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About The Red Cloud chief. (Red Cloud, Webster Co., Neb.) 1873-1923 | View Entire Issue (April 5, 1923)
RED CLOUD, NEBRABKA. CHIEF I In THE JOl of LlUtNQ JACK THE CLIMDER SYNOI'aiS.-Dlslikltig tho proH poet of a. month's visit to her nus tero mint, Lady Krythea I.amlio, at Jervaulx abbey, uiid her cousin, Atoxunilcr I.ntnhe, Almee, vivacious ilatiKlitt-r or tlie Very llovorcnd Viscount Heroopc, meets a youm; man who laughingly Introduces himself ns "Hilly," American. Tim two ride on 1 1 In motorcycle, tlio 'Flying .Sphinx." mill part. With Oeorglna Herners, her cousin, Almce sets out for Jervaulx. Hho forces Oeorglna to Impersonate her at Jervaulx, ntul hIio kocb on a lioll tiny. Almeo again meets Hilly. Ho tells her IiIh nunio Im Hpenrer, nnd hIiu gives hers an Amy .SiiooUch, nt present "out of :i Joh." Hilly offers (o take her Into partnership In eoll InK tho Sphinx. In a spirit of mad cap advjnturo, she accepts, Tho two procciMl to tho town of Stan hoe, taking separate lodgings In Ivy cottage. WI1II0 Almce Ib bc crotly visiting (Icorfflna ut Jer vnnlx, the place Is burglarized, utul (ho famous l,atnho emeraldii uro stolen. Almce escapes, Police de cide tho thieves nro "Jack the Climber" and "Calamity Kate," who travel on a motorcycle. Hilly, who has shadowed Almco to Jor vaiilx, follows tho thieves. lie Ih knocked out. .but emerges from tho llKht with the Liunbo emeralds. Ilu mrcts Almec, with thu pullco In pursuit. In u Hocnro hiding place, a cave among tho crag pits, Almeo tells him tho wholo Btory. Ho urges her that she mako a frnnlc confes sion to her father, but on reflec tion both realize Almee's good name haa been compromised. As suring Almeo ho has 11 plan to save her. Hilly leaves her In tho cave and, proceeding to Jorvaulx, re stores the emeralds to the astound ed Ijidy Krythea. Hilly tells a story that satlHlles tho police, re fuses a reward and accepts ft rhnuffmir'H Job from Ijidy Krythea. Almee gets tho placp of parlor maid nt Jcrvuulx. Alexander UilnkB ho recognizes Almeo as "Calamity Kate." Oeorglna divulges Almee's Identity. Hearing her Btory, Alex ander consents to keep tho secret. Alexander finds himself very much In lovo with Cleorglna, Alexander's ulster, Ijidy Diana, arrives. An other visitor Ib the Vlcomto do JusHac, her suitor. Diana recog nizes Almeo and threatens to de nounce her. Almce confides In Do JUHsao. De Junsao Is accepted by Diana and Almeo makes her prom Isa to keep silence, Alexander Is accepted by Oeorglna. Lady Ery thea, still In tho dark. Is delighted. CHAPTER XXI Continued. 10 Ho passed along the wltler lnne In the direction of Jorvaulx, IiIh eyes Kcunnlng the ground and the ditch. A little distance Hliort of the Kate through which Hilly had wheeled the Sphinx when dodging the police, he stooped quickly and picked up a scrap of metal. It was the broken end of an exhaust silencer. "I was right!" ejaculated Hilly. "Here they crushed again or the en Kino gave out. for Rood. And they eamo the very way I did myself. And one of the two was luiue dead lame. One sure thing they couldn't have got far that night. And If they weren't ahle to ride the tiling, what did they do with It?" Ilo hurried to the far end of the Held, where the last of the tracks had failed. He hesitated, and glanced to wards the distant crag-pits. "What should I have done myself If I hadn't known the ground?" he thought. "I'll try here llrst." Less than a. hundred yards to the right was a clump of brushwood, crowing alone, a Utile oasis on the bare Held. The hushes masked n narrow clay pit, twenty feet deep, that had been delved In times past to bring up the heavy marl subsoil and spread It over the sandy Held. It was now complete ly cloaked with brambles. Hilly pulled them apart, and saw something gleam ing dimly at the bottom of the pit. It was the buckled frame of a big twin Indian motorcycle. With a whoop of triumph Hilly clambered down the steep side of the pit and disappeared through the bram bles. He remained below some time. When at last he emerged and stood on the brink, Hllly's face was rather pale, and bis eyes troubled. "Great Caesar's ghost!" he said. "Who'd have expected I his? Now If I can pick up the other track, I'll have the game In my hands!" lie hurried In the direction of the distant crag-pits, then suddenly pulled up short and glanced at his wrist watch. "Almee!" he exclaimed. He bad an appointment with Almee nt five, and an urgent one. It was al ready past the hour. Hilly set off at a run, and In ten minutes reached the rendezvous. Almee was there already, In a rough serge walking-cloak and a Snooks hat trimmed with calico vio lets. In spite of the costume she ! Miked vividly lovely. "Mr. Chauffeur," salil Almee, severe ly. "I don't know If you think I want to waste my afternoon off like this. You're late." "I'm sorry," panted Hilly. "Came as quick as I could." "What are you looking excited about V" she said, eyeing him suspi ciously. "Oh just seeing you," blurted Hilly. 