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Show : THE BINGHAM NEWS 3 The Joy of Liying By SIDNEY GOWING Illustrations by ELLSWORTH YOUNG iMin!iwM She glanced round tlie wulls of the cave. 'They'll find me here Just the same." "They nmy not." Almee, very pnte, looked nt the furtive.' "Don't you think," she said, "that If you got clear this time, you might drop it all? Try something different ?" "I might." said Kate slowly. "But they'll get me." She caught sight ot the Flying Sphinx, standing In the dim light at the cave's end. "What's thatr she exclaimed, and moved swiftly to the machine, Almee watched her. perplexity, "But one does not hunt a woman." "She'll never get started on that ground," snld Almee. - The engine fired, stopped, fired again the wheels threw tip spirts of sand, then getting onto harder ground ' the machine run swiftly ahead with . the faint pulsing whirr that was the Sphinx's song of triumphant progress. She shot forward much too fast, and was only Just controlled In time. No other cycle than the Sphlnr could have made good over snch ground; no other could have Bulled so efllclently and noiselessly up the steep path through the gait towards gleam of hope and confidence re-turned. Billy had a wonderful knack of getting away with things. She saw the purty disappear Into the cave nearest them; she witnessed the emergence of Billy, und was aware of a certain relief of tension when the police returned and spoke with him. Finally, wondering as she watched, Almee observed the arrival of the gate saw the prostrate body of Jake carried Into the open. The distance was considerable. But the significance of that pathetic figure on the gate came home to ber. Almee was not slow of comprehension. She CHAPTER XXIII Continued. began to realize the meaning of It all. -1- 1- "But," Bald Jake with devilish fe-rocity, Tve got you, too." He raised one knee, and rested bis piste I hand on It. "If I give up to you, there's somethln' Tm goln' to have you do first YouH take my terms an do what I ask or 111 drop you, right there and now." There was not the faintest doubt but that he meant what he said. A glance Into his eyes told the listener that "Nothing doing," said Billy quietly. 1 don't take orders from a malefac-tor. Least of all at the point of a gun." "Then," said Jake thickly, "you're cold meat I guess It's the best way. It gives me a chance yet." They don't electrocute In this country," said Billy, "they hang. But they do it very efficiently. You can shoot me In the back though, If you want to. I'm going to see about your exit" dumbly. Arkwrlght was not a man ot ungenerous Instincts. "I call that a very remarkable piece of work for an amateur," be said ungrudgingly. "I suppose I've set your mind at rest that I'd nothing to do with the burglary myself? You're not aching to haul me off to the station house any more? Or are you?" Inspector Arkwrlght regarded Billy thoughtfully. "No," he replied quietly, "but there are one or two points that have to be cleared up yet" Billy took some papers from a pock-etboo- k and handed them to Ark-wrlght "If you want Information as to my identity," he said, "you might look through those." The Insector did so. His usually Immobile face gave a twitch of sur-prise. "Thank you. I'll keep these for the present," he said, with a change of manner, "I will have a word with von nt the ahhev. Mr. Sneneer. when "known to the popular press as Jack the Climber; but I gather he prefers to be called Jake I think we ought to humor him so far. His motor-cycle Is In the clay pit up the slope. Ills leg Is rather badly hurt." "See If he's shamming," said Ark-wrlght briefly to Panke, "Do I look as If I was shamming, you gazabool" growled Jake. He certainly did not Inspector Arkwrlght put a question to htm, which Jake did not answer; nor did he look at the Inspector his eyes were fixed on Billy. Not a word of reply would the captive vouchsafe to1 any of Arkwrlght's queries. Billy took the VIcomte by the arm, led him outside, and drew a long breath. "Got a cigarette?" he said anx-lousl- "I gave my list one to Jake." Bertrand produced his case. "But what a triumph 1" he said with a dazed air. "It's not the sort I enjoy," replied Billy, "but I had to see It through." The two Inspectors emerged. "Panke," said Arkwrlght "there's a "You couldn't ride It," said Almee, "not even If the way was clear." "I can ride anything with an engine t Itt" said kate desperately. There was a gleam of hope In the hunted eyes; already her hands were busy with the levers ; searching, examining. But she stopped, baffled. The controls of the Sphinx were too much for her. The next moment Almee was beside her. "That's the throttle t" said Almee swiftly. "Here's the starter this changes the gear you have to be careful with the Intake. On the sec-ond speed she goes over the roughest ground like a bird n the level road shell do eighty. If you could get her out clear of the bushes but you'd never get away with It" The