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Show THg BINGHAM NEWS. BINGHAM, UTAH , The Joy of Living By Sidney Gozving Illustrations by Ellsworth Yozinz Copyright 1923 by Sidney Cowtnf the machine crashed." tnought Bill. "She loosad It at tue when I was rid. lng up. Lucky for me she hadn't tt Just now. Some girl - lie heaved himself to hit feet un steadily, made for a ditch wh?ra thero was a glitter ot water, and bathed tlu tender Bide of his head, The water revived him; suve for a cut under his hair, no serious damage wus done, though the blow might eusily have cracked a weaker skull. "I don't see that I shine much, ovsr this Job," said Billy despondently; "they sure handed it to me. Got right under my guurd. Never thought of a woman sharing In a hold-u- p j an' jet I guess It's been done before." 11j picked up the pistol, was about to pocket It, but altered hig mind and Hung it In the ditch. The other auto-matic waa nowhere to be seeu. Billy walked towards the Sphinx, the head-lum- p of which was now In darkness. Ills hand swung against a lurge from the slds of his coat . He halted and dragged out the leather case. Wily had forgotten its exist-ence. "Why, hcre'a something saved from the wreck 1" hi exclaimed. "They couldn't huv-- e seen me get It He dropped on one knee, opened the case, and switched the little electric torch over It. Billy gave a stifled gnsip. On a bed of cream silk velvet ivposed a neck-luc- e of amethysts, ending In a loop of nine superb ameralds that shona with changing green tires under the torch's glow. Billy was not an expert In gems, but he guessed that these were such as a prluce might be proud to ow n. "However, there It Is. And this Id! of blue cloth, sir." concluded Inspecto t'tinke, holding It up. "Is going to put Cnlmnlty Knte In my hands." He folded the torn fragment of cloth, put It In his pocket, nml moved hriskly to the door. "Goodnight, s'r! Before "cry long I'll snow you the rest of this skirt and Its owner I" CHAPTER X Action and Mors. Billy Spencer, fitting In his nrs'ere-l- y furnished bedroom, looked unusu-ally thoughtful. The night was still young, but bis candle was not lit. The whole house. Indeed, was In darkness. ' Almee bnd not the faintest suspl don that anybody at Ivy cottuge knew she hud made an unconventional exit !.v the window the night before. Billy however, was perfectly well uware o! the fact. Early that smiie morning, before Netting ofT for Svderford, he bad observed the footprints her window, which, to a keen eye, told pla'nly that Almee bad dropped from the trellis, and later on had re-gained her room by the same path. Clearly the partner bad made a mid-night excursion for a very delinlte oh-ect- ; people d. not roam the country-side In the small hours for nothing. The Incident of the carriage on the Stnnhoe road puzzled Billy; he hail mentioned the carriage casually to Mrs. Sunning saying nothing about the coll slon and learned that It could belong to none other than Lady Ery-the-of Jervuulx abbey. He was told a good deal about that establishment It wa easier to start Mrs. Sunning miking than to stop her. Obvlomly, Amy had something to fear from Jervuulx; something that bound her to secrecy, and led her to run risks. Jt annoyed Billy that she should have anything to feur what-ever. "Sometimes." said Billy to himself, as the lodge gales of Jervuulx came In sight, "a broncho filly wjth the spring blood In her will get doln' hints an' galtop'ng among the gopher 'inlcs. When they do that they're liable to fall an' break a cannon-bone- , t's the same with her. If she doesn't vent me, why she doesn't. But If she docs. I'm going to be right there." He dismounted rone little distance diort of the park entrance. The dark idle of the abbey was visible, a quar-ter of a mile across the grasslands. Billy paused nml reflected. The Journey could be nothing more than a scout ng expedition. He wished very much that be had been closer on Ai-mer's tracks. Just then be observed n light flash out in one of the abbey windows. I'nlnt. tlnflnnabulntnry sounds were borne to him upon the night breeze the clanging of a bell. lie watched the house with alert and thoughtful eyes. In a few mo-ments two dim figures became