'That Isn't true. I've never seen you look excited before. You've found out something. What la it?" Hilly paused. "It's true. I have found out some thing," he said quietly, "but there's more to do, and I haven't quite all the caifli In my hands. It's the most amaz ing stunt yet. I'll tell you about It ho moment I'vo got It set." Almeo looked at him wistfully, I "I don't think you ought to huve any Bij SIDNE1 QOIDINQ Illustrations bij Ellsworth IJounq Copyright 1022 bySidnty Cowing "? secrets from your partner," she said, "I always tell you everything." "(live me till tonight," pleaded Hilly. "I hate to talk about It now. It's ugly. Hy tonight we shall have either won or lost but we'll wlnl Will you trust me?" Almee seated herself on the turf be neath the sweethrlars. "All right then," she said happily. "Let's forget our troubles for a bit. Sit down you look so tall, towering up there, that I can hardly see you- ami I'll tell my news. It's much more Interesting than yours. Do you know (hat Alexander has got himself en gaged to my dear fat Georgle, and they're Idiotically "happy V" "Has he?" cried Hilly, dropping be side her. "flood for him ! She's a real trump of a girl, that. And the parson's as white as they make them he's a lino fellow'." "Yes. Georgle will exactly suit him. I shouldn't have, a bit." "You!" exclaimed Hilly. "Kxnctly. Aunt Krytheu's Idea Is that Alexander's marrying me. You're not very bright today, Hilly. They'll have a funny tangle to straighten out, when tho crash comes." "dee! They will. We'll have to help them somehow." "Of course we shall, nut I wonder how we'll do It. And that's not all the Vlcomte has suddenly become be trothed, as he calls It, to Alexander's sister Cold Lnmbe." "She'll tone him down," said Hilly. "Not a bit. He'll tone her up," re plied Almeo confidently, "and a Jolly good thing, too. So there they all are. vn-jr 1 Billy Stared Before Him Gloomily. I oughtn't to have mentioned It to you, Hilly I know how It depresses you. It's horrible all this sentiment." Hilly stared before him gloomily, and was silent. "Isn't It!" Insisted Almee. "Sickening!" said Hilly, bitterly. Almee glanced at him and, looking away, stirred the grass with the point of his shoe. There was a long pause. "What was It you were saying about things?" said Almee. "I told you." replied Hilly, "that be fore tomorrow It will either be a com plete crash or all clear." Almee nodded. "I see. That means, in the llrst case, that I'll bo exploded broken done for" "Xo!" said Hilly, sharply. "It does, though. Hut In the second, If things go better I shall just be back at Scroope, in a sort of mild ills grace stood In the corner. That's nothing much. I'm used to It. And there you are! Well, the curtain's soon going to ring down. Our partner ship" Hilly turned to her quickly. "Is llulshed," continued Almee quiet ly, looking out across the park. "I shan't be able to ride the Sphinx for you, Hilly. I'm sorry about that. It would have been fun." Hilly caught his breath. "You mean," he said slowly, "that I shan't see you again?" "I mean that. How can you? Our little holiday Is over, Hilly." Ills lingers closed on the turf on either side of him, and dug deep. "I understand. It's up to me. To morrow we don't even know each other." Ho let go the turf, and caught her bauds. "Almee!" "Hilly!" Hefore either of them knew how It happened, he had her In his arms. "I can't let you go!" said Hilly wild ly. "You're the darling of the world. The loveliest, brightest thing that ever breathed. Almee do you think you could try and love me?" "Love you?" said Almee, trembling. "Who could help loving you, Hilly l" lie held her tight and kissed her. "I was so frightened" said Almee, In a stilled