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About The Red Cloud chief. (Red Cloud, Webster Co., Neb.) 1873-1923 | View Entire Issue (April 12, 1923)
RED OLOUD, NEBRASKA, CHIEF The Joy of Living By SIDNEY GOWING Illustrations by ELLSWORTH YOUNG CHAPTER XXIII Continued. 11 "nut," snld Juke with devilish fe rocity, "I'vo got you, too." lie raised one knee, anil rested IiIh phtd linntl on It. "If I give it to yon, there's Homcthlti' I'm goln' to linvo you do llrst.. You'll take my forms itn' do what I ask or I'll drop you, right there nnd now." There wiih not the faintest doubt tut t that In; mount wlint lio said. A glance Into his eyes told tho listener that. "Nothing doing," said Hilly quietly. "I don't take orders from a malefac tor. Least of nil at tho point oS u Kim." , "Then." said .lake thickly, "you're cold meat. I guess It's the host way. It gives mo a chance yet." "They don't electrocute In this country," said Hilly, "they hung. Hut they do It very elllclently. You can shoot me In the hack though, If you want to. I'm going to see ahout your exit." He turned dellherntely nnd walked to the mouth of the cave. Jake's linger trembled on the trigger. "Ciiiiiu hack!" ho said hoarsely. There wns something so broken and piteous In the tone, that Hilly turned his head. Jake Hun;; the pistol toward him; It fell on the sand at Billy's feet, und he picked It up. "I can't got you with a gun," gasped .ink, "but listen to what I not lo say, If you're a man! For (Sod's take, listen!" And HIMy listened. Sonm .lilnutos later Hilly stepped out f the cave Into tho sunlight, lie vns looking unusually grave, his lips "Were tight set; his eyes were posi tively harried. He walked n few Heps, muttering to himself. lie Vturtod as a voice called him excited ly by mime, and ho wns aware of Monsieur de J tissue running toward Jilm. "Spencer l" ho cried. "I have been looking for you everywhere. Where Uiu devil have you been? The police hnve Inquired for you at the abbey, and I tblnk they nro not far behind. I thought It well to como nnd warn you." "The police?" Hertrnud turned round shnrply. lie permitted himself a military expres sion that would not pass tho censor. "And hero they nro!" he said, with a gesture of despair. The helmet of Constnblo I'olson ap peared on the brink of the opposite elllT, ahout tho sumo time as 1'anko's peaked cap obtruded Itself over the one behind them, and the felt hat of Inspector Arkwrlght hove In sight nmong tho bramblo hushes below. In n very short time all three men were In the pit, closing strategically upon Billy and Hertrand. "I don't think," murmured Hilly, "that I ever know policemen arrive so so what's tho word?" "A propos." said the Vlcomto grimly, twisting his mustache. "Thanks. That's It." "Is there anything I can do?" "Thanks again, but I think not. We'll see how they play tho hand." "That's him the young one!" ox clnlmed l'linke, as the three ap proached. Inspector Arkwrlght walked up to Hilly, and addressed him by name. "William Spencer?" "That same bird," replied Billy pleasantly. "And mi admirable chnuireur," mur mured de Jussio. "lie drives like the Angel of Heath." Ark wrlght's cold gray eye swiveled upon the speaker. "Who are you, and what ure yon doing hero?" "The Vlcomte do Jussac, at your service. A guest at the abbey. Know ing Spencer was here, 1 ciuno to In form him ho was wanted." t "Oh. All right, sir. He's certainly wanted." Tho inspector turned to iBllly. "Come along, my lnd. Wo nro toverdue at Stanhoo police station." "Does that mean I'm arrested?" The Inspector looked at him search ing! y. "That will depend on circumstances. Iluve you any objection to accompa nying mo?" "I've no objection to anything. This la my afternoon off. Hut may I take it you are looking for the enterprising fellow who burgled the abbey?" "I Include that among my activi ties," said Arkwrlght sardonically. "Then this Is your lucky day. lie's In tho cavo there." "In the cave?" said Arkwrlght, Btarlng. "If you'll step this way," Bald Hilly, "I'll show you." He turned toward tho bushes. Ark wrlght, after a moment's