Newspapers / The Roanoke Beacon and … / Feb. 16, 1923, edition 1 / Page 2
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The J oy of Living 3 “CLOSE CALL, PARTNER!” SYNOPSIS.—Disliking the pros pect of a month's visit to her austere aunt, Lady Erythea Lambe, at Jervaulx abbey, and her cousin, Alexander lambe, Almee, vivacious daughter of the Very Reverend Viscount Scroope, wan ders Into the park, there encoun tering a strange youth. He laugh ingly introduces nimself as “Billy,” American. The two ride on his motorcycle, the “Flying Sphinx,” and part. With Georgina Berners, her cousin, Aimee sets out for Jer vaulx. She decides that Georgina shall impersonate her at Jervaulx, while she goes on a holiday. Geor gina's horrified protest is unavail ing. Almee again meets “Billy." He tells her his name is Spencer, and she gives hers as Amy Snooks, at present “out of a job." Billy offers to take her into partnership in selling the Sphinx. In a spirit of madcap adventure, she accepts. The two proceed to the town of Stanhoe, taking separate lodgings in Ivy cottage. That night Aimee visits Georgina and learns that the deception has not been discovered. She compels Georgina to continue the subterfuge. On a trial spin, with Billy, Aimee almost collides with a carriage in which are her aunt, Georgina and Alexander. The pair escape unrecognized. Georgina learns that Lord Scroope is coming to visit Lady Erythea and is in hopeless bewilderment. While Aimee is secretly visiting Georgina at Jervaulx, the place is burglarized. Aimee escapes. CHAPTER VIII—Continued. —A— “But when I reached the open there was no one to be seen,” pursued the butler, whose throat ached with the effort to make his mistress hear; "there was, however, a dim light, a mere glow, in one of the windows; I shouted, asking whose it was—” “Which window?” asked Mr. Lambe sharply. “I am unable to say for certain— either her ladyship’s or Miss Seroope’s, which is next to it. Perhaps, if we went out—” Lady Erythea immediately led the way through the front entrance. "There is a light full on in one of the rooms now!” said Alexander. “It is Aimee’s room,” said Lady Erythea. Like a thundercloud she swept upstairs and beat upon tlie door of her niece. “Almee! Open the door. Why is your light on?” "I—I‘m so frightened, aunt!” cried a trembling voice. “I dare not be in the dark—I dare not.” “I cannot hear you!” said Lady Ery thea. “Have they c-caught the thieves?” screamed the voice tragically. “Caught them?” snorted Lady Ery thea, shaking the doorhandle. “Is it "Thera Was No One to Be Seen," Pur sued the Butler. likely • mob of .,iental deficients could catcb anybody? No!” “Thank heaven !" said Georgina with as explosive gasp. Lady Erythea started. “Er! What are you talking about! Will you open the door or not!” “I’m frightened, aunt! I—I—!” Georgina’s voice rose to a shrill whoop. CHAPTER IX * “Marvelous!” Lady Erythea recoiled. There were, after all, enough hysterics in the house already. Evidently nothing was to be learned from tier niece. “G8 back to your bed and don't be Billy. There is no danger,” snapped Lady Erythea. The sharp whirr of a motor on the drive below drew her attention, and she hastened down stairs. The car drew up at the entrance with r jerk and ejected three police men; constable, n sergeant and In spector f’anke of Stanhoe. a man of enormous energy for his hulk, with thick black eyebrows and a singularly bitter expression. He ran up* the steps, hut before he could open his mouth Lady Erythea forestalled him. “You are wasting your time here! G<> at once In clrnse of a motorcycle that got away ten minutes ago b\ the Stanhoe road!” “A motorcycle!” exclaimed the In By Sidney Gowing Illustrations by Ellsworth Young Copyright >913 by Sidney Gowing spector almost joyously, as one who seems his theories confirmed. "Ser geant, get after them at once in the car—take Poison with you. As we didn't meet them they must have taken the branch lane at the cross roads—away with you, man—quick !” ‘‘I shall consider no reward too great, if my emeralds are recovered!” exclaimed Lady Erythea, as the car drove away. “Do you think your men will be successful, Inspector? My but ler allowed the malefactor to slip through his fingers in the most