woman turned to her, gasping. "Will you let me try r she It was then that a shock of revul-sion came over Almee. This was the female rattlesnake who had nearly killed Billy, and caused all the trouble. The police had what they wanted. The captive could be no other than Jack the Climber himself. Billy had "got away with It" with a vengeance. Almee was staring dumbly at the group, when she heard a faint animal-lik- e noise close beside her. She turned sharply, to find that she was not alone. A woman, In a etained and lagged dust-cloa- was crouching behind the screen of brambles a few yards away. She was young, and not save for the deathly pallor of her face and the disorder of her hair. Indeed, there was a wild gtpsylsh beauty about her, that survived even the hunted expression In her eyes. She was staring through the bushes at the distant group. "They got him I" she said in a strangled whisper. She huddled her-self together trembling. "An' they'll get me, too. Let 'era. No good my runnln' for It "I dunno who you are I" she mut-tered. "What you doln' here? Are Why should Almee feel pity? The broken man In the hands of the po-lice A rustle among the bushes at the cave's mouth made the two women turn quickly. De Jussac, stepping In-side, halted and stared blankly at them both. "Ten thousand devils 1" exclaimed Bertrand, momentarily startled out of politeness. "You needn't be frightened for me," said Almee quickly. "She'll do me no harm." Bertrand's active brain took In the situation briefly. "No harml" he said. "Name of a name I If the police found you here you goln' to gimme awayr Almee did not move. Her heart beat fast But there was no menace in the woman's eyes; only an expres-sion so broken and piteous that some-how a lump came Into Almee's throat. She had not the faintest doubt who this hunted woman was. "You Know who I am," the woman said thickly; "I can see It In your face." She came a step nearer. "Art you goln' to call out?" Almee did not answer that question. "Is he much hurt?" she said quietly, looking towards the distant group round the man on the gate. "Hurt?" said Calamity Kate. "He smashed himself days ago, It was." this business Is off my hands." "I'll be there," said Billy, with an Inward twinge of anxiety. Panke and the constable arrived, carrying a gate between them, which was taken into the cave. The pros-trate Jake was lifted onto It and borne out Into the open. "Walt I Set him down," said Ark-wrlght suddenly. "He's safe, any-how. We've got to get the other one." He turned to Billy. "You've seen nothing of her the woman?" Billy gave him a stare of undis-guised amazement "The woman?" he exclaimed. Jake threw away the stub of bis cigarette. He turned deliberately and walked to the mouth of the cave. Jake's ringer trembled on the trigger. "Come back!" he said hoarsely. There was something so broken and piteous In the tone, that Billy turned hla head. Jake flung the pistol 'toward him; It fell on the sand at Billy's feet and he picked It up. "I can't get you with a gun," gasped Jake, "but listen to what I got ito say, If you're a maul For God's take, listen 1" And Billy listened. ! Some minutes later Billy stepped cut of the cave Into the sunlight He was looking unusually grave, his lips were tight set; his eyes were posi-tively harried. . He walked a few steps, muttering to himself. lie started as a voice called him excited-ly by name, and he was aware of Monsieur de Jussac running toward tklm. "Spencer I" he cried. "I have been looking for you everywhere. Where the devil have you been? The police have Inquired for you at the abbey, and I think they are not far behind. I thought It well to come and warn you." "The police r Bertrand turned round sharply, ne permitted himself a military expres-sion that would not pass the censor. "And here they are!" he said, with gesture of despair. The helmet of Constable Poison ap-peared on the brink of the Opposite cliff, about the Bame time as Panke's peaked cap obtruded Itself over the one behind them, and the felt hat of Inspector Arkwrlght hove in sight among the bramble bushes below. In a very short time all three men were In the pit, closing strategically upon Billy and Bertrand. "I don't think," murmured Billy, that I ever knew policemen arrive He Littered a Hoarse Cry. the higher ground at the far end. It was a wonderful exhibition of riding. As the fugitive sped by, Billy, stand-ing on guard beside the captive Jake, turned and stared in petrified amaze-ment ...... Jake raised himself to a sitting po-sition on the gate, and stared, too. He uttered a hoarse cry almost a cheer. - The Sphinx and Its rider breasted the crest of the rise, staggered, and sailed away out of view. CHAPTER XXV Two of a Kind. Almee gave a little gurgle of excite-ment as the Sphinx vanished. "She's away I. And I don't believe they've seen her I If she can stick to It over the field to the gate, there's open road before her and she's clear I" Almee turned to de Jussac with shining