hesitation, uccompunlcd him, and motioned to Inspector 1'anko to follow. Hortrund brought up tho rear. Hilly led them Into tho cave. Jnkc, prostrate on his couch of bracken, greeted them with u sullen etaro. Inspector Arkwrlght looked at him at the bunduged leg, the stubble covered fuce, and deep-set eyes. Tho handkerchief with tho broken food Was no longer visible. "That' your jaw." said Blly. "known to the popular press as Jack the Climber; but I gather he prefers to be called Jake- think wo ought to humor him so fur. Ills motor cycle Is In the clay pit up tho slope. His leg Is rather hiully hurt." "See If he's shamming," said Ark wrlght briefly to Piinkv, "Do I look us If 1 wns shamming, you guzubool" growled Jnke. Ho certainly did not. Inspector Arkwrlght put a question to him, which Jake did not answer; nor did he look at the Inspector bis eyes were fixed on Hilly. Not a word of reply would the captlvo vouchsafe to any of Arkwrlght's queries. Hilly took tho Vlcomto by the arm, led him outside, and drew a long breath. "(Sot a cigarette?" bo said nnx loiisly. "I gave my list one to Jake." Kcrlraml produced his case. "Hut what a triumph I" ho said with a dazed air. "It's not tho sort I enjoy," replied Hilly, "hut I had to see It through." Tlie two Inspectors emerged. "I'unko," said Arkwrlght, "there's a gate in the field-fence Just up there, 1 think. Will you anil 1'olson lift it S( "Seo If He's Shammlnn," Said Ark wrlght. off its hinges nnd bring It here? Wo must get tho mun out ; ho can't walk." Ho turned abruptly to Hilly. "And now will you explain, Mr. Spencer?" "Sure," said Hilly. "I bellevu you know It was I who came ncross the thieves on tho night of the holdup, and got knocked out. It seems to have been taken for granted the pair of them made a get-nway on their ma chine, nnd likely were half across England by morning. I wasn't so sure. The case was Important for me, too, for It looted as if 1 was going to bo suspected. "I happened to come across some tracks of a cycle tiro on the Held here; they were old and faint, hut they set me thinking. 1 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, ami made out that the motorcycle, alter the scrap, canio buck along tho road yon der. The trucks are there yet If you've eyes to seo them. I guess the machine was half-crippled, and they were driving It too hard. I j,indo m,'t that It crashed again a had crash that time. Do you follow mo?" "Yes," said tho amazed Arkwrlght, "but bow" "Here's a piece of tho machine found It on tho road," said Hilly, handing him the scrap of metal. "The tracks didn't go on. So what became of tho machine? I found the tire marks passing through a gateway Into the field. "What did that say? That they could wheel tho machine, though they couldn't drivo 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 machine, a twin Indian, over In tho old clay pit, under some brushwood. "Whnt did the two of them do then? You can fee by the tracks In Uie field that one of them wns dead lame. So lame that he had to ho carried or dragged, half of tho way. It must have taken quite a while. They couldn't lie fur off, and, to cut it short, I searched tho pits through and found Jake where ho Is. 1 didn't get wise to It till now. He's got a leg so badly sprained thnt a compound fracture wouldn't have laid him up much more thoroughly. And here you ure, In spector, Just In tho nick of time, as the story-books say. Of course," added Hilly, "you'd have found It out yourself as soou as you got to work. I happened to bo on the spot, that's all. And I Bhnll bo obliged If you'll say nothing about my slmro In It, at headquarters. Thief-catching Isn't renliy In my line I'm a motor-engi-necr, und It might do mo harm to have It known I was wasting time on things that aren't my business." Inspector Arkwrlglit .gazed, at Bllli' Copyright 1922 by Sidney Cowing dumbly. Arkwrlght wus not a man of ungenerous Instincts. "I call that a very rcmnrknble piece of work for an amateur," he said ungrudgingly. "I suppovo I've set your mind at rest, that I'd nothing to do with the burglary myself? You're not