visible, moving swiftly. An Imaginative nilirht have thought them to be "ohl'ns. gamboling across the sward But they kept an uncommonly straight Pne. crossing the park and heading for n point n few hundred yards to Ttlllv's right. Two peoplerunning than a (1st with six feet of activity behind It Billy's left dashed the pis-tol hand aside, the bullet spat Into the air, and his right ittiue with a terrific upper-cu- t beneath the man's el: In, lifting him off his feet to full Inert. As he cume down, something skipped and rolled away from him along the gruss, In the ray of the Sphinx's headlight. With the swift .nstinct for loot Billy pounced upon t u sumptuous looking little cass of leather, with a clasp. Billy thrust It In his pocket and turned to the fallen man. who lay with closed eyes and his head moving faintly from side to side. "Mighty slow with a gun," said Billy, stooping over htm. "I'm going over you lor the rest of th.3 goods. Bud." A monn from the other malefactor, lying by the fullen cycle. Interrupted blm. So pathetic and treble a moan was It that Billy started and Jerked himself upright, staring. "Lordyl" he guspid, with remorse and concern. "It's a woman I" The discovery was disconcerting enough. But u thought shot through Ids bruin that nearly paralyzed Billy. What woman was It? He hurried to her side. She hnd already raised herself on one humi and se.mied trying feebly to 'get up. Billy stooped over her. "Much hurt?" he stammered. "Here" At that moment the fallen driver recovered and stirred. Billy turned his bend toward him, with a quick Instinct tin dunger lay closer at hand. The woman's hand was grasping n stone, and, as Billy turned, she brought her nnn round with a sweep swift us a striking snake. The chunk of rock crashed full on the side of Billy's bead. He fell as an ox fulls, and lay still. The woman staggered to her fet and ran to her prostrate companion. "He's got hla I" she panted. "You hurt, Jake?" She helped the man to rise. He stood dazedly for a moment; the spi-nal Jar from a knock-ou- t undjr the point of the chin Is terrific, but evan-escent. "Look lively an bent It!" gnsped the woman, hauling the motorcycle upright with surprising ease. "See If the bulglneil run we'll have the cops here next !" "Cot to settle with him!" said the man thickly, glancing at the prostrate Billy. "He's all In. I tell you. Get her going I" The man wrenched tha motorcycle round, nml fumbled nt the feed and controls with nervous ringers. While he did so the woman snatched up an-other stone, and, running to the Sphinx, hammered on the tnglne and the levers. She had dealt three or four lusty strokes when the other motorcycle came spitting and wob-bling past her. The woman ran to It and swung hers?lf up deftly behind. "Let her out. We'll clear yet!" The motorcycle, coughing and miss-ing fire badly, trundled back down the lane the way It bad come. Jack the "CLOSE CALL, PARTNER!" SYNOPSI3.-Dlllkl- ng the proa, pact of a month's visit to her austere aunt. Lady Erythea Lamb, at Jervaulx abbey, and her cousin, Alexander Lambe, Almee, vivacious daughter of the Very Reverend Viscount Scroops, wan-ders Into the park, there encoun-tering a strange youth. He laugh-ingly Introduces himself aa "billy," American. The two rids on his motorcycle, the "flying Sphinx," and part. With Georgina Burners, ber cousin, Almee aets out for Jer-vaulx. She decides that Georgina hall Impersonate her at Jervaulx, while aha goes on a holiday. Geo-rgia's hoi rilled prottst Is unavail-ing. Almee again meets "Billy." He tells her Ius name la Spencer, ard she gives hera aa Amy Snooks, at present "out of a job." Billy offers to lake her Into partnersnip In selling the Sphinx. In a aplrit of madcap adventure, ahe accepts. The two proceed to the town of Ptanhoe, taking aeparate lodgings In Ivy collage. That night Almee visits Georgina and learns that the deception has not been dls.overed. She compels Georgina to continue the subterfuge. On a trial spin, with Billy, Almee almost collides with a carriage In which are her aunt, Georgina and Alexander.' The pair escape unrecognized. ' Georgina learna that Lord Scroope la coming to visit Lady Erythoa and Is In hopeless bewilderment. While Almee Is secretly visiting