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About Heppner herald. (Heppner, Or.) 1914-1924 | View Entire Issue (March 13, 1923)
Tuesday, March 13, 1923 THE HEPPNER HERALD, HEPPNER, OREGON PAGE THREE L 1 j 3 T IS DIFFICULT to imagine any thing more fasci nating than our new serial story By Sidssey Gowing SYNOPSIS CHAPTER I. Disliking the prospect ot a month's visit to her austere aunt, Lady Krythea Lambe, at Jervaulx abbey, and her cousin, Alexander Lambe, Aimee, vi vacious daughter ot the Very Reverend Viscount Scroope, Is In a rebellious mood. CHAPTER II. She wanders into the fiark, there encountering a strange youth n trouble with a motorcycle. He laugh ingly Introduces himself as "Billy," Amer ican. The two cement the acquaintance by a ride on the motorcycle, the, "Flying Bphlnx," and part. With Georgina Ber bers, her cousin, Aimee sets out for Jer vaulx. On the way she decides that Qeor Itlna shall Impersonate her at Jervaulx, while she goes on a holiday. Georglna's horrified .protest is unavailing. CHAPTER III. Happy In her new free dom, Aimee again meets "Billy." He tells tier his name is Spencer, and she gives hers as Amy Snooks, at presest "out of a job." Billy offers to take her into part nership In selling the Sphinx. In a spirit of madcap adventure, she accepts. The two proceed to the town of Stanhoe, tak ing separate lodgings In Ivy cottage. CHAPTER IV. That night Aimee visits Georgina and learns that the deception has not been discovered. By her dominant personality she compels Georgina to con tinue the subterfuge. CHAPTER V. On a trial spin next day on the Sphinx, with Billy, Aimee almost collides with a carriage In which are her .aunt, Georgina and Alexander. The pair escape unrecognized. CHAPTER VI. Georgina learns that Lord Scroope is coming to visit Lady Ery thea and, realizing what will happen on his arrival, is in hopeless bewilderment. CHAPTER VII. While Aimee is secretly visiting Georgina at Jervaulx, the place is -burglarized. Aimee escapes. CHAPTER VIII. Georgina learns, with much relief, that Aimee has got away. CHAPTER IX. Police Inspector Panke 'decides that the robbery is the work of " Jack the Climber" and "Calamity Kate," noted thieves, who travel on a motorcy- cle. CHAPTER X. Billy, aware of his "partner's" nocturnal Jaunts, is troubled. He follows her, on the Sphinx, to Jer vaulx. He hears the commotion, at once iuspects burglary, and follows two ligures on a motorcycle who are apparently in a dosperate hurry. Cornering the pair, Billy knocks out a man who attempts to shoot him, picking up a package the fellow had dropped. He discovers the other fugitive to be a woman. Stopping to aid her, she strikes him with a stone, rendering him unconscious, and the pair escape. CHAPTER XI. Recovering, Billy dis covers the package he had picked up is a Jewel case, containing emeralds. Realiz ing they must be part of the loot from Jervaulx, he starts for the abbey. On the way he meets Aimee, with the police in pursuit. In a secure hiding place, a cave .among the crag pits, Aimee tells him the whole story. He urges that she make a frank confession to her father, but on re flection both realize Aimee's good name has been compromised by her two nights' SUtV af Ivv cnttap-A CHAPTER XII. Assuring Aimee he has a plan to save her, Billy leaves her in the cave and, proceeding to Jervaulx, re stores the emeralds to the astounded Lady Erythea. CHAPTER XIII. Rejecting any re ward, after explaining how the emeralds came into his possession, Billy accepts the position of chauffeur to Lady Krythea, seeing in the situation a promise of a way out of the embroglio. CHAPTER XIV. Realizing what her father's visit lo Jervaulx would mean, -Aimee goes secretly to her home, disables the family auto, thus preventing his Jour- mey, and induces a parlormaid to let her take her place at Jervaulx. CHAPTER XV. Alexander recognizes Aimee as the woman on the motorcycle which ran Into the Lambe carriage, de nouncing her as "Calamity Kate." Geor Sina divulges Aimee's identity. Hearing her story, Alexander consents to keep the secret. CHAPTER XVI. Alexander finds him self very much in love with Georgina. CHAPTER XVII The approaching vis it of Alexander's sister, Lady Diana (who, of course, krows Aimee) brings conster nation to the two girls. CHAPTER XVIII. Another visitor to Jervaulx is the Vlcomte de Jussac, Di ana's suitor. Diana recognizes Aimee and threatens to denounce her. CHAPTER XIX. - Interested in the Lambe collection of armor, De Jussac, -during the night, tries on a suit. Diana, investigating an alleged ghostly appari tion, meets him. He declares his love, and is accepted. Aimee finds them to gether and binds Diana to secrecy con cerning her affairs. CHAPTER XX Alexander and Geor irlna become engaged. Ijadv Erythea. be lieving Georgina to be Lord Scroope's daughter, Is delighted. For once Alexander was at a loss, lie had turned very pale. Georgina fame nobly to his rescue. "Alexander," she said faintly, yet articulately, "has Hsked me to he his wife." And, with desperate