uchlng to haul me oft to the station house any more? Or are you?" Inspector Arkwrlght regarded Hilly thoughtfully. "No," be replied quietly, "but there are one or two points that have to be cleared up yet." Hilly took some papers from n pock ctbook and handed them to Ark wrlght. "If you want Information ns to my Identity," he said, "you might look through those." The Inspector did so. Ills usunlly Immobile face gave a twitch of sur prise. "Thank you. I'll keep these for the present," bo said, with n change of manner. "I will have n word with you nt the abbey, Mr. Spencer, when this business is ofT my bands." "I'll be there," said Hilly, with an Inward twinge of anxiety. I'anke and the constnblo arrived, carrying n gate between them, which was taken Into the envo. The pros trate Jake wns lifted onto It, and borne out Into the open. "Wait! Set him down," said Ark wrlght suddenly. "He's snfe. any how. We've got to get the other one." Ho turned to Hilly. "You've seen nothing of her the woman?" Hilly gave him n stare of undis guised amazement. "The woman?" ho exclaimed. Juke threw away the stub of his cigarette. "Yes Calamity Kutol" said Ark wrlght Impatiently. 'Good Lord, man, can't you see she must he somewhere here, too? She's been bringing him food and water, and tending Ids leg how else could he hnve lived there six days when he can't move?" "Great Christopher!" said Billy. "I suppose you're right." "The prisoner refuses nny informa tion. Hut I'll have tho pair of them," said Arkwrlght grimly. "I" "I suggest," broke In I'anke, who was dinting nt being thrust Into u sub ordinate part, "that wo get this man away as soon ns possible, and flint two of us wait In the cave. The woman probably visits it only nt night, and tho next time she comes with sup plies, we shnll get her." "The weak point about thnt," 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 nlrcudy. We'll search these pits thoroughly first. There are half n dozen of these caves, and we'll go through them nil. Mr. Spencer, I'll trouble you to remain by the prisoner. I'anke, you and the constable try thnt envo opposite, and I'll take this side." Inspector Arkwrlght strode forward with stern determination. "The bag is not complete," he said grimly, "till I've got thnt woman I" CHAPTER XXIV "Sisters Under Their Skins." Almoe came as near to sheer panic ns she had over been yet when, nfter overhearing from her coign of van tage In the second floor window the questions of the police, she saw them Ktnrt for the crag pits. The only bright feature of the situ ntlon, though not dazzllngly bright, was that do Jussuc wns already on his way, In the sumo direction. Sho had seen him go, nnd guessed his errand. Hertrand, nt leust, was au ully. "I'd rather they got mo than Billy!" sho said with a little sob. Tho ono obvious and reasonable thing for Almeo to do, was to remain where she was. To Ho low, like Hrer Uuhblt, and take no part In the com ing crisis. As u nntural consequence, It was precisely tho thing which her mind refused to entertain. If uniy was going to meet trouble, she deter mined to bo on tho spot. There was no knowing to whnt lengths he might go, In his passion for self-sacrifice. Ten minutes later Almeo was In tho bushy dip of ground lending Into tho crag pits. Tho pollco were well ahead of her, converging round the far end. Almeo had taken some trouble to nvold being seen by them. At the moment she could not seo them at nil, and took It for granted they could not seo her either. Hendlng low and running between the bushes, Almeo mado for tho en trance of tho Sphinx's cave. It seemed to her that must bo where Hilly had gone. On arriving at tho mouth, howover, she discovered hor mistake. Through a gap In tho brush wood sho caught sight of Hilly a con siderable distance farther along the pits. And with him was do Jussac. The pollco arrived ulmost linmedl utely nfterward. Alraee, crouching be hind tho bushes, wutched tho meeting. Hor throat felt dry nnd hot, her bunds opened and shut nervously. Sho hesitated, uncertain what to do. Would Hilly "gt uwu with It?" A gleam or hope