Georgina at Jervauix. the place la burglarized. Almee escapes. CHAPTER VIII Continued. "But when I reuched the open there was no one to be seen." pursued the butler, whose throat ached .with the effort to make his mistress bear; "there was. however, a dim light, a mere glow. In one of the windows; I shouted, asking whose It wus " "Which window?" usked Mr. Lnmbe sharply. "I am unable to sny for certain either her ladyship's or Miss Scroope's, Which Is next to It. I'erhups, If we Went out" Lady Erythen Immediately led the way through the front entrance. "There Is a light full on In one or the rooms now!" said Alexander. "It Is Ainiee's room," said Lndy Erythea. I.Ike n thundercloud she swept upstairs and beat upon the door of her niece, "Almee! Open the door. Why Is your light on?" "I I'm so frightened, aunt !" cried a trembling voice. "I dure not be In the dark I dare not." "I cannot hear you!" said Lady Ery-thea. "Have they the thieves?" screamed the voice tragically. "Caught them?" snorted Lady Ery-thea, shaking the doorhandle. "Is It spector almost Joyousl,, as one who seems his theories confirmed. "Ser-geant, get after them at once In the car take Poison with you. As we didn't meet thm they must have taken the branch inne at the cross-roads away with you. man quick !" "I shall consider no reward too great. If my emeralds ore recovered!" exclaimed Lady Erythen. ns the car drove away. "Do you think your men will be successful. Inspector? My but-ler allowed the mnlefactor to slip through his fingers In the most fatu-ous manner. Can yon " "One moment!" Interrupted the In-spector. "The thieves Were seen then, by your ladyship's servants! Wus one of them a woman?" He hnd to bawl the question Into Lndy Erythea's which Alexander brought. When she under-stood. Lady Erythea's eyes flashed fiercely. "Yes!" she exclaimed, "a young woman. You suspected x womun then before you came here?" "I do more than suspect, my lady," said Inspector Banke grimly. "I know!" "Who wns this womnn, Inspector, and when do you propose to appre-hend her? We have a piece of the creature's skirt!" "Hah! let me see It nt once!" said the Inspector, his eyes lighting up. It was brought to blm and its capture ex-plained. Inspector I'anke examined the yard of cloth, tried Its strength, rubbed It, held It up to the light, peered keenly at the torn edges. "Good !" he said under hi brenth. nnd turned upon Mr. Lambe so sliarn-l.- v that that gentleman Jumped. "Your telephone, sir where Is It?" "Who Is the abominable creature?" exclaimed Lady Erythea. "And why Is she at large, a scourge upon the country, breaking Into" "She won't scourge It much longer." mid the Inspector grimly. "I'll very soon give your ladyship news of her I want the telephone, quick !" "This way," said Mr. Lnmbe, nnd led him to the call-roo- Inspector I'anke remained at the Instrument a considerable time. He emerged tri-umphant.., "If they get away now well, may I never handle another ense," be said quietly to Mr. Lambe. "I can't an-swer questions ut present, sir; I've got to get busy. If I might suggest that you Induce her ladyship to retire, and come round with me yourself It hampered me n bit. that ear-trum- - "This Is tin darnedest game l ever wns up ugalnst," he said dazedly, re-turning the case carefully to hi pocket. He made a rapid examination of the Sphinx, and at once became aware of Calamity Kate's liumliwork. la spite of the best Intantlnns, however, that enterprising ludy bud overesti-mated the vulnerability both of Billy's skull and his motorcycle. She bud done some damage, but had missed the more vital parts of tin Sphinx. After ten minutes' work Billy's ca-pable hands restored the machine to fair running order, and be rode away down the lane. Both lumps were out of action. Any furthr pursuit of the thieves he put aside n.f a useless proposition. He hud a vague bleu that they had gone hours ago; In fact, however, he hud not been unconscious more than a few minutes. v, "There's only onj thing to do," said Billy, "an that's" A disconcerting thought flushed through his mind. The bumping of the Jewel-cus- e against his side sug-gested It. "Gee!" he murmured. "I'm Little Boy Blue, all right. But If I wus to run against the cops