eyes. He shrugged his shoul-ders faintly. ; "A supremely foolish act, mademoi-selle," said Bertrand. "She was In trouble Just as Tve been. Everybody's shielded me at their own risk," said Almee defiantly. "How could I do less for her?" "Alas, the morals of the age I" said Bertrand, and he laughed gently. "A sermon would not become me I also' am a coadjutor.' I will observe the movements of the enemy." He climbed quickly Onto the shoul-der of high ground that divided them from the end of the pit, and returned In a few moments. "Obviously our Industrious police did not see her," he said; "they are ' ana Mstti I r rr rriA last A 9 (ha latraii V gate in the field-fenc- e Just up there, I think. Will you and Poison lift It "Ses If He's Shamming," Said Ark-wrlght off Its hinges and bring It here? We must get the man out ; he can't walk." He turned abruptly to Billy. "And now will you explain, Mr. Spencer?" "Sure," said Billy. "I believe you know It was I who came across the thieves on the night of the holdup, and got knocked out It seems to have been taken for granted the pair of them made a get-awa- y on their ma-chine, and likely were half across England by morning. I wasn't so sure. The case was Important for me, too, with that!" Almee turned very white. That as-pect of the case had not even occurred to her. In the stress of new emotions, the realization of danger to herself had been crowded out If she had to explain to the police . . . "Yes." said Almee quietly. "If they come here I'm done for." The strident voice of Inspector Ark-wrlght was heard, very close at band. Monsieur de Jussac pushed his way out through the brambles and re-gained the open air. The three police-men together were converging towards the spot "Another cave there I" cried Inspec-tor Arkwrlght "I thought so. This way, Panke I" De Jussac halted before the en-trance, and, selecting a cigarette from his case, lit It deliberately. "You may save yourself the trouble, Inspector," he said amiably. "There Is nothing here." Arkwrlght hesitated. "Are you certain ?" he said, coming forward again. "I have proved It," said Bertrand, "at much expense to my skin. Curse these briars!" "All right." said Arkwrlght, turning She bad subsided on the sand, and embraced her knees with her arms, staring before her with unseeing eyes. "I got him down here. Tried to help him along couldn't walk. Then I had to carry him." "You I" said Almee, looking wonder-lngl- y at the girl's slight figure. "Yes, me. It took me hours. Car-ried him on me back somehow. When it came daylight, I found the cave. Oot him In, I ripped up me skirt to bandage him. I stole food for him, nights. In two or three days more I guess he'd have been able to get away. Now they've got him, an' they'll have me." She rocked herself gently to and fro. "It'll be h 1 for Jake!" she said thickly. "To know they've got me I" She looked at Almee. "If I could go with him If they'd put us both In the same Jug I wouldn't care. But they don't do that" She gave a great sob. "I'd give me life to get him out of It But he's done, and he'll know they've got me. It'll be h 1 for blm My manl" An unreasoning flood of tears came Into Almee's eyes. She looked once -- Yes Calamity Kate I" said Ark-wrlght Impatiently. 'Good Lord, man, can't you see she must be somewhere here, too? She's been bringing him food ond water, and tending his leg-h- ow else could he have lived there six days when he can't move?" "Great Christopher I" said Billy. "I suppose you're right" "The prisoner refuses any Informa-tion. But I'll have the pair of them," said Arkwrlght grimly. "I" "I suggest" broke In Panke, who was chafing at being thrust Into a sub-ordinate part, "that we get this man away as soon as possible, and that two of us wait In the cave. The woman probably visits It only at night, and the next time she comes with sup-pile- s, we shall get her." "The weak point about that" re-plied Arkwrlght patronizingly, "Is that It's not certain she only comes at night; this Is a lonely place, and It won't surprise me if she Is close by. She may have observed us already. We'll search these pits thoroughly first There are half a dozen of these caves, and we'll go through them all. Mr. Spencer, I'll trouble you to remain by the prisoner. Panke, you and the constable try that cave opposite, and away; "push on and search the other end, Panke. No use wasting time here. I think we're on a foql's errand after all." The three police passed out of sight round the bend of the pita. There was a long pause. Almee's face peered cautiously through the branmbles. "What a fearfrJ liar you are, VI-comte!" she said with mingled re-morse and admiration. Bertrand, without turnlna bowed gravely. "I do my best," he murmured, "in defense of a lady with such a genius for getting into difficulties. But let me beg of you to remain where you are." "Are the police out of sight r said Almee eagerly. "For the present, yes. They are away round the corner all three. But they may