and confidence re turned. Hilly hud u wonderful knuck of getting uway with things. She saw the party disappear Into the cave nearest them; she witnessed the emergence of Hilly, and was aware of a certnln relief of tension when tho pollco returned and spoke with him. Finally, wondering us she wutched, Almeo observed the arrival of the gate saw tho prostrate body of Juke carried Into the open. The distance was considerable. Hut the significance of that pathetic figure on the gate came honiu to her. Almeo was not slow of comprehension. She began to realize tho meaning of it all. Tho police had what they wanted. Tho captive could bo no other than Jack the Climber himself. Hilly had "got nway with It" with u vengeance. Almeo was staring dumbly nt the group, when she heard u faint animal like noise close beside her. She turned shnrply, to Had that sho was not alone. A woman, In n stained nnd ragged dust-cloak, was crouching behind the screen of brumbies n few yards uwiiy. She was young, mid not ill-looking, save for the deathly pallor of her face and tho disorder of her hair. Indeed, there wus u wild glpsylsh beauty about her, that survived oven the hunted expression In her eyes. She wns staring through the bushos nt tho distant group. "They got him I" she said In n strangled whisper. She huddled her self together trembling. "An' they'll get me, too. Lot 'em. No good ny runnln' for It. "I ilunno who you nro!" sho mut tered. "What you doln' here? Are you goin' to gli.:ine away?" Almeo did n t move. Her heart beat fast. Hut :hero was no menace in the woman's ,es; only an expres sion so broken nnl piteous thnt some how a lump came Into Almee's throat. Sho had not the faintest doubt who this hunted w. nan was. "You Miow ho I nin," tho woman said thickly; "I can seo It In your face." Sho came n step nearer. "An you goln' to call out?" Almeo did not answer that question. "Is be much hurt?" she said quietly, looking towards the distant group round the mun on the gate. "Hurt?" said Calamity Kate. "He sinnshed himself days ago, It was." She had subsided on the sand, nnd 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 hud to carry him." "roul" said Almee, looking wonder Ingly at tho girl's slight figure. "Ves. me. It took me hours. Car ried film on "hie back somehow. When It came daylight, I found tho cave. Got him In. I ripped up me skirt to blindage him. I stole food for him, nights. In two or three days more I guess he'd hnvo been able to get away. Now they've got him, nn they'll have me." Sho rocked herself gently to and fro. "It'll be h 1 for .Tnkol" she snld thickly. "To know they've got me I" Sho looked nt Almee. "If I could go with him If they'd put us both In the snino Jug I wouldn't cure. Hut they don't do thut." Sho gave a great sob. "I'd give me life to get him out of It. Hut he's done, and he'll know they'vo got me. It'll bo h 1 for him My mnn!" An unreasoning flood of tears came luto Almee's eyes. Sho looked once "Aro You Goln' to Glmmo Away?" moro towards tho group. Tho police were spreading out across the pits, moving in her direction. "My man!" sobbed Knto. "You lovo him?" suld Almee halt ingly. "lie's my husband 1" said tho wom an. Sho Hung herself face down wards on tho sand, and wept. Suddenly Almeo stooped und caught her by the shoulder. "Come with mo I" she said swiftly, und, turning, crept In through the screen of brambles, Into tho cavo. Kate looked up comprehendlngly, Then, with tho Instinct of the hunted animal she dived through tho bushes and went to ground. Tho girls found themselves together In tho cool gloom of the cave. Kate stared ut Almeo with wonder ing eyes. "I'm sorry for you!" said Almeo unsteadily. "I never thought," snld Kato, "to And any. woman sorry for me." She glanced round the walls of the cave. "They'll find me here Just the same." "They may not." Almee, very pale, looked nt the fugitive. "Don't you think," she snld, "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 or the Plying Sphinx, standing In the dim light nt the cave's end. "What's that?" she exclaimed, and moved swiftly to the machine. Almee