voice. "KrlL'htened 1" Ho held her tlchter. "That you'd be frightened" "Mo I" "of being sentimental," panted Almee. Hilly felt stunned, tsi "If you knew what I've been through," he said a little hoarsely, "this past week trying not to let you see it!" He kissed her again more thnn once. Then he sat back, his head In a whirl. There was the longest pause yet; n silence that seemed Intermi nable. They were recalled to earth by n staccato noise. "Yap! Yapl Yap! Yap! Ylpe ylpe I" Almee and Hilly started violently. A small white Highland terrier, with Its four legs braced, was barking at them excitedly, but not wholly with disapproval. Almee felt stricken ns though by a sudden paralysis. Hehlnd tho terrier stood Lady Krythea, erect and rigid. The glare In her eyes was tho glare of n destroying Gorgon. CHAPTER XXII J 1 Not Guilty. The guilty pair arose to their foot. Almee, from rosy red, had turned ex tremely palo. There was every ex cuse for It. Lady Krythcn's expres sion was enough to unnerve the stout est heart. "And this," In n voice like tho clash ing of n motor's gear-box, "In the face of my express warning I You nre dis charged." She took a step towards Almce. "And as for you " Hilly Interposed his large figure be tween them. "Madam," he said, "If you have any comments to make, please make them to me. Or, better still do not make them nt all." Ills voice was quiet and respectful. Hut his chin was lifted remarkably high, and his lips compressed danger ously. Lady Krythen struggled for breath. "Are you presuming," she said, In a strangled voice, "to dictate to me!" Mr. William Spencer bowed. "I hope my lady that It will not bo necessary. What I do presume Is to defend Miss Snooks against nny reproaches whatever. This Is her afternoon off." Almee looked nt them both espe cially at Lady Krythea. And for onco the "sand," on which she hnd so often been complimented, deserted her. Al mce turned suddenly and lied. The terrier, under the Impression that It was all an extremely Interest ing game got up for his amusement, pursued her out of sight round the bushes, giving tongue excitedly. Hilly kept his eyes fixed on the In truder. "If you require nn explanation, Lady Krythen," ho said quietly, "I guess I can give you one very brlelly. I have Just asked Miss Snooks to marry me." Lady Krythea was mentally stag gered. "You huve asked her to marry you?" she said, staring ut Hilly. "And she hns done mo the great honor to consent." Hllly's grim expression relaxed Into a very charming smile. ' "1 feel sure your ladyship will not throw any obstacles In the way of this humble romance," he said gently. "We shall bo very happy to have our em ployer's approval." His employer gazed at him dumbly. The announcement came as a shock. And It was dllllcult even for Lady Krythea to resist Hllly's smile. As well attempt to resist a sunbeam. She melted Imperceptibly. Her faculties were bemused. Hilly, despite tho smile, looked so extraordinarily dlgni lled that Lady Krythea almost felt an Impulse to apologize to her chauffeur. She made an effort to recover her austerity. "You have asked this girl to marry you after an acquaintance of four duysV" she said acidly. "Is that an American custom?" Hllly's smile iutensllled. "1 haven't much experience, my lady," he said, "but I think It's 11 Hrltlsh custom, too sometimes." With two such recent examples nt hand, her ladyship felt unable to con tradict him. She looked at him stead ily, wondering why she felt no resent ment. There was something so re markably disarming about Hilly. "What you tell me, Spencer," she said at last, "places a new aspect on the case. It Is, I suppose, within your discretion to engage yourself to a young woman If you wish to do so. The situation In which I found you led me to suspect mere Irresponsible philandering u thing most stringent ly forbidden within the precincts of Jervaulx. Admitting the seriousness of your Intentions," she continued with returning Indignation, "I am still unable to consider your behavior dec orous." "I was very careful to choose a place Just outside the park boundary, my lady," said Hilly gravely, "and I was obliged 10 make use of the small amount of free time at my disposal." Ladv Krythea drew a long breath. "I am making unprecedented allow ances for you, Spencer," she said, "since I cannot forget how far I am Indebted to you for the recovery of my