come back." A moment's silence followed the warning. Then the brambles parted, and the Flying Sphinx came thrusting through. Kate was beside It, her hnnds gripping the bars, her face white and strained, her teeth tight set. She gave a swift glance to either side, and began to run the machine down the slope. De Jussac, with an amazed excla- - uvw Dim vtiiuBj taw aunt, w. w vstcsi "Then It's time I got back Into mine," said Almee turning to dive back Into her retreat "Not so I" exclaimed Bertrand quick-ly, catching her by the hand. "That is no place for you." "Why?" "The gentleman from Scotland Yard will search It before he leaves he took my word for the moment but he will make sure. It was merely that he was In a hurry. You must get out of this while you can; like your friend the lady burglar. Come along!" said Ber-trand, setting off at a run and pulling her with him. "You're right I" ejaculated Almee. With long strides they sped round the clump of bushes, Almee In tow of Ber-trand, and, turning sharp to the right scurried up one of the steep pulhs that led out of the pits. Billy suffered yet one more shock as the pair of them came Into his field of vision. He gaped at them, hardly able to believe his eyes. In a few moments they had passed; Almeo renched the top of the pit, and Bertrand glanced ap-prehensively back In the direction of the police. "All clear 1" he gasped, utterly out of breath. "Get to the road get out of sight Back to the abbey, dear lady, go so what's the word?" "A propos," Bald the VIcomte grimly, twisting his mustache, "Thanks. That's If Is there anything I can do?" "Thanks again, but I think not Well see how they play the hand." "That's him the young one I" ex-claimed Fanke, as the three ap-proached. Inspector Arkwrlght walked vp to Billy, and addressed htm by name. "William Spencer?" "That same bird," replied Billy pleasantly. "And an admirable chauffeur," mur-mured de Jussac. "He drives like the Angel of Death." Arkwrlght's cold gray eye swlveled upon thw speaker. "Who are you, and what are you doing here?" "The VIcomte do Jussac, at your service. A guest at the abbey. Know-ing Spencer was here, I cume to In-form him he was wanted." "Oh. All right, sir. He's certainly wanted." The Inspector turned to Billy. "Come along, my lad. We are overdue at Stanhoe police station." "Does that mean I'm arrested?" The Inspector looked at him search-Ingl- "That will depend on circumstances. Have you any objection to accompa-nying me?" for It looLed as if I was going to be suspected. "I happened to come across some tracks of a cycle tire on the field here; they were old and faint but they set me thinking. I wish I'd struck them before. I'm used to following trails had a lot of experience in It Went to the place where the argu-ment happened, up the lane, and made out that the motorcycle, after the scrap, came back along the road yon-der. The tracks are there yet If you've eyes to see them. I guess the machine was half-cripple- and they were driving It too hard. I made out that It crashed again a bad crash that time. Do you follow me?" "Yes," said the amazed Arkwrlght "but how" "Here's a piece of found it on the road," said Billy, handing him the scrap of metal. "The tracks didn't go on. So what became of the machine? . I found the tire-mar-passing through a gateway Into the field. "What did that say? That they could wheel the machine, though they couldn't drive It Engine done up. What would they do with It? Hide it so nobody would know they didn't get clear away. You'll find the mnchlne, a twin Indian, over In the old clay pit under some brushwood. Til take this side." Inspector Arkwrlght strode forward with stern determination. "The bag Is not complete," he said grimly, "till Tve got that woman 1" CHAPTER XXIV M8lstrs Under Their Skins." Almee came as near to sheer panic as she had ever been yet when, after overhearing from her coign of van-tage In the second floor window the questions of the police, she saw them start for the crag pits. The only bright feature of the situ-ation, though not dazzllngly bright was that de Jussac was already on his way, In the same direction. She had seen him go, and guessed his errand. Bertrand, at least, was an ally. "I'd rather they got me than Billy I" she said with a little sob. The one obvious and reasonable thing for Almee to do, was to remain where she was. To lie low, like Brer Rabbit, and take no part In the com-ing crisis. As a natural consequence, It was precisely the thing which her mind refused to entertain. If Billy was going to meet trouble, she deter-mined to be on the spot. There was no knowing to what lengths he might go, In his passion for Ten minutes later Almee was In the bushy dip of ground leading Into the crag pits. The police were well ahead of her, converging round the fur end. Almee had taken some trouble to avoid being seen by them. At the moment she could not see them at all, and took It for granted they could not see her either. Bending low