Show the GIRL in it 1 ab it the h e MIRROR M ff I 1 R T K 8 0 ra I 1 by ELIZABETH JORDAN C by the century company berties br ser Ties 11 CHAPTER XIV continued 20 stand exactly where you are lc devons rons voice was very quiet but there was a quality in it which added to the ley icy chill of the night 1 I know youre not alone but if any of your pals shows himself ill shoot him dead it if you move or utter one word or cry out ill kill you do you understand der stand shaw did understand the look in bis bla protruding eyes proved that those eyes shifted wildly turning this way and that as if in search of the help which lurked among those spectral trees ne he himself stood as motionless as one of them and as he stood he moistened ills his thin lips with the tip of f a trembling tongue ilow said laurie im going to have the truth im going to have it all and im going to have hare it quick if you dont tell it ill kill you probably I 1 shall kill you anyway but first you will answer two questions what power have you got over miss mayol mayo and what are you trying to do 7 shaw hesitated again hla his protruding eyes turned wildly to the right and left as if in search of help still holding the revolver in his right hand bond laurie slowly reached out his left and seized the others throat in the grip of his powerful young fingers neep keep still he be warned as the other started to raise his hands you think the game up but it Is now talk and talk quick lie ile tightened hla his grip on the thick slippery throat im enjoying this he rasped if you were anything but the snake you are id give you a fighting denting chance but a creature that uses chloroform and hires three thugs to help him in his dirty jobs ile HP increased the pressure on the thick neck shaws face began to purple his eyes bulged horribly lie he choked and with the act gave up hold on he gurgled listen the pressure on his throat slightly relaxed with eyes closed he collapsed against the nearest tree trunk laurie followed him expecting some treacherous move more but all the fight seemed out of the serpent lie ile was clutching at his coat and collar as it not yet able to breathe ive had enough of this he finally gasped out ill tell you everything even as he spoke laurie observed observed that one of the clutching clawing hands had apparently got hold bold of what it was rag seeking a doris beelin feeling g her way through the blackness of the storm on the unfamiliar country road heard above the wind tile the sound of a sharp explosion which she thought meant a blown out tire she did not stop before her only a short distance away was the garage to which she was hastening A AI 4 stand exactly where you arel and where she sha was to wait for laurie to go on meant to take raise a chance but sho she had been ordered not to stop there was a certain exhilaration in obeying that order crouched crouche d over the wheel with head bent and guessing at the turns she could not see she pressed on through the storm CHAPTER XV burke makes a Pr promote ornise durke burke dozing over the fire in ills to so called office was aroused from bis big dreams ty by the appearance ot of a vision for fora a moment he blinked at it doubtfully then into bis big eyes came a dawning intelligence slightly blIght ly tinged with reproach burke was an unimaginative man who did not like to tie ne jarred out of hla his routine already that day sev eral eia unusual incidents had occurred and like popular tales they ended happily they had been almost 0 too o great a stimulus to thought now sere ere was another in the form of at a cirl young awl beautiful and apparently blown into lits hla presence on the flags of the wild storm that was fair tair lialL somewhat uncertainly mr burke arose and approached the vision which standing fit at the threshold of his sanctum thereupon addressed him in hurried but reassuring human tones ive had a blowout the lady briefly announced will you put on it a spare please and take a look at the other shoes this service she estimated would take half an hour of the proprietors time if lie he moved with the customary deliberation of his class and would of course make superfluous any explanation of her wait in the garage and of her nervousness it if he happened to be sufficiently observant to notice that it was really fortunate that the blowout had bad occurred surely within the halt half hour laurie would have rejoined her if he did note not she frankly conceded to herself she eho would go mad with suspense there was it limit to what she could endure and that limit had bad been reached thirty minutes more of patience and courage and s seeming calm covered the last draft she could make on a nervous system already greatly overtaxed burke drew ills his worn chair close to the red hot stove and was mildly pained by the ladys failure to avail herself of the comfort thus