| Show the r N IN h e k handsome y faya fet y awn uw oaf wt W V 14 V the oddest sound seemed to fill Us his ears in a moment he realized what it was and then despite the gravity ot of the situation he laughed aloud they had bad turned a corner and before them streamed what seemed a small army ot of cars almost all of that cheap but useful make which had made its producer both famous and rich each car held four men and every man except the driver was armed it you can laugh now exclaimed ray you have your nerve with you look I 1 their pursuers had rounded the corner corder confidently confident ay counting a on their superior car and speed the motor boat was audible a little distance away closely following it dawned on ray hay who had been wondering why they bothered with a motor boat that they had planned it as a way of escape it if things got too hot and their tires shot up they could escape tn in the boat to where a car was waiting further down the canal but by the advent of rays guard the situation had utterly changed the work mens cars as they came had opened out their formation and now formed a long alley one on each side through which moved the disabled car in which sir george and his companion sat As their car wobbled slowly forward the other cars closed in behind it three deep sir gerge george and his companion went on their way through this line of cars toward the camp As they did so their pursuers fired and the foremost workers returned their fire dash it sir george yelled to ray 1 I cant let the men take the he climbed out of the car ray followed him the enemy car turned and to sir georges amazement swerved towards the canal without firing again ray called in two languages italian and english dont shoot 1 and ran to the tha front to count the casualties one of the workers had been hit by a splinter when his windshield was shattered but he was not dangerously wounded at least one of the enemy had been hit hii and two of their tires were wera punctured done for ray shouted steady lie he called to the workmen nearest him who had begun to edgo edge toward the enemy were only here to keep the money out of their clutches the police will do the chasing 11 sir george gave a quick exclamation the motor boat had reached the spot where the disabled car waited and at once the men in the car jumped out and ran toward the canal bank one of them limped and another had a wounded hand the italian and negro workmen gave a roar of disgust and pleaded with ray to let them got get at the boat ray was obstinate ue he pointed out the men on the boat armed and ready for trouble sir george groaned aloud and ran toward one of the work mens cars 1 11 I cant let them get away lets follow them the first firs motor motorcycle cycle policeman came flying down the road ray shouted and pointed at the motor boat the motor boat was well on its way as the policeman passed sir george the locks 1 the policeman called as he dashed past get word to the locks they cant pass them ray and sir george jumped into one of the smaller cars and sped up to the works panting ray filing himself on the telephone and talked rapidly when he looked up his companion was divesting himself of the money belt call thorn them in lie sug suggested gg ested pay hern all now 11 and d tell them sir mr mac ceth eth will hear what they have done cor or him today oil oh I 1 say browne it if wed ed only gone after then them what a t pay day it would have been ini im content to call it a day as it Is ray told him weve got the money we ne he turned from the phone they left the boat before they got to the locks climbed into a car that Is still dodging the police ive told them to relay any message that comes through to Mac Beths island the new tires are on and im all set to go sir george looked at him a little shyly 1 I say browne he said would you mind not saying saving much about this llila affair to the women be awkward ank ward you know if my stepmother gets gels word there was any shooting ray hay burst out lau laughing hing daredevil george lie he shouted who wanted to stage a running fight along the canal afraid of his stepmother true as death 1 you dont know aggy lady sandison Sand lson well they climbed into the car but ray did not start it at once ne ile leaned back and surveyed ills his companion 11 1 I noticed you are not crowing over the success of your plan ray told his companion sir george shook his head certainly not then he laughed my 11 ord browne I 1 never thought it would come off I 1 give you my word I 1 never expected to have so much fun it was more like a wild american play than than life lifes crazier than any play ilay ila be deucedly awkward you know if my stepmother gets woid there was any shooting told him arid and looked at him again n little wondering wonderingly ly what a good scout old Is and how much lie he trusts you wily why lie he gae me authority to do anything an thing I 1 liked to help you out pay the men full time whether they worked or watched and all on a chance that it might he be nothing hut but a joke after all ile he hale haie the police on OB hand because he thought it might end in a false alarm and make us ridiculous if he been bee n a so 0 cautious wed have caught them here he added regretfully but then what certainty did he have that things would break this way no certainty but a conviction that it if he be lb break reali these men as you say oer here they would break him sooner or later hell not he pleased at their getting away alvay for a he be stopped abruptly roy ray turned to his surprise sir george instead of continuing slid donn in the seat and gave an odd little exclamation which sounded lite like that fool girl I 1 she doing on this road today following his gaze ray saw the Mael macbeth leth car blui roberta driving