watched her. "You couldn't ride It," said Almee, "not even If the wny was clear." "I can ride anything with an engine to It!" said Kate desperately. There was n gleam of hope In the hunted eyes; already her linnds were busy with the levers; searching, examining. But she stopped, bullied. Tho controls of tho Sphinx1 were too much for her. The next moment Almeo wns beside her. "Thnt's tho throttle!" said Almee swiftly. "Here's tho starter this changes the gear you hnve to bo careful with the Intnke. On the sec ond speed she goes over the roughest ground like n bird on the level rond she'll do eighty. If you could get her out clear of tho bushes but you'd never get nway with It" Tho woman turned to hor, gapping. "Will you let mo try?" she ex clalmcd. It was then that n shock of revul sion came over Almee. This wns the female rattlesnake who hnd nearly killed Billy, and caused nil the trouble. Why should Almeo feel pity? The broken mnn In tho hands of tho po lice A rustic among the bushes nt the cave's mouth innite tho two women turn quickly. De Jussac, stepping in side, hulled and stared blankly tit them both. "Ton thousand devils!" exclaimed Bertram!, momentarily startled out of politeness. "You needn't be frightened for me." snld Almee qufrkly. "She'll do me no hnrm." Bertrnnd's active brain took In the situation briefly. "No harm!" he said. "Name of a name! If tho pollco found you here with thnt!" Almee turned very white. Thnt as pect of the case had not even occurred to hor. In the stress of now emotion, the realization of danger to herself had been crowded out. If she had t( explain to the pollco . . . "Yes," said Almee quietly. "If they come here I'm done for." Tho strident voice of Inspector Ark wrlght wns heard, very close at hand. Monsieur de Jussac .pushed his wny out through tho brambles nnd re gained the open air. The three police men together were converging towards tho spot. "Another enve there!" cried Inspec tor Arkwrlght. "I thought so. This wny, I'anke!" De Jussac halted before the en trance, nnd, 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. "Aro you certain?" ho said, coming forward nguln. "I hnve proved It," said Bertrand, "at much expense to my skin. Curse these briars!" "All right." said Arkwrlght. turning away; "push on and search tho other end, I'anke. No use wasting time here. I think we're on n fool's errand after all." The three police passed out of sight round the bend of tho pits. There was a long pause. Almee's face peered cautiously through tho branmbles. "What n fenrful liar you are. Vl comto!" she said with mingled re morse nnd admiration. Bertrand, without turning; bowed gravely. ' "I do my best," ho murmured, "In defense of n lady with such n genius for getting Into dlfllcultles. Hut let mo beg of you to remain where you are." "Are tho police out of sight?" suld Almeo eagerly. "For the present, yes. They are away round the corner all three. Hut they may come bnck." A moment's silence followed the warning. Then the brambles parted, and the Flying Sphinx enme thrusting through. Knto wns beside It, hor linnds gripping the bars, her faco white nnd strained, hor teeth tight set. She gave a swift glance to either side, and began to run tho machine' down the slope. Do Jussac, with an nmazed excla mation, turned to Intercept her. He found n hnnd detaining lilin; Almee had gripped lilin by the arm. "Lot her go!" said Almee breath lessly. "Let her go!" "Name of a name I" snld Bertrand blankly. But ho obeyed. There was llttlo choice. Already Calamity Kato was well down the slope, running lie side the free-wheeling Sphinx thnt gnth ered more nnd more Impetus by Its own weight. The deftness with which tho womnn steered It between tho clumps of bushes wns astounding. "Sho hasn't a dog's chance," said Almeo with a gulp, "but what chance tliero is let her tako It." "A nation of sportsmen quoll" murmured Hertrand with n pnralyzed ulr. He glanced to tho left, where the police had disappeared round the shoulder of tho bluff. There was still no sign of them. Knto, renchlng the trodden path nt tho bottom, turned