emeralds. If I was under a mis apprehension as to your conduct Just now, It was natural. I will say no more. Hut I gather from this event that you will be leaving my servleo in niiy case, so I will merely glo you a week's notice If you nro willing to stay so long." "Yes, I guess I shall be quitting rather soon," said Hilly, "but I'll be very glad to servo your ladyship In tho menntlme, and I hope I'll give snt- J Isfnctlon. Hut, may I take It that you won't put It across thnt you will not say anything to Amy?' "I have nothing more to say In the matter whatever," replied her lady ship abruptly. "Hut you must under stand that the conduct of both of you will have to be rigidly circumspect and correct." Hilly twinkled. "We shall be careful to give your ladyship no grounds for complaint," he said. Lady Krythea had n vague Impres sion that Hilly was laughing ut her. It was stranger still that she did not seem to feel any resentment. "You may go!" she suld, with a ges ture of dismissal. Hilly saluted and walked uway. She watched his tail llguro till It had receded some little distance, und then recalled him. "Spencer!" Hilly returned. Lady Krythea in spected him through her lorgnette. "Are you sure that this Is n wise thing you uro doing?" she said slowly. "You seem to me a somewhat superior young man. I think you could do much better for yourself." Hilly twinkled yet more brightly. "I should hate to disagree with your ladyship," ho said, "but I am quite sure I couldn't." Lady Krythea turned and wnlked away with n dazed air. Hilly passed through the guto Into tho lane, and made for the abbey nt his best speed. He hoped that Almee might bo waiting for him somewhere within call, but there was no sign or her. Thinking it likely she would bo In tho neighborhood of the garngc, he hurried In that direction. He was within sight from the park boundary, when Monsieur de Jussnc, approach ing the fence fr-un tho abbey, snw him and called him . y name. Hilly was too fir nwny to hear. The Vlcomto whistled, without result. He snw Hilly dls-ippear In the direction of tho crag-pi! . De Jussnc hesitated, uncertain whether to follow. "Our amazing chauffeur appears to be In n hurry," murmured Hertrand. Ho took out n clgnrette, und smoked It reflectively. Hertrand was looking a little puzzled and anxious. Finally ho wandered slowly back towards the abbey. As ho noared tho main entrance the qunclc of n motor horn was henrd, nnd nn automobile drove up rapidly. It contained the stolid Inspector I'nnlic from Stnnhoe. Ileside him snt a slim nnd active-looking man In a gray tweed overcont. Do Jussnc, raising his eyebrows, drew near unobtrusively. The man In tweeds got out and stepped briskly up to Mr. Tnrbeuux, who wus stundlng on the steps. "You have a chauffeur here," said the man In tweeds quietly, "who calls himself William Spencer." "Yes, sir," said Mr. Tarbenux. Bertrand de Jussnc moved away, with tho air of one retreating from n situation with which ho hnd no con cern. He lit n cigarette as he went, but once on the far side of the rhodo dendrons, Monsieur de Jussnc began to move with uncommon swiftness. "Is he on the premises at the mo ment?" said tho visitor. "I do not know, sir," replied Mr. Tarbeaux with cold reseno, eyeing the police car. "If you wish to see her ladyship " "I do. Inform her nt once, If you please, that the police are here." Mr. Tarbeaux went Indoors, leaving the visitor on the step. It was some little time before Lady Krythea her self came to the entrance, grim and forbidding, ear-trumpet in hand. "I am Detective-Inspector Ark wrlght, from Scotland Yard," said the visitor. "I wish to see your chauf feur, my lady William Spencer." "For whnt purpose?" suld her lady- Lady Erythea Inspected Him. ship, examining him Icily through her lorgnette. "That will transpire ns soon ns 1 hnve seen him," said Arkwrlght u little sharply. A face peered down cautiously from 11 second-lloor window. It wus the fnce of Almee, very white nnd scared. Sho drew back quickly be hind the window curtains, one hand clutching and kneading them tightly as sho listened. "Does this ffiean," snld her ladyship with distinct hostility, "thnt you pro poso to urrest my chauffeur? If not, whnt do you mean? Ho Is tho man who restored tho emeralds to me, when the police fulled to uchleve any thing whatever, nnd I have complete confidence In him. If that really