]| THE SEARCH I)
By Grace Livingston Hill- -Lutz
Copyright, 1919, by B. Llppincott Company
“Not likely, on this road. But
we’re not taking any oharices,”
and with that the car bumped
down across a gully and lurched
up to a grassy approach to a big
stoned barn that loomed above
them, then slid down another
bank and passed close to a great
haystack, whose clutching straw
fingers reached out to brush
their faces, and so swept softly
around to the rear of the barn
and stopped. Cameron shut off
the engine instantly and they sat
in utter silence listening to the
oncoming ear.
“Ifs they, all right!” whis
pered Cameron softly. “That’s
i’assmore's voice. He converses
almost wholly in choice profan
it.v.
His mother’s hand stole out to
touch his shoulder and he
reached around and held it close.
“Don’t tremble, mother,
%e’re all safel” he whispered in
a tone so tender that Ruth felt
a shiver of pleasure pass over
her for the mother who had
such a son. Alsn there was the
instant thought that a man could
not be wholly ‘“rotten” when
he could speak to his mother in
that tone.
There was a brcat^cas space
•when the car pausWT on the
road not far away and their pur
suers stood up and looked
around, shouting to one another.
There was no mistaking their
Identity now Ruth shivered vis
ibly. One of them got out of the
ftar and came toward the barn,
'fhey could hear him stepping
over the stony roadside. Camer
on laid a quit'hand of reassuring
protection on her arm Jhat stead
ied her and made her feel
wonderfully safe once more, and
strange to say she found herself
lifting up another queer little
kind of a prayer. It had never
been her habit to pray much ex
cept in form. Iler heart had sel
dom needed anything that money
could not supply.
The man had stumbled across
Ihe gully and up toward the barn.
They could hear him swearing at
die unevenness of tell ground,
and Ruth held her breath and
prayed again. A moment more
and he was fumbling about for
the unoveness of the ground,
flash light. Then, like the dis
tant sound of a mightly angel of
deliverance came the rumble of a
car in the distance. The men
heard it and took it for their
quarry on ahead. They climbed
into their ear again and were
gone like a flash.
uuiui v/ttimuon um not wail ior
them to get far away. He set
the car in motion as soon as they
were out of sight,, and its expen
sive mechanism *boy<fd his direc
tion almost silently ns he guided
it around the barn, behind the
haystack and bac'k again into the
road over which they had just
come.
Now!” he said as he put the
car to its best speed and switched
on its headlights again. ’‘Now
we can beat them to it, I guess, if
they come back this way, which 1
don’t think they will.”
The car dashed over the
ground and the three sat silent
while they passed into the woods
and over the place where they
had first met Cameron. Ruth
felt herself trembling again, and
her teeth beginning to chatter
from the strain. Cameron seemed
to realize her feeling and turned
toward her:
1 “You’ve been wonderful!” he
•aid flashing a warm look at her,
“and you, too, mother!” lifting
his voice a little and turning his
head toward the back seat. “I
don ’t believe any other two wom
en in Bryne Haven could have
gone through a scene like that
and kept absolutely still. You
were great!” There was that in
his vice that lifted Ruth's heart
more than any praise she had
ever received for anything. She
wanted to make some acknowl
edgement, but she found to her
surprise that tears were choking
her throat so that she could not
•peak. It was the excitement,
of course, she told herself, and
struggled to get control of her
emotion.
They emerged from the woods
and in sight of the Bike at last,
and Cameron drew a long breath
of relief.
“There, I guess we can bold
our own with anyone, now,” he
said settling back in his seat, but
relaxing none of his vigilance to
ward the car which sped <ong
the highway like a winged thing,
“But it’s time I heard how you
12
came to be here. I haven’t been
able to explain it, during the in
tervals when I’ve had any chance
at all to think about it.”
“Oh, I just called up your
mother to know if it would help
you any to be taken to your
trail,” said Ituth quickly, “and
she mentioned that she was wor
ried lest you would miss it; so I
suggested that we try to catch
you and take you on to Wilming
ton r Baltimore or wherever you
have to go. I do hope this de
lay hasn’t spoiled it all. How
long does it take to go from Bal
timore to camp. I’ve taken the
Baltimore trip myself in five
hours. It’s only quarter past six
yet, do you think we can make
it?”
“But you can’t go all the way
to Baltimore!” he exclaimed.
“What would you and mother
do at that time of night alone af
ter I go to camp? You see, it isn’t
as if I could stay and come back
with you.”
“Oh, we’ll just go to a hotel in
Baltimore, won’t we, Mrs. Cam
eron? We’ll be all right if we
only get you safe to camp. Do
you think we can do it?”
“Oh, yes, we can do it all
right with this car. But I’m
quite sure I ought not to let you
do it just for me. What will your
people think?”
“I’ve left wrord that I’ve gone
to a friend in trouble,” twinkled
Ruth. “I’ll call them up when I
get to Baltimore, and make it
all right with auntie. She will
trust me.”