sharp to tho right and swung herself Into the saddle. "It Is one's duty to stop her," said Bertram!, twlflfcng his mustache In perplexity. "But ono does not hunt a womnn." "She'll never get started on that ground," said Almee. The engine llred, stopped, Ilred again the wheels threw up spirts of sand, then getting onto harder ground the machine ran swiftly ahead with the faint pulsing whirr thut was tho Sphinx's song of triumphant progress. She shot forward much too fast, ami was only Just controlled In time. No other eyele than the Sphinx could hnve mado good over such ground; no other could have sailed so elllclently nnd noiselessly up flui stoop path through the gap towards IfVitttf "tOTO He Uttered a Hoarse Cry. ( tho higher ground at the far end. It was a wonderful exhibition of riding. Ah the fugitive sped by, Billy, stand ing on guiird beside the captive Jake, turned and stared !n pet rilled amaze ment. Jake raised himself to n sitting po sition on the gate, and stared, too. Ho littered a hoarse cry almost a cheer. The Sphinx nnd Its rider breasted the crest of the rise, staggered, und sailed uway out of view. CHAPTER XXV M; Two of a Kind. Almeo gave a little gurgle of excite ment ns the Sphinx vanished. "She's away! And I don't believe they've teen her! If she can stick to It over the field to the gate, there's open rond before her and she's clear 1" Almee turned to de Jussac with shining eyes. He shrugged his shoul ders faintly. "A supremely foolish act, mademoi selle," said Bertrand. "slie wns n trouble Just as I'vo been. Everybody's shielded mo at their own risk," said Almee defiantly. "How could I do less for her?" "Alns, tho morals of tho age!" said Bertrand, nnd bo laughed gently. "A sermon would not become me I also am n coadjutor. I wilt observe the movements of the enemy." JIo climbed quickly onto the shoul der of high ground that divided them from the end of the pit, nnd returned In a few moments. "Obviously our Industrious pollco did not set! her," he said; "they are now searching tho Inst of tho caves." "Then it's time I got bnck Into mine," said Almee turning to dive back Into her retreat. "Not so!" exclaimed Bertrand quick ly, catching her by the hand. "That Is no place for you." "Why?" "Tho gentleman from Scotland Yard will searcli It before he leaves he took my word for the moment, but lie will make sure. It was merely that ho wns In n hurry. You must get out of this while you can : like your friend tho lady burglar. Como along!" suld Ber trand, setting oft nt a run nnd pulling her with him. "You're right 1" ejnculated Almee. With long strides they sped round tho clump of bushes, Almeo In tow of Rop trnnd, nnd, turning sharp to tho right, scurried up one of the steep paths that led out of the pits. Billy suffered yet ono more shock ns the pair of them camo Into his field of vision. He gaped at them, hardly ahio to believe his eyes. In u few moments tiiey hnd passed; Almee readied tho top of tho pit, nnd Bertrand glnnced ap prehensively back lu tho direction of tho police. "All clear!" he gasped, utterly out of breath. "Get to tho road get out of sight. Back to tho abbey, dear lady, and for pity's sake stay there, for you are very wearing. Go !" "Thanks, awfully!" panted Almee, and depnrted ns fast as her logs would carry her. Do Jussac retreated Into tho pit, mopping his brow. Taking no no tico of the frantic signals of Billy ho returned to tho enve, dived Into It, took a hurried look round nnd kicked plenty of loose sniid over a pool of ol! that was tho sole legacy of tho Sphinx, lie left the place with a sigh of relief and, encountering the search party of police, permitted himself to smllo; "Nothing doing!" snld Inspector Ark wrlght. "I'anke, will you go back? Bring tho car down over tho meadow; we'll get tho man on It, clear tho pits, and set a wotdi In the cavo whore wo found him." IIo moved townrds tho Into stable of tho Sphinx. "But I'm going to look through this plnco and inalco sure." (TO BE CONTINUED.) Wasto waters from fish oil plants yield materials useful for fertilizer aud for. Boultxx food. r ) ,