iio.v, it'd taki n heap of explanation before they slugged me. My story'd look pretty thin. Jewel-cas- e motorbike It only wants one Item to complete the out- - .' nt i" He turned on to the high ronrt. rap-- Idly resolving on a plan of action ns be rode. It was a good plan, but a few moments later It wns hopelessly upset again. He was, as It happened, nearer to Stnnhoe thnn to Jervaulx abbey, nnd as he turn id In the direc-tion of the latter Billy became aware of someone running toward him nloag the rood n dark figure, with a pe-culiar moving gleam of whiteness about It. He stopped the Sphinx nnd thrust out hla feet to steady himself. , The dark figure checked In Its stride, hesltnted. and teemed about, to bolt hack again. Turtner!" cried Billy In amaze-ment. "U that you?" The r?ply was a wild gasp. Almee, ' , breathless, muddy, with an nppre-- !llllllf!lllll1i?k!li1f-'!!- l IffPlI r,TuSvV y iri f ' jL.t,' There Were Five Little Shoe Prints Visible. Me stit on the window sill and stareil out Into the nl'dit. At last ?.e wan ilereil back to the bedside, his hands thrust In bis pockets. "The partner." he said pensively. "Ins got soiiietb'ng on her mind. A fellow doesn't need any to see that." Ills llns curled down at the corners "I'd give n lot to know what It Is I hate to seem Inquisitive But I'd brte a lot worse to have nnyllilng bap pen to the partner. An' I can sure smell trouble coming. She doesn'i fear man or devil. But that Isn't go'n' to help a g'rl. There's times when ;'h more useful to call up a hi's'-- w!ih hg fe f like me. "She'd sure be mad If sl'e tliou'.'bt I was Interfering. And she can eel mini the pnrtner. Gee! but she' great! The d'nkicst thing that pvei happened. But I don't like the way things are framing." He teod for a while, ns If I'sten In": then Klirhcd aut lay down on the toil fully dressed In twenty second-- ' ?ie v ii asleep, breathing regularly anil euily. Il was a doglike sleep, of which some men hold the faculty, an I ver ilo'.ilke was the manner In wh'ch Billy roused lilniM'lf some hours later. In a moiicnt he was hrond awake, nnd swlnlnu' bis les off llie bed. sal I s lining with cocked ears. Hf moved swifiy to the window and peered out. Tl ere "a nothing to lie seen BiPy remained where be was for some oc oiiiIn. nil bis sen-e- alert. Then, with a gesture of 'decision he snntclel tit b's c p. heaved himself out of the window, and climbed down the trel'ls lie came s'bntly under Almee' bedroom wlm'oiv. glanced up at the o en casement, took a Utile nlc'.ei torch from his vest pocket, and I em iliivn. Shmllng the irlow Willi bis I ami. be rxini Ired the snft oil be-neath lie window, 'i here were five an a' le neat Utile shoe-pib-t- s visible: the first a r deep ami pi lni In.' Inwards to the wall, the otheis lead'n', outwards. Billy at fine ran no'sele-sl- y round to the garden gate and peeled up nnd do. n the lane. No olle visible, lie returned quickly, got a ra';e irom U,c sheil. and carefully ra';ed over the footprints; also those beneath bis own window. Then be nuiile for the gite and, after n moment's thought, tin loci cd the shed whete the li .in.: Sphinx reposed. lie wheeled the cycle out freeing the ingine, and soflly down the path with It. Not HI be was clear of the lane nii'l well out on the hl-- li road did B H.v Mart llie Sphinx, nnd then only at a very gentle puce. At an easy seven miles nn hour he ambled along the road, heading for Jervaulx abbey. It would have surprised Alme" Scroope considerably had she gues ed for one ii oment how far Billy was abreast of a if a Irs. The carefree. In-souciant Billy, who seemed to live fol noil. lug but the Spnhix, was in'initch more wideawake than people gave blm credit for. The cool blue eves misled very Title; the hra'n behind them wns able to Cvfjnect fen to-- getl er shrew i'Iy, swiftly. Billy followed them with his eyes. The foremost was long-limbe- scud ding along with giant strides. The other, close behind, moved no Icrs swiftly, but It wns a figure of ngue outlines, apparently wearing n clonk or dust-coa- t. They vanished from s'ght against the park fence where the lane turn-'d- "If that n'n't n hold-up,- " snl.t Billy, starting away from the fence, "there never w n one yet !" He beard