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Oopj-rii. lUw e taiel SStibeltea Ouponrto.
NIMH EPISODE
VitfflJped
FROM bla concealment amid the shrubbery
Ned Warner rose to rush forward as the
brilliantly lighted limousine, with lta gay
parry of five, swept down the drive of the
Vlilard home. His eyea were burning, be waa
breathing heavily, and his fingers were curved like
claws, for In a moment more he Intended to grapple
by the throat the black Vandyked face bent smiling
ly over Ned's lovely runaway bride.
At that Instant three shadowy figures sprang also
from amid the shrubbery, two men and a woman.
There waa no outcry and scarcely any struggle.
Ned Warner found himself suddeuly soiled from be
hind, a rough s'ecve across bis mouth, bis arms pin
ioned. He was lifted bodily and thrown as Gilbert
Blye, with the grace and gallautry only possible to
polished man of the world, assisted the radiant
June Warner from his luxurious limousine.
The deserted groom, bis head still held In vise
like grip and his mouth stopped, saw bis bride enter
the house, surrounded by the gay group, the darkly
handsome Blye on one side and the white musUched
Ortn Cunningham on the other.
It was Marie wbo made the gag to slip in Ned's
mouth. Then Marie slipped back of tbe bouse. The
two men, one apparently a chauffeur, referred to as
Henri, and the other t gardener, picked Ned up and
followed her. As they passed tbe brightly lighted
library Ned saw June's colUe greet ber with the
height of rantue Joy, saw Cunningham and Blye
making friends with the dog, then saw the twin
kling eyed Cunningham alt In cozy corner with
Jnoe and begin an animated tete-a-tete. The chauf
feur and the gardeDer shrank back In among the
bushes with their helpless burden.
TH-ie came a high powered racer whizzing down
tee drive, Tbe man let himself in with s latchkey
fT. 1 1 T f """" --J mmtp r- r-
- , V fe ' - ' .
'W1AIS THL MATTLR. MARIE. ? "
and, with his hands In bis pockets, strolled noncha
lantly Into the parlor.
Mrs. Vlilard, talking with Gilbert Blye and Tom
my Thomas, turned, and as she saw the newcomer
ber eyes widened Imperceptibly and a look of con
ern flashed down across ber gentle countenance.
"Well, Bert, you're a surprise," she said.
"That's my best trick." he drawled, kissing Mrs.
Vlilard perfunctorily. "Hello, Tommy! Howdy do,
Blyer
Vlilard was Impressed as his eyes fell upon the
fresh beauty of June.
"Mr. Vlilard, Mrs. Wsrner." The Introduction was
very cold, and again that concern flickered for t
moment on Mrs. Vlllard's face as she saw ber hus
band's eager Interest "My companion," she added,
and Cunningham and Tommy Thomas, glancing at
each other, smiled.
With a careleta nod to Cunningham, Vlilard walk
il over to June and, lak1f her band, held It while
he smiled down at ber with such obvious admiration
that tbe helpless bound and gagged man beyond the
library window lurched free from bis captors and
t listed at his bonds until they almost cut Into bis
rists.
Marie came back from the corner and motioned.
The chauffeur and tbe gardener followed with the
buaband of the beautiful young girl, who was then
. smiling her courteous responses to the dissolute Bert
Vlilard. Marie eid quickly ai-rosg the shadowy
back lawn to the garage and ojiened the door.
"He's not to talk, and he's not to come near the
house," she wblsiered aa the men passed her with
their burden. She caught Ned s indignant eyes fixed
on ber, and that glare threw her Into a panic.
"Whatever you do, don't hurt blm!" she hastily add
ed. "In't hurt blm!"