offered this it will be remembered was january 1917 three months before americas entry into the world war and women able to drive motors were comparatively rare any girl who could drive a car in a storm like this and through the drifts of country roads mr burke having reluctantly removed himself from the ladys presence was now beside her car and at this point in his reflections he uttered fin an exclamation and his jaw dropped its the lads earl can he be ejaculated slowly and for a moment stood staring at it it then still slowly he nodded it was the lads car which only a short time before he hi himself adelf had bad put in perfect order for a swift run to new york now this girl had it but t was easy to see why ile he had been wrong in his college prank theory here was something more serious and much more interesting here bere was a love affair As his big meditations continued he was cursorily glancing at the tires looking for the one that had bad sustained the blowout lie ile was not greatly surprised to find every tire perfect there had bad been plenty of mysteries in the lads conduct and this was merely another trifle to add to the list undoubtedly the lady had her reasons for insisting on a blowout and it if she had bad it was no affair of his also the price for changing that tire would be a dollar and mr burke was always willing to pick up a dollar whistling softly but sweetly lie rp P moved a rear shoe replaced it with one of the spares on the cars rack an and solemnly re tested the others the task as doris had expected took him almost halt half an hour when it was completed lie lounged back to the lady and assured her that the car was again ready for service the lady hesitated there was no nn sign of laurie and she dared not leave yet on what pretext could she linger with the manner of one who has unlimited time at her disposal she demanded her bill a written one find paid it then checking herself on a casual journey toward the big coat slie she showed a willingness to indulge in that exchange of friendly points of view for which burkes heart had longed the exchange was not brilliant but burke made the most of it no he told her they often have storms as bad as this one several years a ago had blocked traffic tor for two days but that was very unusual cn usual with a gallant effort at ease the lady took up the theme of the storm and ana embroidered it in ia pretty colors and with much delicate fancy when the pattern was getting somewhat conf confused she suddenly asked a leading question which shoe blew out burke stared at her ile he wished he knew what was expected of him did she want the truth or the khe ile he realized that momentarily slie she was becoming more excited lie ile had not missed her frequent glances through the window up the road ald lie knew that for the past five minutes she had been listening for something wholly unconnected with his words in real ity doris was wag in the grip ot of an almost unconquerable panic what had happened why laurie come burke decided to let her have the truth or part of the truth there no blowout he be stated defensively there ther e 1 what do you menn mean lie ile saw that she was wais first sur surprised pried then startled then as some borne sudden reflection came to her actually appalled 1 I mean that there no blowout no blowout then then what did I 1 hear she asked the questin ot of burke and as she asked it recoiled suddenly as aa 10 1 he be had struck hr her araps you yon got a backfire back fire he suggested reassuringly you come down the steep hill up there you doris pulled herself together shrugged her shoulders and resolutely smiled at him she sha knew the difference between the sound of a blowout and the backfiring of an irritated engine hut but some abysmal instinct made her suddenly cautious though with that hat same instinct her inner panic developed what had she heard beard 1 I put on a spare anyway burke was saying the rear right looked a little weak so I 1 changed it ite ire was wag tacitly explaining the bill he had submitted but doris did not hear him what had bad she heard beard insistently the question repeated itself to in her mind she turned dizzily and went back for the coat As she did so she heard beard burkes voice why hello hel lo I 1 even in that moment the she observed its modulation it had begun on a note of cheery surprise and ended on one of sharp concern turning bhe saw laurie ue he had nodded to burke and was obviously trying to speak naturally all ready lie he asked the remark was addressed to them both but he looked at neither there was an instant of utter silence during which they took him in burke with insistent goggling eyes doris with one quick glance soul searching and terror filled burke spoke first what you been doln to herself yer self he gasped the question was inevitable lau afe was hatless find and disheveled