the cough and splutter of n sinning motorcycle under tall trees far up the lane. Kor one moment be I'steiied. tlun r.inde n dash for the Sphinx. "A said Billy. "My Job!" lie threw Ids lee over the S;iblnx end whirred off round the comer. He I'fled h's cb'n and gave n Joyous laugh, like the buy of a hound. The lift of tie hunter was In his blood. Th rider abend, already nw nre that he v as be'ni chased, let out his ma-c- l Ine at breakneck speed. The rnv from BIMy's lamp showed blm a man enriching low between the handle-bars, bis arms sprend ll-- e th wings of n bat. fin th pillion behind crouched a small tuunied figure. "Give up!" slmnted Billy, ns he overtook them. "You can't make It. I've got you " A bind stretched out from the fig-ure on I be pPI'011, and emitted a bark-ln- g Hash of tire, it dux.lcd Bily for th? moment. Something zipped iipui'h b's hair; au'omatlenlly bis left band tightened ml the valve-lifte- r and the Sphinx slowed, allowing the other cycle to shoot ahead. Billy made n lurid remark, nnd nt eitee Increased speed again to clos? with the fugitives. Itlght ahead the I ine forked on to the main road, and thither tie driver of the other cycle wits obviously heeding. But th light of a car were In sight, approaching rapidly on the road. The rider of the eyile lad evidently no ambition to meet It: at the last moment be swerved left and continued along tb narrow lime. Billy laughed aloud. 'The iiu.v's cornered himself!" he thought, "He's taken the blind ulley Me for blm!" The lane was very rutty and un?ven The cycle ahead bad van'sbed round a bend; Billy, shutting off b's engine swung round It Immediately after-ward. As he did so be beard a crash The driver of the otlur cycle, readi-ng too lute Ihnt he wns In a cul-d- e sac, hud swerved braked violently nnd came thoroughly . grief. Billv sprang from the Sphinx. let-ting her fall on her side with the headlghl still glowing. Tlu other cj cle lay prostrate; a small leap w as hui'dled lics'de it on the grass. Tie taller man, the driver, was ,u' s!n;'g"l lng ti bis fi ct when Billy mr at Mm. The cyclist whipped out a len.'atitlg pistol, A ';'in. at night, nnd In the bands I of a aligkct) man, much less certain pet. and we've got to he quick you cun explain to ber afterward." Alexander was successful In per-suading his aunt to retire from the field, though she went breathing threats of vengeance, and mourn ng aloud for the emeralds. Inspector I'anke made a rapid examination of the safe, the wall beneath Lady Ery tbea's window, and the ground out-side, lie to tk a full description o the missing Jewels, and briskly ques-tioned the servants. "I've only time to say th's, sir. be-fore I go," be Mild, turn ng to Mr. Lanibe. "1 roeo-'iii- .e the work ol Jack the Cllml er In this case, as plain ly as If they'd left the name written on the wall! It was him ami ('alum ity Kate. I thought for a niouicn; Ii might be Bender Williams, who was released from Portland last mouth. But It's undoubtedly .lack's job. I'o some months past a series of ilarin: burglaries have occurred at eminiry bouses In various parts of England, and. so far, I'm hound to ay they've beaten us; no arrest has been made. The methods of the tb'eves are so similar In each case, that It Is e'er'r to an expert all these Jobs were done by the same person or, rather, two persons, a man nnd a woman. The man, besides being ns smart a hand at cracking a safe as ever lived, seems In have the training of a steeplejack as well, lie can climb anything that a fly could pi a f.m;ho:d on; in fact, lie's known as the Climber. "The1 woman, if anything. Is more dangerous tlu n the man. All that's known of them Is that they're prob ably forclgiiois some say American ii nd Hint they use a motorcycle v ben they're on the Job. "Briefly, what happened here Is this; The man got in through Lady Erythea's window. There's the marks of blm on Hie wall, lie might have got III still easier by the next one. where the veranda Is. But be went in through ber ladyship's bedroom." Mr. I.ainbe's eyes met those of the Inspector; the same thought passed between then; whatever might be said of .lack the Climber's moral char-acter, he was a brave man. "And so to her anteroom, and opened the