and running between the bushes, Almee made for the en-trance of the Sphinx's cave. It seemed to her that must he where Billy hod gone. On orrtving at the mouth, however, she discovered her mistake. Through a gap In the brush-wood she caught sight of Billy a con-siderable distance farther along the pits. And with him was de Jussac. The police arrived almost immedi-ately afterward. Aluce, crouching be-hind the bushes, watched the meeting. Her throat felt dry and hot, her hands opened and shut nervously. She hesitated, uncertain what to do. Would BMy "get awoy with ltr A and for pity's sake stay there, for you are very wearing. Oo !" "Thanks, awfully!" panted Almpe, and departed as fast as her legs would carry her. De Jussac retreated Into the pit mopping his brow. Taking no no-tice of the frantic signals of Billy he returned to the cave, dived Into It, took a hurried look round and kicked plenty of loose sand over a pool of oil that was the sole legacy of the Sphinx. He left the place with a sigh of relief and, encountering the search party of police, permitted himself to smile. "Nothing doing 1" said Inspector Ark-wrlght. "Panke, will you go back? Bring the car down over the meadow; we'll get the man on It, clear the pits, and set n watch In the cave where we found him." He moved towards the late stable of the Sphinx. "But I'm going to look through this place an! make sure." (TO BIS CONTINUED.) matlon, turned to Intercept her. He found a band detaining him; Almee had gripped him by the arm. "Let her go I" snld Almee breathl-essly. "Let her go I" "Name of a name I" said Bertrand blankly. But he obeyed. There was little choice. Already Calamity Kate was well down the slope, running be-side the free-wheeli- Sphinx that gath ered more and more Impetus by its own weight. The deftness with which the woman steered It between the clumps of bushes was astounding. "She hnsn't a dog's chance," said Almee with a gulp, "hut what chance there Is let her take It." "A nation of sportsmen quol!" murmured Bertrand with a paralyzed air. lie glimced to the left, where the police hud disappeared round the shoulder of the bluff. There was still no sign of them. Kate, reaching the trodden path ot the bottom, turned sharp to the right and swung herself Into the saddle. "It Is one's duty to stop her," said Bertraad, twisting his mustache in "Are You Coin' to Gimms Away?" more towards the group. The police were spreading out across the pits, moving In her direction. "My muni" sobbed Kate. "You love him?" said Almee halt-ingly. "He's my husband!" said the wom-an. She flung herself face down-wards on the sand, ond wept. Suddenly Almee stooped and caught her by the shoulder. "Come with me I" she said swiftly, and, turning, crept In through the screen of brambles, Into tho cave. Kate looked up coinprehendlngly. Then, with the Instinct of the hunted animal she dived through the bushes and went to ground. The girls found themselves together in the cool gloom of the cave. Kate stared at Almee with wonder-ing eyes. "I'm sorry for you!" sold Almee unsteadily. "I never thought," said Kate, "to dad say. woman sorrjr for tua," - "What did the two of them do then? i'ou can ree by the tracks In the field that one of them was dead lame. So lame thnt he had to be carried or dragged, half of the way. It must have taken quite a while. They couldn't be far off, and, to cut It short, I searched the pits through and found Jake where he Is. I didn't get wise to It till now. He's got a leg so budly sprained that a compound fracture wouldn't have luld him up much more thoroughly. And here you ore, In-spector, Just In the nick of time, as the story-book- s say. Of course," added Billy, "you'd have found It out yourself as soon as you got to work. I happened to be on the spot that's all. And I shall be obliged If you'll sny nothing about my share In It, at headquarters. Thief catching isn't really in my line I'm a motor-enginee-and It might do me harm to have It known I was wnstlng time on things that aren't my business." Inspector Arkwrlght gated at EUlj. "I've no objection to anything. This Is my afternoon off. But may I take It you are looking for the enterprising fellow who burgled the abbey?" "I Include that among my activi-ties," snld Arkwrlght sardonically. "Then this Is your lucky day. He's In the cave there." "In the caver said Arkwrlght, staring. "If you'll step this way," said Billy, "I'll show you." He turned toward the bushes. Ark-wrlght, after a moment's hesitation, accompanied him, and motioned to Inspector 1'anke to follow. Bertrand brought up the rear. Billy led them Into the cave. Jake, prostrate on his couch of bracken, greeted them with n sullen stare. Inspector Arkwrlght looked at tiro nt the bandaged leg, the stubble-tovere- d face, irhd deep-se- t eyes. The handkerchief with the broken food was no longer visible. , "That's your man," said Billy, Waste waters from fish oil plants yield materials useful for fertilizer and for poultry food. |