fatu ous manner. Can you—” "One moment!” interrupted the in spector. "The thieves were seen then, by your ladyship’s servants! Was one of them a woman?” He had to bawl the question into Lady Erythea's ear-trumpet, which Alexander brought. When she under stood, Lady Erythea’s eyes flashed fiercely, ‘'Yes!” she exclaimed, "a young woman. You suspected u woman then —before you came here?" “I do more than suspect, my lady,” said Inspector Fanke grimly. "I know!” “Who was this woman, Inspector, and when do you propose to appre hend her? We have a piece of the creature’s skirt!” "Hah! let me see it at once!” said the inspector, his eyes lighting up. It was brought to him and Its capture ex plained. Inspector Panke examined ■ the yard of cloth, tried its strength, rubbed it, held It up to the light, peered keenly at the torn edges. “Good!” he said under his breath, and turned upon Mr. Lambe so sharp ly that that gentleman jumped. “Your telephone, sir—where is it?” “Who is the abominable creature?" exclaimed Lady Erythea. “And why is she at large, a scourge upon the country, breaking into—” “She won’t scourge it much longer,” said the inspector grimly. “I'll very soon give your ladyship news of her— 1 want the telephone, quick!” “This way,” said Mr. Lambe, and led him to the call-room. Inspector Panke remained at the instrument a considerable time. He emerged tri umphant. “If they get away now—well, may I never handle another case,” he said quietly to Mr. Lambe. “I can’t an swer questions at present, sir; I’ve got to get busy. If I might suggest that you induce her ladyship to retire, and come round with me yourself— it hampered me a bit, that ear-trum pet, and we've got to be quick—you can explain to her afterward.” Alexander was successful in per suading his aunt to retire from the field, though she went breathijig threats of vengeance, and mourning aloud for the emeralds. Inspector Panke made a rapid examination of the safe, the wall beneath Lady Ery thea’s window, and the ground out side. He took a full description of the missing jewels, and briskly ques “I’ve only time to say this, sir, be fore I go,” he said, turning to Mr. Lambe. “I recognize the work of Jack the Climber in this case, as plain ly as if they’d left the name written on the wall! It was him and Calam ity Kate. I thought for a moment it might be Bender Williams, who was released from Portland last month. But it's undoubtedly Jack's job. For some months past a series of daring burglaries have occurred at country houses in various parts of England, and, so far, I’m bound to say they’ve beaten us; no arrest has been made. The methods of the thieves are so similar in each case, that it i§ clear to an expert all these jobs were done by the same person—or, rather, two persons, a man and a woman. The man, besides being as smart a hand at cracking a safe as ever lived, seems to have the training of a steeplejack as well. He can climb anything that a fly could get a foothold on; in fact, he’s known as the Climber. “The woman, if anything, is more dangerous than the man. All that’s known of them is that they’re prob ably foreigners—some say Americans —and that they use a motorcycle when they’re on the job. “Briefly, what happened here is this: The man got in through Lady Erytbea’s window. There’s the marks of him on the wall. He might have got in still easier by the next one, where the veranda is. But he went in through her ladyship’s bedroom.” Mr. Lambe’s eyes met those of the inspector; the same thought passed between them; whatever might be said of Jack the Climber’s moral char acter, he was a brave man. “And so to her anteroom, and opened the safe without waking her— of course, she’s pretty deaf. The bur glar-alarm didn't go til! he’d done it; and for that matter all these precau tions of her ladyship’s are simply bunco; the house is an easy job for a cracksman. Jack got away by the same road be came, and the only thing that puzzles me is why Kate had to bolt for it downstairs. It isn’t usual for her to lie in the nouse at all—we believe her job is helping her partner up and watch-keeping outside. “However, there It Is. And this bit of blue cloth, sir.” concluded Inspector I’anke, holding It up, “is going to put Calamity Kate in my