safe without waking her of course, she's pretty deaf. The burgla-r- alarm didn't go till he'd done It; and for Hint mutter all these precau-tions of her ladyship's are simply bunco; the bouse Is uu easy job lot a cracksman. Jack got away by the same mad he came, and the only thing that puzzles me Is why Kate had to bolt far It downstairs. It Isn't usual for her to he In the house at all we believe her Job Is helping her partner up and vvutcb-l.erpln- outside. clable breadth of white cambric show-ing at the base of ber skirt, rushed up to blm nnd seized bis arm. "Billy! Oh, I'm so glad I'm so glad !" she panted, "Billy, I I'm In an awful mess! The absolute 1111111!" "Howl Why?" "I wns In a house and It wns burg! 3d" gulped Almee, struggling for breath "they thought It wns mi -- anil I scooted they're chasing me." It was not n vividly lucid explana-tion. But Billy's Intelligence depart-ment col tiected with It a once; It supplied the missing factors, tveforj lie could answer, a ;air of lights (lashed Into view far down the road, approaching at speed, "Car!" exclaimed Almee. nnd with a note of panic "Billy, suppose It's police? If so. they'll be looking for me!" She made a dash lor the pil-lion of the Sphinx. "Get me out of this. Billy start her quick!" "Not on your life!" said Billy swift-ly. "Tint's the last thing on earth for you now. Come with me." He ran bark fifty yards along the road to a field gate. In 0 few mo-ments he had It open, thrust Hie Sphinx through, let h?r fall behind the hedge, am' dragged Almee with him Into the ditch. They had hardly gained that cover when the car swept by with n roar, showing a glimpse of police helmets scudd ng past the low rampart of thorn The majesty of law and order, sweeping Inexorably through the night. A rattle, a boot, and It was gone. In the ditch there wns painful si-lence. Billy mechanically felt bis bulging pocket, glanced for n moment nt the Sphinx, and then star! blankly nt Almee. "The Idea Is," continued Aimee, "that I've lost m char-actef,- " (TO HE CONTINUED.! "There Was No One to Be Seen," Pur-sued the Dutler. likely s mob of mental deliiieiilS could catch anybody? No!" "Thank heaven !" said Georgina with an explosive gasp. Lndy Erythea started, "Er! What are you talking about! YVM you open the door or not !" "I'm frightened, aunt! I I !" Georglna's voice rose to a shrill whoop. CHAPTER IX "Marvelous!" Lndy Erythea recoiled. There were, after all. enough hysteric- - In the house already. Evidently nothing was to be learned from ber niece. "Go back to your bed and don't be Silly. There Is no danger," snapped Lndy Erythea. The sharp whirr of a motor on the drive below drew her attention, and she hastened down-stairs. The enr drew up nt the entrance with a Jerk and ejected three police-men; n constable, a sergeant nnd In-spector I'anke of Sfanhoe. a man of enormous energy for bis bulk, with thick black eyebrows and a singularly bitter expression. lie ran up the Steps, but before be could open bis mouth Lndy Erythen forestal'ed him. "You are wasting your time here! Co at once In chase of n motorcycle that got t'wnv ten minutes ago by the Btnnhoe rond I" "A motorcycle!" exclaimed the In- - He Fell rs an Ox Falls. Climber leaned to the biindl Calamity Kale, ber arms tight round him. settled herself on the pi lion Together they whirred away Into the darkmss. CHAPTER XI Confession. It wns very dark and v;ry quiet nt the lane's end when Billy nt last stirred, and, after nn interval of slowly returning consciousness, man-aged to raise himself dizzily to a slt-- t ng position. lie pres.-e- d bis hands to the side of his head and remained for awhile motionless, conscious of a damp warmth under bis left palm. Ills eyes dwelt on n white, chalky stone, ns big as a doubled fist, that lay on the grass beside blm. Events began to reconnect tbemselvjs It) a bruin that still Imr.zod faintly. "A granite skuil," murmured Billy, not without a touch of pride, "Isn't altogether a disadvantage In an argu-ment." He looked about him thoughtfully. Not far away something gleamed In a rut a small ropatlng pistol. His late opponents bad evidently left In too much of 11 hurry to take nn In ventory of their effects, "She muiKt huvo dropped that when |