confusion, she added "may I?" The ear-trumpet clattered on the gravel. I.ady Krythea gathered Geor gina into a triumphant emhrace. "My dear child," she exclaimed, kissing Georgina, warmly on both cheeks, "I am delighted!" Lany Rry thea released her and kissed Alexan der. "You have made me very, very liappy. The match Is In every way : Ideal. Alexander, you will have Just such a wife as I should have chosen for you and I never thought you would have the sense to choose one at all. My dear Aimee, your excellent father, I am sure, will be as plensed ' about this as I am." Oeorglna felt her knees giving way. She stooped and recovered the ear trumpet. "W-would you mind not telling any body for Just a day or two?" ahe said desperately. "We have told you, but we I feel " Lady Erythea smiled. 'Foolish, romantic child 1" ahe said, patting Georgina'a cheek. "Well, well we shall see." She turned, and disappeared towards I fee Jy of Living the house. The betrothed couple looked at each other. Alexander squared his big shoulders. "What on earth will happen now?" said Georgina faintly. Alexander's reply was practical. He lifted her suddenly off her feet und kissed her. "I don't care what happens!" au- He Kissed Her Again. nounced Alexander. And he kissed ber again. CHAPTER XXI A New Partnership. "It rains all the time In this coun try," said Billy, discontentedly, "except when you want It to." He addressed the remark to the dry and unresponsive soil. Billy's attitude nt the moment was unusual. He was close to the footpath along which he had wheeled the Sphinx, after the en counter with the motorcycle thieves on the night of the burglary. That event was now many days old, yet no rain had fallen In the meantime and here and there the track of the Sphinx's tires was faintly visible In the dried mud to anyone who had un usually good eyes. "If they've got a Scotland Yard sharp down here now," reflected Billy, "and he goes over the ground, It's Just possible he might see what that fool inspector ut Stanhoe never tumbled to. That there were two motorcycles, and not one, at the place where Jack the Climber got ditched. If they were to track up the Sphinx now It would be mighty awkward. They'd soon con nect her with Aimee and me. But I guess It's an outside chance." The slight impression of a tire mark, a little to the right of the path, caught his eye. It hud passed over a soft mole hill, and was clearly defined. Billy paused, und Inspected It with a new Interest. The fashion of his countenance changed; he went down on hands and knees, and looked very closely Indeed. "Snakes !" exclaimed Billy. He rose, and quartered the ground carefully for a considerable distance In either di rection. The ground was too hard to show any continuous track. But mole hills were plentiful, and some way fur ther on he found another one, also showing the print of a tire. "It's the same. And not the Sphinx's tire, by a mile!" said Billy, knitting his brow. "This one was steel-studded." ! With growing perplexity he made a ; close examination of the soil, and pres ently discovered other traces. There were a few footprints and, faint though they were, they bore some very marked characteristics. Billy stood up straight and gave a liquid whistle. The furrows In his brow deepened. He carried his Inves tigations still farther afield, but to ward the henlthy common the soil was light, .wind-blown sand that shifted with every fresli breeze. There were no tracks left. The seeker was at a loss. j Billy stopped and reflected rapidly. I "It came this way, whatever it was," ; he said. "But why on earth did It' and how? Let's start from the begin- ; nlng." He struck across country and, break- i lng through a hedge, came out Into the ' blind lune where Jack the Climber's machine had crashed on the fateful 1 night; the spot where he had recov ered the emeralds, and made acquaint ance with Calamity Kate's resource fulness. The muddy lane still showed slight traces, very much mixed up and tram pled, of the place where the thieves machine had fallen; the ruts were now dried and hard. Billy also recognized what were evidently the hoof marks of the Stanhoe police. "A herd of steers wouldn't have made more mess." said Billy. "And I'anke found nothing after all, or be'd have Well, I can't blow much, either. I've been here twice since, but never ' got wise to It till now." He turned back down the lane to- : ward the hlghwhy. his eyes noting the smallest details of the ground. When 1;ess or nat has a strtig decided color it is not advisable in use a rompl''inei,tary color of The same strength or luminosity, as It would form too striking a contrast. A safe rule is to select lighter tints or darker shades of the original color for trim ming. The remarks made regarding good combinations hold good for trim ming also. "Here's my track; pretty near washed out. And here's the other's. That cycle was u big Indian, by what Utile I saw of it. And likely it was half crippled when it got away. Aud here it got on the high road, and head ed straight on past Jervaulx