Outside the door Marie paused. Her eyes were
distended until tbey were perfectly round, and her
high cheek bones gleamed white. She put the
knuckle of her light hand against her teeth and
looked over at the garage. She pulled at the lobe
of her ear with her left hand and looked In the
house. 8!e started back, and she started forward,
and she turned around in a half circle. She wna
well Bigb distracted with the weight of tier great
wret. was Marie- If she b.ld Miss Juuie that Mr.
l was lu the garage there'd 1 an end of every
iiiug. aud maybe It would be all for the best, or
ua Junle uilcht run away again from such com
i.. liable surroundings, and It would tie all for the
vtn. Murle sat down and pulled ber thumb; theq
the Jumped up and pulled the otbei- thumb. Tbe
piano began a auccesalon of silvery notes. June, and
over ber beat the Inordinately tall Vlilard.
"Well!" said the gardener In the dimness of tbe
garage, and he bruabed his arms. It waa all the
rest they needed. (Is turned ponderously toward
their captive, whom they had deposited In corner
on a bench. The gardener's one wod waa a ques
tion, ac iHinttleu of relief and an eiprseakm of
complete and thoetmgh bewilderment. He a
Iroed vede. and kla a nam kunf .-"Hied ni'i
rous- !es.
"1 kniw asMfctiis." lauftivd tbe wiry Utile chauf
feur. He was s Fiwtmaa wttk f. 'i'4"tte'el
mustactn fca4 a qtck eye aad i rhliiiae Jo.' in
everythlne Tie tat Id of the hne mademoi
selle telepVsxes from the pa u try to the garage that
there Is a man near the hedge who must not come
near mademoiselle, who must not speak, to whom
nothing must be said, and all must be prompt! V oi
ls! I am Henri, and all of action. I call my friend
Jens." And he tapped' the huge Swede approvingly
on the chest. "I bring my friend Jens swiftly by
tbe mere force of my enthusiasm. We glide through
the bushes so, like a snake. No!" He laughed and
smote bis friend Jens on the wide chest "I.Ike a
snake and a bull. We creep up behind tbe inter
loper. We pounce upon him so, like a cat. No!
Like a cat and a hippopotamus. We bear him to
tbe earth. Mademoiselle tripe lightly from ber car,
a vision, a dream, a ravisbmeut!" And he wafted a
kiss to the general abstract of beauty. "The charm
ing mademoiselle is safe. Tbe interloper Is here.
VollaT
Wide Jens reached his band Into his pocket for a
pipe and glanced over to where Ned sat quietly In
tbe corner.
"Well!" he said.
"Walt," replied Henri. '1 shall alt here placidly.
I shall smoke a cigarette; perhaps two. I shall
think."
Ned Warner stirred Impatiently. He gave another
tug at the ropes which bound his wrist, but It was
only an Involuntary test He must rest before be
made another determined attempt to free himself.
He gave a audden wrench at his bonds, struggling
so fiercely to loosen tbem that be rose and reeled
toward the door.
Huge Jens Janssen stopped Ned from falling.
Tbe chauffeur laughed, and, springing from his
seat In the touring car, he jumped np, cracked bis
heels together and snapped the fingers of both
hands. "I hare the grand plan to dispose of our
NLD A PRISONER
friend the Interloper! We shall teach him a ride of
Joy"' He pointed to a car.
Jens Janssen stooped and circled one arm around
Ned Warner's middle and deposited his violent load
in the tonneau.
Marie In the pantry hall stood wringing a corner
of her dainty little lace apron; then she dashed back
Into the servants'' hall and folded her arms tightly
upon the hollow at her waist She dared not leave
Mr. Ned where he was! She dared not do anything,
and yet she must! She burst out of the rear door,
waa across the porch In two strides, down the steps
in one Jump and went swishing for the garage. Aa
she came the touring car shot from the opposite
door and went whizzing up tbe drive, Henri In front
and In tbe tonneau Ned and huge Jens Janssen.
CHAPTER IU
A
T parting Gilbert Blye held June's hand be
tween both his and patted It gently, nis
black eyes glowing down at her, and he
was smiling upon her with that suave smile
which she had come to trust
Tomorrow night at dinner," be said, lowering bis
voice the slightest particle as If the remark were
addressed In confidence to ber, though the others
were crowded eagerly round.