hands.” He folded the torn fragment of cloth, put It in his pocket, and moved briskly to the door. “Goodnight, sir! Before very long I’ll show you the rest of this skirt—and its owner!” CHAPTER X Action and More. Billy Spencer, sitting in his austere ly furnished bedroom, looked unusu ally thoughtful. The night was still young, but his candle was not lit. The whole house, indeed, was in darkness. There Were Five Little Shoe Prints Visible. He sat on the window sill and stared out into the night. At last he wan dered hack to the bedside, his hands thrust In his pockets. * * “The partner,’’ lie said pensively, “has got something on her mind. A fellow doesn't need any X-rays to see that.” His lips curled down at the corners. “I’d give a lot to know what It is. I hate to seem inquisitive. But I'd hate a lot worse to have anything hap pen to the partner. An’ I can sure smell trouble coming. She doesn’t fear man or devil. But that isn't al ways goin’ to help a girl. There's times when it’s more useful to call up a husky with big feet—like me. “She'd sure be mad if she thought I was interfering. And she can get mad—the partner. Gee! but she's great! The dinkiest thing that ever happened. But I don’t like the way things are framing.” He stood for a while, as if listen ing ; then sighed and lay down on the bed, fully dressed. In twenty seconds he was asleep, breathing regularly and easily. It was a doglike sleep, of which some men hold the faculty, and very doglike was the manner in which Billy roused himself some hours later. In a moment he was broad awake, and swinging his legs off the bed, sat lis tening with cocked ears. He moved swiftly to the window and peered out. There was nothing to be seen. Billy remained where he was for some sec onds, all his senses alert. Then, with a gesture of decision, he snatched up his cap, heaved himself out of the window, and climbed down the trellis. He came silently under Aimee’s bedroom window, glanced up at the open casement, trok a little nickel torch from his vest pocket, and bent down. Shading the glow with his hand, he examined the soft soil be neath the window. There were live unmistakable neat little shoe-prints visible; the first pair deep and point ing inwards to the wall, the others leading outwards. Billy at once ran noiselessly round to the garden gate and peered up and down the lane. No one visible. He returned quickly, got a rake from the shed, and carefully raked over the footprints; also those beneath his own window. Then he made for the gate, and, after a moment's thought, un locked the shed where the Flying Sphinx reposed. He wheeled the cycle out, freeing the engine, and tip toed softly down the path with It. Not till he was clear of the lane and well out on the high road did Billy start the Sphinx, and then only at a very gentle pace. At an easy seven miles an hour he ambled along the road, heading for .Jervaulx abtfey. It would have surprised Aimee Scroope considerably had she guessed for one moment how far Billy was abreast of affairs. The carefree, in souciant Billy, who seemed to live for nothing Imt the Sphinx, was Infinitely more wideawake than people gave Mm credit for. The cool blue eyes missed very little; the brain behind them •vas able to connect facts to gether shrewdly. Aimee had not the faintest suspi ! cion that anybody at Ivy cottage knew : slie had made an unconventional exit by the window the night before. Billy, j however, was perfectly well aware of I the fact. Early that same morning, \ before setting off for Syderford, he ! had observed the footprints beneath her window, which, to a keen eye, told plainly that Aimee bad dropped from the trellis, and later on had re gained her room by the same path. Clearly the partner had made a mid night excursion for a very definite ob i ject; people do not roam the country i side in the small hours for nothing. . The incident of the carriage on the Stanboe road puzzled Billy; be bad mentioned the carringe casually to Mrs. Sunning—saying nothing about the collision—and learned that it could belong to none other than Lady Er* thea of Jervaulx abbey. He was told 1 a good deal nbout that establishment. It was easier to start Mrs. Sunning talking than to stop her. Obviously, Amy had something