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The Barnwell People-Sentinel, Barnwell, S. C„ Thursday, March 12, 1936 r Storm 4 Music r; By Domford Tales Copyrtsht by Mtnton, Balch A Co. WNU Service. CHAPTER VI—Continued — 10— I had no time to close the casement Itself. As the servant pushed open my door, I took my stand behind It, with my hack to the wall. When he found the room dark, he let out a grunt of surprise. For an In stant he hung on the threshold, then he turned hack to the passage and closed tiie door. As his steps died away, I turned the handle once more. . . . It was half past eight now, and the hall was dim. I could hear no sound of talking, hut I knew that Hush was yet in the sit ting-room. Then Bugle, pacing the apron, strolled Into and out of my view. It occurred to me that he was wait ing for Hush to finish his meal; then the two would go off together and I should he left. Meanwhile Pharaoh was in action. Hush was moving—I heard the scrape of his chair as he thrust It back. An Instant later he made his way out of the house. I heard him say something to Bugle and 1 saw him turn to the right. As neither reappeared or started the car, It looked very much as though they were sitting down on the bench to the right of the steps. If I was right, then a man at the sitting-room window would be above and behind them and able. If they were talking, to overhear every word. Fate that had used me so rudely, played Into my hands. • •••••• “Yes, I know that bit." said Rush. “I've 'eard It before. But If he’s such • marvel, where’s Bohun gone? Bohnn was bos u' to be here on Monday night. •Fos why? ’Cos Bharaoh'd wired him —Vos Fharaoh desired ’Is presence. Well, that's three days ago. an' he ain’t here yet." “What’s Bohun matter?" said Bugle. *’F.r grace the Duchess of Sheba Is what we want." "Who said he mattered?" said Hush. •■I never said he mattered. Wot I said was that Fharaoh knows 'ow to slip up. ‘Oh, don't talk silly,’ you says. Tharnoh's a genius, and geniuses don't slip up.’ ‘All right,' I says. ‘Where's Bohun?'" In manifest dudgeon be sucked at Ids cigarette. “Fharaoh •aid he'd he here on Monday night. He near told us the soot of clothes he'd '■ve on. Well, he Isn't here, Is he? I don't gay Bohun matters, but I d just as soon know where he Is. He may be an artist, but he knows how to use ■ gun." "Now look 'ere. Hush,” said Bugle, crossing hls legs. "'Ow many you can mention could of done wot Fharaoh's done. Beg and beggnge Into that cas tie—the guest of the Count. Me an’ you here In the rooms wot the Willies 'ad. No more one eyed pubs; no land lords with sweaty necks; no cottagers atoppln’ an’ starin’; no watchln’ out; but everything smooth an’ shipshape, an’ nothin' to do but wait." “Walt?" screeched Hush. "Fve wait ed long enough on this Job. You can talk as much ns you like, but we ain’t no nearer now than when we begun. Look at Hewdrop ttiere, callin’ him *Slr’ an’ ‘Cuptlng’ an’ standln' behind YIs chair." “It’s all In the game,” said Bugle. “If—” "Yes, I could play that game,” said Hush. “It'd suit me down to the socks. But who ever plays it but him? When he asks me in on this Job he calls It ‘a change of air.’ ‘Soft ns silk,’ was his words, ‘an’ i mayn’t even need your 'elp. But you'd better be there, he lays. ‘In case there’s a door wants openin' before we’re through.’" “You was took ou as I was, an’ Just as glad of the Job. ’I want you,’ says Pharaoh—that’s all.” “All?" yelped Hush. “Why—” “All." barked Bugle. “Before we met him In Paris, he never spoke of the Job, an’ then he spoke to us all." As the other sought to protest, he let out ■ terrible oath. "Why try an’ put It across me, you fool, Fharaoh don’t ■sk ; he takes. That was hls way—al ways, an’ I’ve known him longer than you. You talk as if you was hls equal; he ain’t got no equal alive. We’re In tils employment, we are.; An’ Jf wo play hls game, he’ll makr-ns—look at Long John. Six hundred a year and a pub, bnd I know that’s trpe.” “Who wants a pub?" snarled Hush. “An' who's Mr. Fharaoh to pick an’ choose? He’s the boss, of course— glut's his job; but we're not hls serv ants.” “All right, all right,” said Bugle, as though he were sick