Is your Intention, It Is my opinion you nre nbout to make fools of your selves." Inspector Arkwrlght looked both surprised nnd Irritated. "I nm here with full authority, my huly," he said abruptly, "and my task Is to clear this matter up. Out of consideration for you, I have come here quite openly, and what my In tentions are I must nt the moment keep to myself." "It Is Spencer's nfternoon off, I be lieve," snld Lady Krythea coldly. "I do not think he Is on the premises." The Inspector wus plainly taken aback by his reception. Ills lips tight ened to n thin line. Just then n po Ilcemnn on n bicycle came riding rap idly nlong the drive. It was Constable Poison. "Hog pardon, sir," he said, dis mounting and saluting the inspector, "hnvo you found the man you are looking for here?" "Why?" said Arkwrlght abruptly. "Well, sir, I know him hy sight, of course," said l'olson In a lower voice "the chauffeur, I mean and as I came off the Stanhoo road awhile ago, I saw somebody like him crossing the forty-acre field and going towards the crag-pits. I thought I'd bettor hurry on and tell you. I'm sure It was be." "Kxcellentl You. are a man that keeps his eyes open," exclalmel In spector Arkwrlght. "Come, l'un'.jc leave the car here. l'olson, sho.v us the wny." The three of them departed to gether hurriedly In the direction of tho park boundnry. Lady Krythea stared after them with mingled anger and anxiety. She waited for some time on the steps, pondering, und then went slowly in doors. Her yes were troubled. Tho three police, crossing the park, left It by n wicket gate near the sweet-briar clump. After a short con sultation with l'olson, Inspector Ark wrlght gave an order. Tho three men sprendlng out In a wide semi-circle, stalked the crag-pits b wuy of thq, lower meadow. n, CHAPTER XXIII Jack the Climber. Mr. William Spencer, nfter arriving In the fnllow-lleld where stood the clump of bushes that hid the broken Indian motorcycle, made a rapid sur vey of the situation. He resumed his task of quartering tho ground for trucks. This, being unfruitful, occupied but n little time. lie gnvo It u and went forward again, dipping down Into the crug-pItK beyond. Hilly had formed upon the factors already In his possession a theory which appealed to lilin strongly. Ho hoped to prove It. Hut the hope was very slender. "If I'd only got wise to this two days ago," he snld gloomily, "I might hnve done something. Hut there's no snylng how old the trucks nre. And there's so little time." He looked nbout him thoughtfully. Tho area of the crag-pits covered some twenty acres; a wide bottom of red sand studded here and there with tangled bushes. The place was shut In by low red bluffs of conditio crag, with a few gaps In them through which winding paths sloped up to the higher ground. "The soil tells me nothing," said Hilly to himself; "too loose and wind blown to hold a trail more than two clays. Hut there's five maybe six caves, most of them too plain and easy anybody can see 'em. Still, I'll go over them. My own first. 1 guess there's nobody could have found Hint." lie wound his way through the hushes to the screen of brambles that masked the cave where Almce had taken refuge on the night of the bur glary, and after scanning the ground near Its approaches, pushed the briars aside and entered cautiously. The cave was empty save for that super motorcycle, the Flying Sphinx, which stood waiting In patient dumbness at thu far end, weeping slow tears of oil Into a little pool beneath the silencer. Hilly laid a baud upon his Aral) steed, and sighed. Then his face brightened nmazlngly. "Your llme'll come again and mighty soon!" he said with affection. He turned, and left the cave. It was holy ground to him now; for one night It had been Almee's refuge. He passed farther along the pits, Inspecting a second and much more obvious cave on his way. lie was Just about to emerge from It when some thing caught Hllly's eye, on the far side of the pits, lie shrank back quickly Into tho cave's mouth and flat tened himself against the wall, watch ing. The object which gave film pause was very small, and fully four hun dred yards distant. Hut It showed against the sky-line and to the eye of a frontiersman anything that cuts thu sky-line, and that move's ever so little, Is at once apparent. Whnt Hilly saw was the upper part of a head, peering over the edge of the