again. That's mighty queer. I always reck oned they'd have gone the other way. Something must have turned them." He passed along the wider lane in the direction of Jervaulx, his eyes scanning the ground and the ditch. A little distance short of the gate through which Billy 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 Billy. "Here they crashed again or the en gine gave out for good. And they came the very way I did myself. And one of the two was lame dead lame. One sure thing they couldn't have got far that night. And If they weren't able to ride the thing, what did they do with It?" He hurried to the far end of the field, 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 first." Less than a hundred yards to the right wns a clump of brushwood, growing alone, a little oasis on the bare field. The bushes masked a 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 field. It was now complete ly cloaked with brambles. Billy 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 Billy clnmhered 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, Billy's face was rather pale, and his eyes troubled. "Great Caesar's ghost!" he said. "Who'd have expected this? Now If I can pick up the other track, I'll have the game In my hands 1" He hurried In the direction of the distant crag-pits, then suddenly pulled up short and glanced at his wrist watch. "Aimee!" he exclaimed. He had an appointment with Aimee at five, and an urgent one. It was al ready past the hour. Billy set off at a run, and In ten minutes reached the rendezvous. Aimee was there already, In a rough serge walking-cloak and a Snooks hat trimmed with calico vio lets. In spite of the costume she looked vividly lovely. "Mr. Chauffeur," said Aimee, 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 Billy. "Came as quick as I could." "What are you looking excited about?" she said, eyeing him suspi ciously. "Oh Just seeing you," blurted Billy. 'That Isn't true. I've never seen you look excited before. You've found out something. What Is It?" Billy 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 cards in my hands. It's the most amaz ing stunt yet. I'll tell you about it the moment I've got It set." Aimee looked at him wistfully. "I don't think you ought to have any secrets from your partner,", she said. "I always tell you everything." "Give me till tonight," pleaded Billy. "I hate to talk about It now. It's ugly. mm Billy Stared Before Him Gloomily. By tonight we shall have either won or lost but we'll win! Will you trust me?" Aimee seated herself on the turf be neath the sweetbrlars. "All right then," she said happily. "Let's forget our troubles for a bit. Sit down you look so tall, towering op there, that I can hardly see you and I'll tell my news. It's much more Interesting than yours. Do you know that Alexander has got himself en gaged to my dear fat Georgle, and they're Idiotically happy?" "Has he?" cried Billy, dropping be side her. "Good for him! She's a real trump of a girl, that. And the par"n'ii as white at they make thern he's a fine fellow." "1'es. Georgle will exactly suit aim. I shouldn't have, a bit." "You !" exclaimed Billy. "Exactly. Aunt Erythea's Idea Is that Alexander's marrying me. You're not very bright today, Billy. They'll have a funny tangle to straighten out, when the crash comes." "Gee! They will. We'll have to help them somehow." "Of course, we shall. But I wonder how we'll do it. And that's not all the Yicointe has suddenly become be trothed, as he calls it, to Alexander's sister Cold I.i'.mbo." "She'll tone him down," said Billy. "Not a 'hit. He'll tone her up," re plied Aimee coi'.li.iently, "ami a jolly good thing, too. so there they ull are. I oughtn't lo nave mentioned it to you, Biliy 1 ki.ow hew it depresses you. It's lm.rili.i-- isii tuis sentiment." Biliy siared bei'oi'e him gloomily, and its silent. "isn't it!" i'lMstod Aimee. "Sickening:" said Billy, bitterly. Aimee gl.imed at him and, looking away, stirred tiie grass with the point of his shoe. There was a long pause. "What was it you were saying about tilings';" said Aimee. "I told you," replied Billy, "that be fore tomorrow It will either bo a com plete crash or all clear." Aimee nodded. "I see. That means, In the first case, that I'll be exploded broken done for " "No !" said Billy, sharply. "It does, though. But in the second, If things go better I shall just be back at Scroope, in a sort of mild dis grace stood in the corner. That's nothing much. I'm used to It. And there you are I Well, the curtain's soon going to ring down. Our partner ship" Billy turned to her quickly. "Is finished," continued Aimee quiet ly, looking out across the park. "I shan't be able to ride the Sphinx for you, Billy. I'm sorry about thut. It would have been fun." Billy 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, Billy." His fingers 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." He let go the turf, and caught her hands. "Aimee 1" "Billy 1" Before either of them knew how It happened, he had her In his arms. "I can't let you