There was an Instant of hesitation.
'Then aboard the yacht!" exclaimed Tommy
Thomas. She waa looking at June, her deep red
Hps parted In a smile. June's cheeks paled. After
all, as Mrs. Vlllard's companion It was her duty to
go on this trip.
"Shall we take Bouncer?" suggested the pleasant
ly modulated voice of Blye.
"Of course Bouncer shall go!" June declared, and
this time the handsome collie, on his feet lu an In
stant, wagged his tall so vigorously that his hind
feet slid.
There was Instant gratification In the faces sur
rounding June.
Far away In the night Henri was speeding north
ward. Every now and then be turned to look back
and laugh, where Jens Janssen sat stolidly puffin
his pliie. one Immense hand constantly on the arm
or the knee of Ned Warner.
"VoIIb!" crM Ilenrl In high glee as the sharp
night wind cut past his face.
"Well," grunted Jens In liuife content.
June put herself Into the bands of the agitated
Mniie very thoughtfully after the visitors had gone.
"Vi:it Is the nintier, Mi'rie?" June' tone was
quit solicitous. She became suddenly aware that
Marie had been (n such a state of nervous excite
ment as she had never ethlhited before.
"Nothing, Mlsa Junta; nothing at all! I'm afraid '
of burglars!"
"Why. Marte, eoiue berr Marie came slowly
over, nervously kutaftig aotn. knotted pink thing
U her Muds. "Yovr eyes ar feverish. Tou must
f to l-..l. .Viirie Wait. Brbg k-c my medicine
and g'Mt M alr.'
Meekly let vlia Jui gnve ber, bit later
.! ditt d-.- vM sialrs aaJ at-cakid (.'rose to
the !rage. Kry!
At that moccnt Nd Warner, his hanfs and feet
still bound an-,1 his ooi.ih still gspxed, was being
gleefully die"-J !n deserted woodcutter's shed
It tbe middle f vast, Moak grv. Tkreugh the
trwj th c uH(M giin'rd o wta and
th shadows lay lu f:.custi, teiMed
patterns on tbe uilial'e.
Dawn. The red glow of the sunrise, tittering
through the mist of the morning, stole In at tbe
open door of the Vlllnrd garage and found Marie,
with her flats folded .under ber arms and the tip of
ber frosty nose In her elbow, loudly snoring.
She llmied over to the house, plodded up to her
room, dressed herself with numb fingers and after
half an hour of dull eyed thought Bt-rawled this
note, which she laid on June's bed:
Dear MImi Junle I am feeling better, thank yw. I
hope you will eeuse me If I take a tew hours off. 1
will be back for lunch. Hoping you are the same. I re
main, yours affectionately, MARIE.
She tiptoed out and hurried down the hill to the
station, where she caught the first commuters' train.
Arriving at the city, she sought Officer Dowd and
prevailed on him to phone Ned's friends and June's
parents that Ned had been kidnaped.
June In a pretty little morning robe was busy
among the flowers in Mrs. Vlllard's boudoir window
conservatory and singing softly when she heard a
footstep behind her. Turning, she saw Vlilard tow
ering above ber, his hands in the pockets of his
lounging robe, and he was grinning.
"Oh!" exclaimed June, startled. "Good morning."
"So this la friend wife's pre.tty new companion."
observed Vlilard. "Well, friend wife has excellent
taste."
June moved away.