coming toward tham at high speed CHAPTER X roberta leaned out and asked a question of the nearest foreman lie he was an italian and instantly burst out into a stream of broken english accompanied compa compan companies companied nied led by illuminating pantomime sir george and ray from their vantage point near the shack could get a vivid picture of the recent battle from the gestures alone tills this big scotchman ray thought lid did the trick and will gt all the credit and robertas admiration oli oh d 1 11 the luck hick ray snarled aloud weary with the alie rapid changes of emotion this last hour had brought to him blin snap out of it donnie connie dundee I 1 roTia lias has given you away to the girl lies iles making a good speech too sit up like ilke a man dian and let roberta pin your medas on sir george raised himself up hut but only to gran ray by the shoulder sli give me the payroll rol receipts and this car and you can ride back with miss Mael leth good lord walt wait a minute MInu tc ray protested as lie for the receipts What ll I 1 tell roberta tell her ive gone that will satisfy her ber she in the least concerned about rne me ray hay regarded hirn him curiously slinking shaking his head Wl ints the Ms big iden idea leaving me to face the music and roberta macbeth MacBet li alone 1 I do it old fellow it if I 1 know you liked her I 1 dont you incurious sir georges fuce face changed in a curious way like herl her mv ary dear fellow ashes the only tiling thing I 1 dont like in all america wily why I 1 thought you were mils about her its been even betting in the kofl office ice that why you cams came over what to cop Mac Beths daughter and her pile ray saw what he be had done then sir georges face whitened so BO that involuntarily ray reached out a hand say ills cr cria aulon clon kalled ailed tp to sea mg aba i bani land 1 I ld id lull think su s too me he asked hoarsely ray besIta hesitated ted well personally I 1 think you were after the money 1 I aste ask miss IIa macbeth cBeth to marry me ine if 1 Sandis brae were in ruins ruing and I 1 a peony penny to buy myself food that P point blut being clear and understood said roberta robertah Ro bertai who unnoticed had bad left her car with bonaventura and walked up behind ray my you yon stay in that car and go home while ray hay rides with me fathers father a heard from new york the new york car was held up on the jersey meadows there was a running fight one of the car crew was hurt hurl on your way with a surprisingly friendly smile sir george wished a thou thousand times on the ride home that he be had held bell his tongue while it was just as well that the girl knew how he felt he would have preferred that it had not been expressed to her quite so crudely and she had taken it in a decidedly sporting spirit yet the fact remained aed that it was a relief to have it clearly understood between them that there was no thought of her or her fortune fortine fort ine in his mind curiously elou enorah ii now that he be hau publicly relinquished her robertas bright head seemed to gleam like lost loat gold and he found himself wishing that he be were ray care free and fancy tree free and able to enjoy a ride in the soft dusk dush with a girl whether she had millions or not only he assured himself that girl would never in his case be roberta Mac macbeth MacE Ileth eth there were several things roberta would have to explain before he had bad any confidence at all in her the poverty stricken heir of th tho title and lands stretched himself behind the wheel and yawned dawned tie he was tired after all it had been a bit of a day it was jolly lucky for him that things had turned out as they lad had A shout from a motor cycle made him bring his car to a sudden stop mr Qc Beths secretary yes sir george automatically bacting to the excitement of the day mt iut a hand on ills his pistol pocket until ie saw the man wore a emans ini 1111 form tell mr macbeth MacE eth will you abat lie he men in the motor launch left it halfway down the canal and getaway got away in a fast car but were on their trail trall thank you ofil officer hope they get the beggars sure well get them its only a question quest on of time thue lie ile was off and soon sir george could see the lights on the little bridge to the island glad to see them too in spite of the fact that he would would have to face roberta mac beths hostile eyes across the dinning table what did the girl want anyhow ile he had done hla his best for her father and for her and if she thought hed told about her friend of the other night she was mistaken though she might have to hear some ugly tales about that lad soon if ills his recognition this afternoon should prove that jack navarro was mixed up in the attempt on the payroll if it was true it was plain why navarro never came to the house ile he had probably given the girl some highly romantic reason what drove a girl like roberta to a sly fellow like that sleek haired lad when there were men like ray and dunham about it did not occur to him roberta being a girl that it was the same thing that had brought him here to Mac Beths island that had made him risk ills his skin today adventure and the desire for things new and strange after dinner he be would go down to green bend and see alice or nell and rest his tired brain nice girls not nearly so disturbing as roberta ile he reached the bridge clattered across it and up to the terrace roberta and ray were already there they had passed him when the policeman halted him they told him without his observing them lady Sa baudison Saud lson came running down the terrace steps and grasped him it was the first time aggy had hugged him since lie was seven but she had lost nothing by want of practice oh my laddie did they touch you to be continued |