go I" said Billy wild ly. "You're the darling of the world. The loveliest, brightest thing thnt ever breathed. Aimee do you think you could try and love me?" "Love you?" snld Aimee, trembling. "Who could help loving you, Billy I" He held her tight and kissed her. "I wus so frightened " said Aimee, In a stilled voice. "Frightened I" He held her tighter. "That you'd be frightened" "Me!" " of being sentimental," panted Aimee. Billy felt stunned. "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 than once. Then he sat back, his head In a whirl. There was the longest pause yet ; a silence that seemed Intermi nable. They were recalled to earth by a staccato noise. "Yap I Yap I Yap! Yap I Ylpe ylpe !" Aimee and Billy started violently. A small white Highland terrier, with Its four legs braced, was barking at them excitedly, but not wholly with disapproval. Aimee felt stricken as though by a sudden paralysis, p.ehlnd the terrier stood Lady Krythea, erect anil rigid. The glare In her eyes was the glare of a destroying Gorgon. CHAPTER XXII Not Guilty. The guilty pair arose to their feet. Aimee, from rosy red, had turned ex tremely pale. There was every ex cuse for It. Lady Erythea's expres sion was enough to unnerve the stout est heart. "And this," In a voice like the clash lng of a motor's gear-box, "In the face of my express warning I You are dis charged." She took a step towards Aimee. "And as for you " Billy Interposed his large figure be tween them. "Madam," he snld, "If you have any comments lo make, please make them to me. fir, better still do not make them at all." His voice was quiet and respectful. But his chin was lifted remarkably high, and his lips compressed danger ously. Lady Erythea struggled for breath. "Are you presuming," she said, In a strangled voice, "fo dictate to me!" Mr. William Spencer bowed. "I hope my lady that It will not be necessary. What I do presume Is to defend Miss Snooks against any reproaches whatever. This Is her afternoon off." Aimee looked at them both espe cially at Lady Erythea. And fot once the "sand," on which she had so often been complimented, deserted her. Ai mee turned suddenly and fled. 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 hushes, giving tongue excitedly. Billy kept his eyes fixed on the In-t-nder. "If you require fin explanation, Lady Erythea," he said qnisrly, "T guess I can give you one very briefly. I have just usked Miss' Snooks to marry me," I.ady Erythea was mentally stag gered. "You have asked her to marry you?" she said, staring at Billy. "And sue has done me the great honor to consent." Billy's grim expression relaxed into a very charming smile. "I feel sure your ladyship will not throw any obstacles in t lie way of this humble romance," he said gently. "We shall he very happy to have our em ployer's approval." His employer gazed nt him dumbly. The announcement came as a shock. And It was difficult even for Lady Erythea to resist Billy's smile. As well attempt to icsist a sunbeam. She melted Imperceptibly. Her faculties were bemused. Billy, despite the smile, looked so extraordinarily digni fied that Lady Erythea almost felt an impulse to apologize to her chauffeur. She made au effort to recover her austerity. "You have asked this girl to marry you after an acquaintance of four days?" she said acidly. "Is thut un American custom?" Billy's smile intensified. "I haven't much experience, my lady," he said, "but I think it's a British custom, too sometimes." With two such recent examples at 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 Billy. "What you tell me, Spencer," she said at last, "places a new uspect 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 n tiling 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 Billy gravely, "and I was obliged to make use of the small amount of free time at my disposal." Lady Erythea 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. But I gather from this event that you will be leaving my service In any case, so I will merely give you a week's notice If you are willing to stay so long." "Yes, I guess I shall be quitting rather soon," said Billy, "but I'll be very glad to serve your ladyship In the meantime, and I hope I'll give sat isfaction. But, may I lake It that you won't put It across that you will not say anything to Amy?" "I have nothing more to say In the matter whatever," replied her lady ship abruptly. "But you must under stand -that the conduct of both of you will have to bo rigidly circumspect and correct." Billy twinkled. "We shall be careful to give your ladyship no grounds for complaint," he said. Lady Erythea had a vague Impres sion that Billy was laughing at her. It was stranger still that she did not seem to feel any resentment. "You may go !" she said, with a ges ture of dismissal. Billy saluted and walked away. She watched his tall figure till It had Lady Erythea Inspected Him. receded some little distance, and then recalled him. "Bpencer !" Billy returned. Lady Krythea In spected him through her lorgnette. "Are you sure thut this is