"Don't be In a hurry," he chuckled. "We must
get acquainted," and, suddenly reaching forward,
he pufhls hand under ber chin and turned up ber
face. She Jerked away, but he closed the door
4
"THE.N
THE.
toward which she darted and, gathering her In bis
long arms, crushed her to him, raining kiss after
kiss upon her suddenly cold cheek, bis light gray
eyes flaming. June's struggles were futile and her
shrieks muffled, but one pair of ears heard. There
was a crash of glass, the Rash of a long, lithe, white
and brown body through tbe room, and then, with
an oath, Vlilard released bis hold on the fainting
girl. Bouncer! He had sunk his teeth Into Vll
lard's arms, and now he waa a whirlwind of canine
fury.
The man turned pale with fear, kicking and strik
ing at tbe enraged animal.
"Bouncer!"
That cry from June saved Vlllard's life, for the
dog, with a yelp of Joy, was springing for his
throat as he fell. Tbe man lay back. The dog stood
still, motionless. The man's hand moved nervously.
The collie moved precisely that same amount. Vli
lard did not twitch a muscle from that time on, ex
cept to speak.
"Call off the dog!" he ordered.
"Watch hlrn, Bouncer," said June quietly.
June rose from the chair Into which she had limp
ly sunk, but a cold anger had come to replace ber
weakness. She walkeil from tbe room and, going
to the bouse phone in the hull, culled to the kitchen.
"Has Mrs. Vlilard returned?" she inquired of the
mnld who answered.
"Not yet"
"Do you know where to reach her'"
"Any one down at the cottages will bunt her op
and give her your message."
"Ask her to come home Immediately, please. Tell
her it Is qnlte lniortant."
She walked back to the boudoir and glanced In at
the door. The two statues were as she had left
them. At the-sound of her footstep Bouncer wagged
the tip of his tall, hut not for one fleeting instant
did be remove his fiery eyes from the pale gray eyes
of Bert Vlilard.
Mrs. Vlllnrd, hurrying up the stairs within a few
moments, found June In the landing alcove white,
shivering as If with cold.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Vlilard. but I am going at once."
she said before the older woman had even a chance
to speii k
"Why. chlM"-Mrs. Vlllard's face was full of con
cern, but as she stared nt June her brows knotted
dud n flush crept Into tier cheeks "what what Is
the matter?" flie fnlterel.
June was nlrenrty halfway up the stairs. She
iur:i'l. Mrs. Vlilard. wlt'miit 8 word, followed her.
Side by side the two women stood looking at the
man and the dog. Mrs. Vlilard needed no explana
tion to tell ber what had happened. Kor tbe first
time In her married life she gave way to anger.
"You beast!" the cried, her cheeks scarlet and
her eyes flashing. 'This Is the last! I warned you
to leave thla girl alone! I hate you! I could sea
you torn to shreds! Go on, Bouncer!"
The collie crouched at June's feet . '
The man rose cautiously.
"You forget!;' busked the man. "We nave a bar-
gain!"
Mrs. Vlilard lowered her eyes for a moment
"It Is broken!" she suddenly flared. "You have
paid me welt, and 1 have served you well! But we
were not to interfere with each other's life! You
have Interfered wi'i. ulnc! I am through!"
M.e siilped L" v.uda of her rtnga and threw
them st liiin. She rc. from the mora, followed
by June uml Hoim? They heard tbe man tele
phoning for his racer at a nearby garage, and while
Mrs. Vlilard was still packing her clothing her hus
band came along the hall. He stopped, at the door.
"1 don't think you will find that your new line of
work will pay you as well as being my wife," the
man snarled.
Mrs. Vlilard sprang to the door and closed tt In
his face, and Vlllnrd laughed mockingly.
"He Is a beast!" said Mrs. Vlilard and sat down,
as If she wished to say something more. There was
tbe sound of wheels at the door. Mrs. Vlilard sud
denly burled her face In ber hands and cried.
June left ber lobbing ami went to pack ber ?wn
apparel.