Cameron turned and looked at
her wonderingly, reverently.
“It’s wonderful that you
should do this for me,” he said in
a low tone, quite low, so that the
watching wistful mother could
not even guess what he was say
ing.
“It’s not in the least wonder
ful,” said Ruth brightly. “Re
member the hedge and Chuck
Woodcock!” She was beginning
to get her self possession again.
“You are paying that old score
back in compound interest,” said
Cameron.
That jvas a wonderful ride
rushing along beneath the stars,
going back to childhood’s days
and getting acquainted again
where they left off. Ruth forgot
all about the cause of her wild
chase, and the two young men she
had left disconsolate in her li
brary at home; forgot her own
world in this new beautiful one,
wherein her spirit really com
muned with another spirit; for
got utterly what Wainwright had
said about Cameron as more and
more through their talk she came
to see the fineness of his charac
ter.
I hey llnsheu on Iron one little
village to another, leaving one
clustering glimmer of lights in
the distance only to pass to other
clustering groups. It was in
their favor that there were not
many other travellers to dispute
their way, and they were hin
dered very little. Cameron had
made the trip many times and
knew the roads well. They did
not have to hesitate and enquire
the way. They made good time.
The clocks were striking 10
when they reached the outskirts
of Baltimore.
“Now,” said Ruth in a sweet
ly imperious tone, consulting her
timepiece to be sure she had
counted the clock strokes cor
rectly,” do you know what you
are going to do, Mr. Corporal?
You are going to land your
mother and me at the nearest
hotel, and take the car with you
back to camp. You caid one
of the fellow’s had his car down
there, so I’m sure you’ll be able
to find a place to put it over
night. If you find a way to send
the car back to us in the morn
ing, well and good. If not your
mother and I will go home by
train and the chauffeur can come
down tomorrow and bring back
the car; or, better still, you can
drive yourself up the next time
you get leave off.”
There was much argument
about the matter within a brief
space of time, but in the end
(which came in five minutes)
Ruth had her way, and the
young soldier departed for his
camp in the gray car with ample
time to make the short trip,
leaving his mother and Ruth at
a Baltimore hotel; after having
promised to call up in the morn
ing and let them know what he
cmdd do about the car.
Ruth selected a large double
room and went at once to the
telephone to call up her aunt.
She found to her relief that that
good lady had not yet returned
from her day with a friend in
the city, so that no explanations
would be necessary that night.
She left word with the servant
that she was in Baltimore with
a friend and would probably be
at home the next day sometime.
Then she turned to find to her
dismay that her companion was
sitting in a low arm chair with
tears running down her cheeks.
“Oh, my dear!” she exclaimed
rushing over to her, “you are all
worn out! ’ ’
“Not a bit of it!” sobbed the
mother with a smile like sun-"'
shine through her tears. “I was
so happy I couldn’t keep from
crying. Don’t you ever get that
way? I’ve just been watching
you and thinking what a dear
beautiful child you are and how
wonderful God has been to send
you to help my boy. Oh, it was
so dreadful to me to think of him
going down to camp with those
men! My dear, I smelt liquor
on their breath when they came
for him, and I was just crying
and praying about it when you
called me up. Of course, I knew
my boy wouldn’t drink, but so
many accidents can happen with
automobiles when the driver is
drunk! My dear, I never can
thank von enough!”
They were both too excited to
sleep soon, but long after the
mother was asleep Ruth lay
awake going over the whole day
and wondering. There were so
many things about the incident
of the afternoon and evening,
now that they were over, that
were utterly out of accord with
her whole life heretofore. She
felt intuitively that her aunt
would never understand if she
were to explain the whole pro
ceeding. There were so many
laws of her little world of con
ventionalities that she had tran
gressed, and so many qualms of
a belated conscience about
whether she ought to have done
it at all. What would Cameron
think of her, anyway? Her
cheeks burned hot in the dark
over that question. Strange she
had not thought of it at all either
beforehand or while she sat be
side him during that wonderful
ride! And now the thing that
Wainwright had said shouted
itself out to her ears: “Rotten!
Rotten! Rqtten!” like a dirge.
Suppose he were? It couldn’t
be true. It just couldn’t, but
suppose he were? Well, sup
pose he were! How was she
hurt by doing a kind act? Hav
ing taken that stand against all
her former ideas Ruth had in
stant peace and drifted into
dreams of what she had been en
joying, the way suddenly lit by
a sleepy remembrance of Weth
erill’s declaration: “He won’t
drink! You can’t make him!
It’s been tried again and again!’’
There was evidence in his favor.
Why hadn’t she remembered
that before? And his mother!
She had been so sure or him!
The telephone bell wakened
her with a message from camp.
Ilis voice greeted her pleasantly
with the word that it was all
right, he had reachmh^oamp in
plenty of time, fouim^a good
place for the car, aud it would
be at the hotel at 9 o’clock. Ruth
turned from the ’phone with a
vague disappointment. He had
not said a word of thanks or
good-bye or anything, only that
lie must hurry. Not even a word
to his mother. But then, of
course, men did not think of
those little things, perhaps, as
women did, and maybe it' was
just as well for him to take it all
as a matter of course. It made it
less embarrassing for her.