a wise thing you are doing?" she said slowly. "You seem to me a somewhat superior young man. I think you could do much better for yourself." Billy twinkled yet more brightly. "I should hate to disagree with your ladyship," he said, "but I am quite sure I couldn't." Lady Erythea turned and walked away with a dazed air. Billy passed through the gate Into the lune, and irade for the abbey at his best speed. He hoped that Aimee might be waltlcg for him somewhere within call, but there was no sign of her. Thinking It likely she would be In the neighborhood of the garage, he hurried in that direction. He was within sight from the park boundary, when Monsieur de Jussac, approach lng t lie fence from t lie abbey, saw him and called him by name, Billy was too far away to hear. The Vlcomte whistled, without result. He saw Billy disappear in the direction of the crag-pits. De Jussac hesitated, uncertain whether to follow. ' "Our amazing chauffeur appears to) be in a hurry," murmured Bertrand. lie took out a cigarette, and smoked It reflectively. Bert rand was looking a little puzzled and anxious. Finally he wandered slowly back towards the abbey. As he neared the main entrance the quack of a motor horn was heart!, and an automobile drove up rapidly. It contained the stolid Inspector l'ank from stanhoe. Beside him sat a slim and active-looking man in a gra tweed overcoat. De Jussac, raising his eyebrow, drew near unobtrusively. The man In tweeds got out and stepped briskly tip to Mr. Tarbeaux, who was standing on the steps. I "You have a chauffeur here," snld the man In tweeds quietly, "who calls himself William Spencer." "Yes, sir," said Mr. Tarbeaux. Bertram! de Jussac moved away, with the air of one retreating from a situation with which he had no con cern. He lit a cigarette as he went, but once on the far side of the rhodo dendrons, Monsieur de Jussac began to move with uncommon swiftness. "Is he on the premises at the mo ment?" said the visitor. "I do not know, sir," replied Mr. Tarbeaux with cold reserve, eyeing the police car. "If you wish to sea 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 soma little time before Lady Erythea 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 what purpose?" suld her lady ship, examining him icily through hep lorgnette. "Thnt will transpire as soon as I have seen him," said Arkwrlght a little sharply. A face peered down cautiously from a second-floor window. It was the face of Aimee, very white and scared. She drew back quickly be hind the window curtains, one hanil clutching and kneading them tightly ns Rhe listened. 'Ioes this mean," snld her ladyship with distinct hostility, "that you pro pose to arrest my chauffeur? If not, what do you mean? He Is the man who restored the emeralds to me, when the police failed to achieve any thing whatever, and I have complete confidence In him. If that really is your Intention, It Is my opinion you are about to make fools of your selves." Inspector Arkwrlght looked both surprised and Irritated. "I am here with full authority, my lady," he said abruptly, "and my task Is to clear this matter up. Out of consideration for you, I have como here quite openly, and what my In tentions are I must nt the moment keep to myself." "It Is Spencer's afternoon off, I be lieve," said Lady Erythea coldly. "I do not think he Is on the premises." The Inspector was plainly taken aback by Ids reception. His lips tight ened to a thin line. Just then a po liceman on a bicycle came riding rap Idly along the drive. It was Constable , I'olson. , "Beg pardon, sir," be said, dis mounting and saluting tho Inspector, "have you found tho man you uro looking for here?" "Why?" said Arkwrlght abruptly. "Well, sir, I know lilm by sight, of course," said I'olson In a lower voire "the chauffeur, J mean and as I came off the Stanhoe road awhile ago, I saw somebody like him crossing tha forty-acre field ami going towards tho crag-pits. I thought I'd better hurry on and tell you. I'm sure It whs he." , "Excellent ! You aro a man that keeps bis eyes open," exclaimed In- : spoetor Arkwrlght. "Come, I'anke ' leave the cur here. I'olson, show us the way." j The three of them departed to gether hurriedly In the direction of the park boundary. Lady Erythea stared after thorn with mingled anger and anxiety. Sho waited for some tl mo on the steps, pondering, and then went slowly In doors. Her eyes were troubled The three police, crossing the park, left It by a wicket gate near tha sweet briar clump. After a short ron sultnllou with I'olson, Inspector Ark wrlght gave an order. The three men spreading out In a wide semi circle, stalked the crag pits by way of tha lower meadow. (Continued next week) One of our country corresp"ndunts, telling about a fire in his town, wrote: "The Flro Department wa called, but not much damage was done." Capper's Weekly. Teacher "Johnny, what Is veloci ty?" Johnny "Velocity Is what a fel low lets goof u ben with." Forecast. Don't refuse to marry a girl be cause she can't cook. She may have money enough to pay your board.