Money! Again June was face to face with anoth
er angle of that eternal problem, which. It seemed
to her, bad complicated the entire relationship of
men and women. Mrs. Vlilard had plainly and pal
pably sold herself, and the price Is never great
enough for any woman who has done that. Always
In June's rapidly widening oliservatlon the man gave
and the woman received, and her very dciendenee
made the question "of matrimony one of esseutlal
barter and sale. It waa wrong! It destroyed the
very source and fount of love. Was there no rem
edy? June, shaken though she was by ber painful
experience of tbe morning, was strengthened In ber
own resolve. The answer to the problem was Inde
pendence even though she suffered In tbe attain
ment of It, even though Ned suffered. Their love
would be all the stronger for It, and it would be
pure always.
Could she bave seen Ned at that moment all her
theories and all her deductions would have taken
w W
WrWli ) Mil
ABOARD
YACHT I
swift flight, and ahe would have bathed with her
tears tbe swollen wrist which be bad Just freed
from tbe rough rope that bad bound It
Slowly and with Infinite pain Ned finally freed his
bands. They were quivering as, with a mighty ef
fort be raised them to the back of his bead and
fumbled with the knot which held bis gag In
place. It seemed ages before he was able to remove
that tight bandage. He removed the tight thongs
from around his ankles. He limped awkwardly for
half a mile, bent and stooped like an old man, but
exercise restored him, and by the time be found a
road be was his vigorous self again and full of the
dogged determination which had led him so far In
tbe pursuit of his runaway bride.
Down tbe highway a mile or so he found an
obscure roadbouse, and be strode lo at tbe saloon
door.
While ordering a "bracer" for his shattered nervea
be saw his two captors sitting at a table. He
rushed madly at them and knocked them both to
the floor. Dashing out of the place, he saw their
auto. 'He Jumped In, pressed the starting button
and sped away.
The house of Mrs. Vlllnrd was closed and locked
when Ned arrived there at 'i o'clock in the after
noon. In the meantime June 'and Mrs. Vlllnrd and
Bouncer were snugly ensconced in a pleasant hotel
downtown, and before her at the writing table Mrs.
Vlilard held open a bank book. Its figures repre
sented the price she hud received for the sale of
her ten best years, and she had spent an hour In
the debate of whether to give up her earnings.
June had been taken Into that debute, but she bad
been able to offer no argument on either side. She
had realized at last a great and saddening truth
that every womnn'a problem must be for herself
alone.
Marie meantime, with Officer Dowd as Interpreter,
had telephoned everywhere for news of Ned War
ner, but without result; then In despair she tele
phoned the Vlilard house to excuse her absence to
June. That number did not answer after repeated
trial. Marie, more frantic now than ever and feel
ing sure that she was about to lose her mind, hur
ried straight down to the station and took a train
to the Vlilard place. It was closed, locked.
Just as Marie wns pondering over this remarkable
circumstance there came trudging down tbe drive
a nntty little figure. Its limbs neatly Incased lu
leather leggings. Its rap pushed on the back of Its
hen!, l' 'l"V H"'e tnnstnclie nil fllMJ. It Was
Henri, and In his eyes was very grMt wWBlaOak,
"Where Is Ur. NcdT" screamed Marie.
"Nam of the good Lord!" groaned Henri "Be to
watching the day perbapa. Buch a bsadacnal" A4
Henri pressed his thumping brow.
"Where Is Jeusr
"Vanished! I wake up. Jens la no moret Hs fcaj
had a light, they aay. He has been licked, they lay.
The enormoua ruffian who Is strong enough to bos
my friend Jens has stolen the machine. Her It to.
Volla! Jens must bave returned!"
"Where la Mr. Ned?" she demanded.
"In the woods." Henri wared hit arms compra
bentlrely. "Not tied!"
"As you saw him. Mile. Marie." And one more
Henri waa able to laugh. He blew kiss to the
sky. "It was well executed, mademoiselle. 11 was
Henri, myself, who"
"You take me right out there," the ordered.
"itravo!" he approved. "It . another gooj enter
prise! I have enthusiasm!"