to fear from Jervaulx; something that bound her to secrecy, and led iter to run risks. It annoyed Billy that she should have anything to fear what ever. . “Sometimes,” said Billy to himself, as the lodge gates of Jervaulx came in sight, “a broncho filly with the spring blood in her will get doin’ stunts an' galloping among the gopher boles. When they do that they’re liable to fall an' break a cannon-bone. It’s the same with her. If she doesn’t want me, why she doesn't. But If she does, I’m going to be right there.” He dismounted some little distance short of the park entrance. The dark pile of the abbey was visible, a quar ter of a mile across the grasslands. Billy paused and reflected. The journey could be nothing more than a scouting expedition. He wished very much that he had been closer on Ai mee’s tracks. Just then he observed a light flash out in one of the abbey windows. Faint, tinfinnabulatory sounds were borne to him upon the night breeze— the clanging of a bell. He watched the house with alert ,nd thoughtful eyes. In a few mo ments two dim figures became visible, moving swiftly. An imaginative on looker might have thought them to be goblins, gamboling across the sward. But they kept an uncommonly straight line, crossing the park and heading for a poinj, a few hundred yards to Billy’s right. Two people—running swiftly. Billy followed them with his eyes. The foremost was long-limbed, scud ding along with giant strides. The other, close behind, moved no less swiftly, but it was a figure of \ague outlines, apparently wearing a cloak or dust-coat. They vanished from sight against the park fence where the lane turned. “If that ain’t a hold-up,” said Billy, starting away from the fence, “there never was one yet!” He heard the cough and splutter of a starting motorcycle under tall trees far up the lane. For one moment he listened, tlisn made a dash for the jspninx. “A get-away!” Raid Billy. “My job!" He threw his leg over the Sphinx and whirred off round the corner. He lifted his chin and gave a Joyous laugh, like the bay of a bound. The lust of the hunter was in his blood. The rider ahead, already aware that he was being chased, let out his ma chine at breakneck speed. The ray from Billy’s lamp showed him a man crouching low between the handle bars, his arms spread like the wings of a bat. On the pillion behind crouched a small, muffled figure. “Give up!” shouted Billy, as he overtook them. “You can’t make it. I've got you!” A hand stretched out from the fig ure on the pillion, and emitted a bark ing flarb of fire. It dazzled Billy for the- moment. Something zipped through his hair; automatically his left hand tightened on the valve-lifter and the Sphinx slowed, allowing the other cycle to shoe ,ead. Billy made a lurid remark, and at once increased speed again to close with the fugitives. Right ahead the lane forked on to the main road, and thither the driver of the other cycle was obviously heading. But the lights of a car were in sight, approaching rapidly on the road. The rider of the cycle had evidently no ambition to meet it: at the last moment he swerved left and continued alone th? nnrrow lane. Billy laughed aloud. “The guy’s cornered himself 1" he thought. “He’s taken the blind alley. Me for him!” The lane was very rutty and uneven The cycle ahead had vanished round a bend ; Billy, shutting or his engine, swung round it immediately after ward. As he did so he heard a crash. The driver of the other cycle, realiz ing too late that he was in a cul-de sac, had swerved, braked violently, and came thoroughly to grief. Billy sprang from the Sphinx, let ting her fall on her side with the headlight still glowing. The other cycle lay prostrate; a small heap was huddled beside It on the grass. The taller roan, the driver, was just staggering to his feet when Billy ran at him. Tiie cyclist whipped out a repeating pistol. A gun, at night, and in the hands of a shaken ma»- Is much less certain than tt flst with six feet of activity behind It. Billy’s left dashed the pis tol hand aside, the bullet spat ltn potently Into the air, and his right came with a terrific upper-cut beneath the man's chin, lifting him off his feet to fall inert. As he came down, something skipped and rolled away from