little cliff on the opposite side. A pair of shoulders followed the head, and their owner was obviously watching the pit with n desire to dis cover whether the coast was clear. Thero was n curious furtlveness about tho figure that presently appeared, ami dropping down the cliff by a steep path reached tho lower ground and crossed It nt n run. Hilly crept from the gloom of tho cave's mouth nnd, crouching behind tho briar bushes, peered through them eagerly. Tho running figure was a woman n small woman clad In a khakl-colored dust-cloak, carrying a little red bundle. Sho ran with n btuoplug gait, bending low as she threaded between the bushes, she reached a point against the cliff on Hllly's side, three bundled yards (tir ther along, close hy a tangle of under growth. Thero she halted, nnd, look ing round her quickly, disappeared with extreme suddenness. "Great Christopher 1" said Hilly. Ho rose to his knees, staring at tho place where she had vanished. His eyes were bright, his fnce had lit up. "I was right," he said In a hushed tone. "Hut, gee I I never thought ot this." He rose, ns If to follow, but on sec ond thoughts subsided again and waited. He remained there fully ten minutes, when the figure reappeared, and hurried along the pit bottom in his direction. Hilly wormed himself hurriedly un der the tangled briars at some cost to his skin. The woman passed him within seventy yards, walking rapidly. She wus no longer carrying the bundle. When she hnd pnssed, Hilly ireoped nfter her. Though he could not seo L I The Running Figure Wa3 a Woman. her face, ho hnd not the slightest doubt who sho wns. Sho disappeared round the bend of the pits. Hilly cxtrlcntcd himself cautiously from the bush and waited for soma time on his knees, staring in tho di rection she had taken. Thero was nothing more to be seen of her. Then, springing to his feet he sprinted to the spot where she had llrst vunlshed with tho bundle. The bushes partially cloaked tho mouth of one of the many crag caves; tho entrance wa's not dllllcult to find when one wns close to It. Hilly walked In without hesitation. lie found pre cisely whnt he expected. On the floor of the wive, stretched upon a couch of dry bracken, lay n man. He was not a spectacle which In any way gladdened tho eye. He was big and lusty of limb; what little could be seen of his fnce through a week's growth of brown stubble was haggard. His beak of a nose Jutted between two fierce deep-sunk eyes. Ono of his legs was extended, and swathed from foot to knee In drlpplng-wot cal ico bandages that looked as If they had been ripped from a woman's gar ment. Hilly found himself looking down the muzzle of a small repeating pistol, held Hi a hairy but very steady list. "Stop right where you nre," said the occupant of the cave, reclining on ono elbow. "Don't move u step forward, nor yet 11 step back. Get ineV Hilly stopped obediently. He f ni ctitated the distance between them to be a dozen feet; there was no likeli hood of capturing the pistol before tho bullet struck him. The eyes of the man showed that lit- meant busi ness. He was In fact, less like a man than a crippled wolf. "Jack the Climber," snld Hilly blandly, "I am pleased to meet yw. I've been looking for you quite u while." "Don't give me that fool name!" snarled tho caveman. "My name Is Jake." "Anything to oblige. Mr. .Tnke, there's the little matter of the Jer vaulx burglary against you, among others." "What are you ghln' me!" retorted Jake. "The bluff doesn't go," said Hilly. "Your motorcycle's yonder In the clay pit. All the cards are out." The man's face twitched. "Are you the police?" "Xo," said Hilly. Jake stared at tho tall form In from of him, and emitted a startled oath. "I b'lleve you're tho guy that slugged me, last Saturday night," he said. "Quite correct." "You're on your own, eh?" Jnke's head craned forward, his eyes on Hllly's face. "And alone, I guess!" "Do you take me for a fool?" said Hilly calmly. Tho man shivered. Tho expression In his eyes was dreadful. "See hero!" he said sullenly. "You've got me sot- I can't move. I'm up against it. I know they'll pull me. Well, I'll tuko my dose. I'll throw my hnnd In!" "Wise of you." "Let her rjc-1" said Almee, breathlessly. "Let her nol" (TO 11B CONTINUED.) Honest. "Can you pick out a good canta loupe." "Not even for myself," replied thu truthful grocer. SUMS - xp tv f r .4?