"Then dou't talk about It!" snapped Maris, end
lightly as a cat Henri climbed over bla spare Urea,
plumped Into the seat beside Marie, and away tbey
sped.
At 7:15 that night Bobble and Ida blethering, tbe
latter June Warner's bosomcst of bosom friends,
strolled Into the Cafe New York. Suddenly Iris
grabtied Bobble by the arm, and he turned to ber
in surprise. Iris for tbe first time In her lire waa
speechlexs. and her face was pel, but she could
look. She was staring nt a table !n t ie corner.
There sat the runaway bride, laughing and chatting
happily with a vivacious brunette, a pleasant faced
lady of mature years, a dark, handsome man with
a black Vandyke, a pink fated, white muataehed
man who bore all the evidences of a bon vivant and
a heavy, round headed man with thick eyelids!
Her moment of paralysis past, the hearty iris
made a straight dive for June's table, and it was
Bobble's turn lo clutch her by the arm.
"Look here," he whispered In her ear while he
held her, "what can we do? We Interfered otce
and mussed It all up. Now, the rtgrt tulog to do
Is to telephone Ned."
"I'll sit tight behind thla post and watcb that ta
ble!" Iris promptly decided. "Tot lephooe, and
hurry up. But I do wish I bad a good ptaw to cry!"
Ned was at home when ItoMile raU-4. He waa
ready to start on any Journey In search ot June
and Gilbert Hlye! When he arrived at tbo care e
found Iris ami Bobble Blethering In a state o sev
ering excitement
1 ' .
1 t - iit-.i
v -""ii-'-hTt-
k ' ' '
1 . "Vi.
4 1
TttAT'5
btST TRCK
"You're Just In time!" gasped Ins.
"They're leaving," said Bobbie.
All the pentup murder which bad seethed In Ned
Warner's heart for days flamed Into bis eyes as,
with an onth, he started for the table.
"Stop him, Bobble! Stop him!" suddenly cried
Iris Blethering, and, Jumping In front of Ned, she
threw her arms about bla neck and hung her weight
upon him, while Bobble, also frightened by the ter
rible expression of Ned's countenance. Impeded his
progress on the other side.
Ned had turned to shake off bis clogging friends
when June, drawn by some Intangible force, wheel
ed slowly and looked In that direction.
"Ncdl" she cried. -
Both Cunnlnghnrn and Blye paled as they saw
that movement and what had caused it As by a
simultaneous Impulse they took her by tbe arms,
one on each side, and turned her toward tbe corner
entrance near which they had sat.
"I won't go!" she declared and tried to hang back,
but they forced her out of the door.
Ned Warner saw June's plteoua face as she half
turned It to look back, saw her being kidnaped from
under his very eyes, and. bursting through the group
which Impeded him, he made a dush among the ta
bles and across the restaurant
Too late! He reached the corner entrance only In
time to see Wye's luxurious limousine whirl away
up the street June was frantic ally determined that
she would not go where they were taking her, Mrs.
Vlilard was pale and panic stricken, but tbe other
three carried out their pretense of laughing coer
cion. On the front sent with Scattl, Wyes wide
featured Italian chauffeur, aat T. J. Edwards, tbe
round headed, heavy man, and bla thick lidded ejes
peered constantly back through the glass, and there
was a Arm set to his thick Hps.
There was no one at the lonely dock upon which
the swiftly speeding limousine stopped abruptly, no
one to hear or heed the call for help which June
tried to send up above the noisy laughter of five of
her companions, for now Edwards and Scattl Joined
loudly In the hllnrlty.
There wns a cold, stern voice In June's ear.
"We've hnd quite enough of thla hysteria. You're
going along!" It wns the voice of Gilbert Blye.
It was he who, with Orln Cunningham, forced her
from a lonely dock Into the mntorboat which lay
alongside, and In another moment all except Scattl
were speeding swiftly away toward th long, low
yacht which lay midway of tbe misty river!
TO HF COMTIl'KD