him along the grass. In the ray of the Sphinx's headlight. With the swift Instinct for loot Billy pounced upon It—a sumptuous looking little casa o" leather, with a clasp. Billy thrust It In his pocket and turned to the fallen man, who lay U'ith closed eyes and his head moving faintly from side to side.. “Mighty slow with a gun,” said Billy, stooping over him. “I’m going over you for the rest of th2 goods. Bud.” A moan from the other malefactor, lying by the fallen cycle, interrupted him. So pathetic and treble a moan was it that Billy started and jerked himself uprlgb*, staring. “L(Ordy I” he gasped, with remorse and concern. "It’s a woman!" The discovery was disconcerting enough. But a thought shot through his brain that nearly paralyzed Billy. What woman was it? He hurried to her side. She had already raised herself on one hand and seamed trying feebly to get up. Billy stooped over her. “Much hurt?” he stammered. “Here—” At that moment the fallen driver recovered and stirred. Billy turned his head toward him, with n quick instinct—the danger lay closer at liand. The woman's hand was grasping a stone, and, as Billy turned, she brought her arm round with a sweep, swift as a striking snake. The chunk of rock crashed full on the side of Billy’s head. He fell as an ox falls, and lay still. The woman staggered to her f?et nnd ran to her prostrate companion. “He’s got his!” she panted, ‘'l’ou hurt, Jake?” She helped the man to rise. He stood dazedly for a moment; the spi nal Jar from a knock-out undsr the point of the chin is terrific, but evan escent. “Look lively an’ beat it!” gasped tbe woman, hnullng the motorcycle upright with surprising ease. “See if the bulglne’ll run—we’ll have the cops here next!” “Got tc settle with him!” snid the man thickly, glancing at the prostrate Billy. “He’s all in, I tell you. Get her going!” The man wrenched thj motorcycle round, and fumbled at the feed and controls with nervous fingers. While he did so the woman snatched up an other stone, and, running to the Sphinx, hammered on the engine and the lever... She had dealt three or four lusty strokes when the other motorcycle came spitting and wob bling past her. The woman ran to it and swung hers?lf up deftly behind. "Let her out. We’ll clear yet!” The motorcycle, coughing and miss ing fire badly, trundled back down the lane the way it had come. Jack the He Fell as an Ox Falls. Climber leaned to the handlebars, Calamity Kate, her arms tight round him, settled herself on the pillion. Together they whirred away into the darkness. CHAPTER XI Confession. It was very dark and very quiet at the lane’s end when Billy at last stirred, and, after an interval of slowly returning consciousness, man aged to raise himself dizzily to a sit ting position. He pressed his hands to the side of his head and rsmaine^ for awhile motionless, conscious of a damp warmth under his left palm. His eyes dwelt on a white, chalky stone, as big as a doubled fist, that lay on the grass beside him. Events began to reconnect themselves in a brain that still buzzed faintly. “A granite skull,” murmured Billy, not without a touch of pride, “isn’t altogether a disadvantage in an argu ment.” He looked about him thoughtfully. Not far away something gleamed in a rut—a small rep Hating pistol. His late opponents had evidently left in too much of a hurry to take an in ventory of their effects. “She must have dropped that when the machine crashed,” thought Billy. “She loosed It at rue when I was rid ing up. Lucky for me she hadn’t It just now. Some girl!” He heaved himself to his feet un steadily, made for a ditch where there was a glitter ot water, and bathed the tender side of his head. The water revived him; save for a cut under his hair, no serious damage wns done, though the blow might easily have cracked a weaker skull. / "I don't see that I shine much, over this Job,” said Billy despondently; “they sure handed It to me. Got right under my guard. Never thought of a woman sharing in a hold-up; an’ yet I guess It's been done before." Ha picked up the pistol, was about to pocket It, but altered his mind and flung It in the ditch. The other auto matic was nowhere to be seen. Billy f walked towards the Sphinx, the head lamp of which was now In