But when they went down to
the car, behold he was in it!
“I got leave off for the morn
ing,” he explained smiling. ‘‘I
told my captain all about how
you got me back in time when
I’d missed the train and he told
me to see you as far as Wilming
ton and catch the noon train
back from there. He’s a peach
of a captain. If my lieutenant
had been there I wouldn’t have
got a chance to ask him. I was
afraid of that last night. But
for good luck the lieutenant has
j a two-days’ leave this time. He's
a mess!”
Ruth looked at him musingly.
Was Harry Wainwright the lieu
tenant ?
They had a golden morning
togeVifer, and talked of many
things that welded a friendship
a Ire ad}’ well begun.
‘‘Weren’t you at all fright
ened last night?” asked Cameron
once, looking at the delicate
beauty of the face beside him
and noting the strength and
sweetness of ft.
Mrs. Cameron was dosing in
the back seat and they felt quite
alone and free. Ruth looked up
at him frankly.
“Why, yes, I think I was for
a minute or two while we were
behind that barn, but- Did
you ever pray when you were in
a trying situation?”
He looked down earnestly into
her face, half startled at her
words:
“Why, I don’t knev» t'fiat 1
ever did. I’m not quite sure if
it was praying.”
“Well, I don’t know what I
ever did before,” she went on
thoughtfully, “but last night
when those men got out of their
ear in front of the barn so near
us again, I found myself pray
ing.” She dropped her eyes half
embarrassed: “Just as if I were
a frightened little child I found
myself saying: ‘God help us!
God help us!’ And right away
we heard that other car coming
and the men went away! It some
how seemed—well, strange! I
wondered if anybody else ever
had an experience like that.”
“I’ve heard of them,” said
Cameron gravely. “I’ve won
dered sdmetimes myself. Do you
believe in God?”
“Oh, yes!” said Ruth quite
firmly. “Of course. What use
would there be in anything if
there wasn’t a God?”
“But do you believe we hu
mans can ever really—well, find
Him? On this earth, I mean.”
wny, x aon t Know tnat x
ever thought about it,” she am
swered bewildered. ‘ ‘ Find Him ?
In what way do you mean?”
‘‘Why, get in touch with Him?
Get to know Him, perhaps. Be
on such terms with Him that one
could call out in a time like last
night, you know; or—well, say
in a battle 1 I’ve been thinking
a lot about that lately—natur
ally.”
‘ ‘ Oh ! ” gasped Ruth softly, ‘ ‘ of
course. I hadn’t thought about
that much, either. We’ve been
so thoughtless—and—and sort of
happy, you know, just like but
terflies, we girls! I haven’t real
ized that men were going out to
face Death! ’ ’
“It isn’t that I’m afraid to
die,” said Cameron proudly lift
ing his chin as if dying were a
small matter, “not just the dying
part. I reckon I’ve been through
worse than that a dozen times.
That wouldn't last long. It’s—
the other part. I have a feeling
there’ll be a little something
more expected of me than just to
have tried to get the most fun out
of life. I’ve been thinking if
there is a God He’d expect us to
find it out and make things
straight between us somehow. I
suppose I don’t believe I know
myself just what I mean.”
“I think I understand just a
little,” said Ruth, “I have never
thought about it before, but I’m
going to now. It’s something we
ought to think about, I guess. In
a sense it’s something that each
one of us has to think, whether
we are going into battle or not,
isn’t it?”
l suppose it is, only we never
| realize it when things are going
along all right,” said Cameron.
“It seems queer that everybody
that’s ever lived on this earth has
had this question to face sooner
or later and most of them haven’t
done much about it. The few peo
ple who profess to have found a
way to meet it we call cranks, or
else pick flaws in the way they
live; although it does seem to me
that if I really found God so I
was sure He was there and cared
about me, I’d manage to live a
little decenter life than gome
do.”
They drifted into other topics
and all too soon they reached
Wilmington and had to say
good-bye. But the thought
stayed with Ruth more or less
during the days that followed,
and crept into her letters when
she wrote to Corporal Cameron,
as she did quite often in these
days: and still no solution had
come to the great question which
was so like the one of old,
“What shall I do to be saved?”
It came and went during the
days that followed, and now and
again the fact that it had orig
inated in u talk with Cameron
clashed badly in her mind with
that word “Rotten” that Wain
wrigth had used about him. So
that at last she resolved to tails
to her cousin, Captain La Rue,
the next time he came up.
“Cousin Captain,” she said,
“do you'know a boy at your
camp from Bryne Haven named
John Cameron?”
“Indeed I do!” said the
captain.
“What kind of a man 5s he?”
“The best young man I know
in every way,” answered the
captain promptly. “If the world
were made up of men like him
it would be a pretty good place
in which to liVe. l)o you know
him?”
{To Ue Continued Next Week)
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