ills coat was torn and across one pallid cheek ran a deep cut freshly bleeding fell he sold said tersely he was breath breathing ingbard hard as ag if he had been running lie ire had not yet looked at doris but now he abruptly swung into the little office and emerged bringing her coat without a word he held it for her in equal silence she slipped into it lie ile retrieved the cap from the pile of discarded garments still lying on the office floor put it on and indicated the waiting car get in he be commanded she obeyed and he followed her taking his place at the wheel 1 youre hurt she almost whispered shall I 1 drive no burkel burke 1 the word wa wag like a pistol shot Y burke was stammering rn in ills his excitement he was hardly conscious that another bill had found its way into his hand but his hand had automatically reached for and closed on it keep your mouth shut Y dessir keep it shut till tomorrow morning you badent seen anything or anybody at all today understand Y dessir after tonight you can tulle talk about me 1110 rill all you like but youre to forget absolutely that you ever saw the lady Is that icar dear Y thank you goodby good by ile he started the cir car and swung it out into the As it t went burke saw the girl catch the brias arm and fin heard bom something ething that sounded partly like a cry and partly like a sob laurie 1 hush II H ush the car was tearing 1 I I 1 the storm and drifts at fifty nn in hour and tills this time it was headed down the road for new york burkes eyes followed it as fir far as lie he could fee ee it which was not far then lie he retreated to the office ot oll fice ice and dropping heavily into ills his desk chair stared unseeingly at a calendar on the wall it was a long moment before he remembered to open ills his hand and look at the bill lie he was holding As lie did so ills his eyes widened the bill was d a large one with a quick look around him he thrust it into his big pocket 1 I aint really seen lie he mut an I 1 aint sure mire of anyhow 0 is what ahna happened oh laurie what has boa happened for a time laurie did not answer then she felt rather than saw his face turn toward her in the tb darkness dorta Dort jL yea res will you do something tor for met mer yes yea laurie anything then dont speak till we arenen new yo york k when we get to your studio ill tell you everything I 1 will you do that but laude will you do it the voice was not laurales La urles it was tile the harsh grating crating voice of a man distraught yes of course silence settled bottled upon them like a substance a silence broken only by the roar oar of the storm and tile the crashing of mind swept branches of the trees that lined the road the cars powerful searchlights threw up in ghostly shapes the covered stumps and hedges they passed and the great masses of snow that beat against them subconsciously the girl knew that this flits boy beside her driving with the recklessness of a lost soul was wag merely guessing at a road no one could hare seen but in that half hour she had no thought tor for the hazards of the journey her panic had bad grown till it filled her foul once in a frantic impulse of need of human contact she laid her hand bond on the ar am i nearest her over the wheel the next instant she withdrew it with a shudder for all the response she had found she might have M the car was tearing through the storm and drifts at fifty miles an hour this time it was headed down the road for new york touched a dead man something of tile the look of a dead roan man too was in the boys face and eyes as he bent forward motionless as a statue ills his features like stone and his eyes as as polished agate staring fixedly at the road before them it was on a stretch of road through the woods that the obsession in her mind took its final and most hideous form close behind them and ringing in their ears cars she fancied she heard hard a cry in tile voice of shaw it was wag riot not shaws human voice she would not have known it in a human world it had passed through the great change but it was recognizable because she too bad passed through some great change recognizable too was the sound of shaws running feet although she had never heard them thiera 7 run and thoi though dh they nera were running so lightly on top of the snow lie was just behind them she thought if she turned she knew she would see him not as she had known him plump sleek living and loathsome bu but t stark rigid and ready for ills araie graie gra t yet able to pursue and the new unearthly light of ills bulging eyes seemed burning into into her back she groaned but the groan brought no response front from the tense figure beside her heri the only sounds were tile the howls colvis of the wind tile the frenzied protests of the tortured trees and the fancied hall of a dead man coming closer a and nd closer TO BE BBS CONTINUED |