darkness. His hand swung against a large lump projecting from the sids of his coat. He halted and dragged out the leather case. Billy had forgotten its exist ence. i “Why, here's something saved from the wreck!” hs exclaimed. “They couldn’t have seen me get it!” He dropped on one knee, opened the ; case, and switched the little electric j torch over it. Billy gave a stifled gasp. On a bed I of cream silk velvet reposed a neck lace of amethysts, ending in a loop of nine superb emeralds that shone with changing green tires under the torch's glow. Billy was not an expert in gems, but he guessed that these were such as a prince might proud to own. \ “Tills Is th? darnedest game I ever wns up against.” he said dazedly, re turning the case carefully to his pocket. He made a ray-id examination .of the Sphinx, and at once became aware j of Calamity Kwte’g handiwork. In spite of the best intentions, however, that enterprising lady had overesti mated the vulnerability both of Billy’s skull and his motorcycle. She had done some damage, but had missed the more vital parts of th? Sphinx. After ten 'minutes’ work Billy's ca pable hands restored the machine to fair running order, and he rode away down the lane. Both lamps were out of action. Any further pursuit of the thieves he put aside as a useless proposition. He had a vague Idea that they had gone hours ago; in fact, however, he had not been unconscious more than a rew minutes. “There's only ona thing to do,” said Billy, “nn’ that's—” A disconcerting thought flashed through his mind. The bunming of the jewel-case against his sii^ sug gested it. “Gee!” he murmured, “I'm Little Boy Blue, all right. But if I was to run against the cops now, it'd taka a heap of explanation before they slugged me. My story’d look . .etty thin. Jewel-case—motorbike— it only wants one item to complete the out fit !" He turned on to the high road, rajy idly resolving on a plan of action as he rode. It was a good plan, but a few moments later it was hopelessly upset again. He was, as it happened, nearer to Stanhoe than to Jervaulx abbey, and as he turnsd in the direc tion of the latter Billy became awaits of someone running toward him along the road—a dark figure, with a pe culiar moving gleam of whiteness about it. He stopped the Sphinx lm mediatsly and thrust out his feet to steady himself. The dark figure checked In it* stride, hesitated, and seemed about to bolt back again. “Partner!” cried Billy In amaze ment. “Is that you?” The reply was a wild gasp. Aimee, breathless, muddy, with an appre ciable breadth of white cambric show ing at the base of her skirt, rushed up to him and seized his arm. “Billy! Oh, I'm so glad—I’na so glad!” she panted. “Billy, I—ttjj^in an awful mess ! The absolute limit!” “How! Why?” “I was in a house—and it was burglad”—gulped Aimee, struggling for breath “they thought it was me— and I scooted—they're chasing me.” It was not a vividly lucid explana tion. But Billy's intelligence depart ment connected with it at once; It supplied-the missing factors. Befors he could answer, a pair of light* flashed into view far down the road, approaching at speed. “Car!” exclaimed Aimee. and wlttl a note of panic—“Billy, suppose it'* police? If so, they’ll be looking fof me!” She made a dash for the pil lion of the Sphinx. “Get me out of this, Billy—start her quick!” “Not on your life!" said Billy swift ly. “That’s the last thing on earth for you now. Come with me." He ran back fifty yards along tha road to a field gats. In a few mo ments he had it tpen, thrust th# Sphinx through, let her fall behind the hedge, and dragged Aimee with him into the ditch. They had hardly gained that cover when the car swept by with a roar, showing a glimpse of police helmets scudding past the to* rampart of thorn fsnee. The majesty of law and order, sweeping inexorably through the night. A rattle, a boot, and it was gone. In the ditch there was painft^'sl. lence. Billy mechanically felt^bi* bulging pocket, glanced for a moment at the Sphinx, and then etsrsd blankly at Aimee. (TO BE COXTIXL’ELU
The Roanoke Beacon and Washington County News (Plymouth, N.C.)
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Feb. 16, 1923, edition 1
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