugged me, Isst Saturday night," h) was very small snd fully four hun- said. "Quite correct" dred yards distant But It showed "You're on your own, ehf Jakea the the snd to of eye against a frontiersman anything that cuts the bead craned forward, his eyes oa . and that moves ever so little. BlUys face. "And alone, I "Do you take me for a footr said Is at oncer apparent What BlUy saw was the upper part of a head, peering BlUy calmly. The man shivered. The expression over the edge of th little cliff on the sky-lin- e gur sky-lin- Lady Erythea Inspected Him. ship, examining htm Idly through h.r lorgnette. That will transpire as soon as have seen him," said Arkwright s little sharply. A face peered down cautiously window. It wsi from a second-floo- r the face of Almee, very white and scared. She drew back quickly behind, the window curtains, one hand clutching and kneading them tightly as she listened. ! "Does this mesa." said ber ladyship with distinct hostility, "that you pro pose te arrest my chauffeurt If not what do you mean? He la the map who restored the emeralds te vae the) fellce failed te achieve any . . t opposite side. A pair of soulders followed, the bead, and their owner was obviously watching the pit with a desire to dis cover, whether the coast was clear. There was a curious furtlveneat about the figure that presently appeared, and dropping down th cliff by a steep path reached the lower ground and creased It at a run,. Billy crept from the gloom of the rave's mouth and, crouching behind the briar bushes, peered through them eagerly. Tb running figure wss a small woman clad la woman dust-cloakhakl-colorecarrying a little red bundle. She ran with a stooping gait, beading 1st sin d u In his eyes waa dreadful. "See beret" he said sullenly. "You've got me set I cant move, Tm up sgalnst It I know they'll ptd me. Well, HI tak my dose, TO throw my hand "Wis of you,?. tar Let her gel" said Almee, "Let her gel1 breathlessly. (TO BX CONT1NVKD.) Honest .', Ol& you pick out a food rants ri"'-Ca- t levy." "Not even for nilf," truthful grocer. , |