and tired of the other’s complaints. “Call it a game. Sign on with ’1m, an’ you’ve got to take wot’s cornin’—that’s all I meant." “Yes, an’ wot is cornin’?” said Rush. “That's wot I wants to know. I Judge a man by results. Three weeks to morrow we’ve been here, an’ wot’s your Napoleon done? I’ll tell you.” Bugle groaned. “In the firs’ place he's been beat by a girl an' a groom. He knew they was cornin’, an' he knew they was cnrryln' gold; an* they got away. If we'd roj>ed the road, we’d of had them; hut when I made the suggestion he tells me to shut my face. An’ wot else has he done—that counts? He’s let us all In for murder—thjt’s wot he's done. As long as young Artlfur walks, there's a rope round each of our necks.” “lie won't walk long,".spld Bugle. “Says you,” cried Hush. “Why we don’t even know where he Is. Nor the girl. Nor Bohun—that was coinin’ on Monday night. But we know where that groom Is all right—an' so do they." "You make me sick," said Bugle. “You know Just as well as me our luck's been rank. 'Ow many English narks would you look to find In a— Austrian Jungle at break o’ day? An’ another thing. Did you expec’ that we’d pick up a quarter ’f a million by takln’ a week-end trip?” “In course I didn’t,” said Hush. "Wot I says Is this. Up to date Fharaoh's failed. Dress It up ’oto ^ou like, he’s lost every game.” For the next 20 minutes they wran gled much as before, whilst I stood masked by a curtain that was not drawn. At length Bugle got to his feet and crossed to the car. Then, to my great surprise, he opened a door and sat down In the driver’s seat. I watched him start the engine and switch on hls lights, while Hush sat still below me, winding hls watch. Bugle drove the car slowly forward, ns though to go down to the bridge. Then he brought her to rest and got out, leaving hls en gine running and both of his head' lights on. As he saf down again below me, I understood his action and saw why the car was there. The stone bridge was bathed In bril liance. No one could possibly cross It without being seen. I think this must show that while they may have been experts In the planning and execution of ordinary crimes, in a campaign such as this had become the rogues were clean out of their depth. I was standing three feet behind them, but I had not used the bridge; and how could they think that because the bridge was denied him, a man who proposed to approach would turn round and go back? “Ten minutes more," Rush an nounced, "an’ I'm goln’ off. Fve 'ad enough o’ late nights. When I’ve nothin’ to do. I like to do It In bed.” “I should keep your boots on,” said Bugle. “He’s coinin’ back." There was a moment's silence. Then— “What?” screamed Rush. “Cornin’ back?” “That’s wot I said,” said Bugle. “Wot for?” With studied deliberation Bugle lighted Ids pipe. "Dewdrop’s back." he said. “Where from?” said Hush. “I didn’t know he was gone.” “Of course you didn’t," said Bugle. "When Bohun never showed up, you’d ave dropped that line. But that Isn’t Fharaoh. That wire didn’t bring Bo hun ’ere, but It fetched ’Im out of hls digs." He paused to exhale luxuri ously. “Dewdrop’s hack from Sala- hurg—with a letter young Arthur's wrote." “Wot, not say In' where he Is?” "An’ the Duchess of Sheba." said Bugle. "Fharaoh’s gone off this evenin’ to rojie the two of them In.” table, swinging a leg; Freda wai at the foot of the little staircase. “You know when* she Is," said Fha raoh, quietly enough, "That I do not.” said Freda, and flung up her head. "Her man was gone, and she was but waiting for me, to give over the child.” ‘‘Did site take the path toUlVltch craft?” “Nay," said the forester's wife, "sho took the path that she knew." “Think«agaln,” said Fharaoh smooth ly, with his eyes upon Freda's face. Crouching without the casement, I saw the girl wince before the Ice^ of hls tone; but though she was now very pale, she gave him back look for look. As I drew my pistol, I heard her steady reply. “I tell you she took that path,!’ and, as she spoke, she pointed out of the window, directly over my head. And, as she pointed, she looked In the same direction—and saw my face. She started ever so shghtly, but that was more than enough. As I leveled my weapon, Pharaoh swung round and fired bpt hls pistol wa-* yet In his pocket and his bullet went wide of my ear. And then In a flash he had flung himself off the table, and all the candles were but. So I threw away a chalice In a mil lion. That the forester’s wife should have seen me was sheer bad luck. There was only one thing to be done, for the moonlight was all about me. CHAPTER VII The Race to the Swift. The rogues were at my mercy, hut I had no thought for that. I was trans fixed with horror, for the nightmare which I had rejected had become an accomplished fact. Though Bugle and Rush were still speaking, I had no Idea what they said, and when I looked at my watch I could not tell the time, because my wrist was shaking and the dial seemed a great way off. Then the disorder passed, and my brain seemetj to leap Into life. The car. I must get to the car. Pharaoh had had a start of an hour and a quarter or more, hut I knew the way to the cottage better than he. At once I saw that to thread the woods In the darkness would take me five times as long as to go by the lane. But the way to the lane was barred—barred- by those cursed head lights that I had found so futile ten minutes #go. For an instant I glanced about me. Then I picked up the lamp and hurled it Into the grate. The base-of the lamp was of china and heavily built; the crash of Its fall was frightful, and the flames leaped up lH# streamers, to lick the breast of the chimney within and without. Now I had expected that Bugle and Hush would, both of them, make for the sitting-room door. And Bugle did. But Rush stood i^p on the bench, to look. Instead, through the window I was proposing to use. I suppose the fellow was lazy, and laziness brings no luck. Be that as It may, I hit him between the eyes be fore he could think and vaulted out of the casement on the flags. And then 1 was In the closed car and was storming down to the bridge. My Journey may be Imagined—I drove In a mist of fear. At every bend r' the road I could see the sinister shadow of some mishap, but T wning from that car a pace that she had not been built to give. V Enough that I entered the track at five minutes past ten and^that eight minutes later I was stumbflftig across the clearing, to find the p^th to the cottage by the light of my torch. ••••••• “Do what you like," said Freda. "I tell you she’s gone.* "You know where she Is," said Pha raoh. and lighted a cigarette. • The man was slttltur half on the Th« Man Wat Sitting Half on tho Table. and Fharaoh and Dewdrop could se« me. without being seen. I fell on my face, writhed my way Into the shadows and darted across to a tree that stood some twelve paces off. And there, flat against the trunk, I took my stand, with my eyes on the door of the cottage which was full Id the light. I was ready now, at last, and the moment I saw the door move I fired at the latch. This had the effect I desired, for the door did not move agaio. I was now as composed as I had been distracted, for the knowledge that my darling was safe had made me another man. My nerves were steady, my brain was clear, I felt like a giant refreshed, and I saw at once that my lady must he at Witchcraft, where she was waiting to stay me from hastening back to the cottage and so Into Fharaoh's arms. One minute later I was behind the cottage and was running as fast as I could for the Witchcraft path. I was more than halfway to the cross roads when Sabre touched my hand. \Vlth a leaping heart, I at once took hold of hls collar and ran by hit side. Thirty yards on he stopped. •‘Nell," I said quietly. “Nell. 1 ’ There was a rustle behind me. As I turned round, her arms went about my neck. “I heard shots,” she breathed. “You’re not hurt?” “Not a scratch, my queen." “Thank Hod. thank <Jod.” She clung to me desperately. “Oh John. I can’t spare you again. Ever Since you left. I’ve been half out of my mind. You see . . . without you I’m beggared . . . you’re all I’ve got." Her tears were wet on my lips, as I strained her against my heart. “Come along, my lady. We’ll talk when we’re out of the wood." Less than 10 minutes later I lifted the Rolls from a thicket and on to the road. “Freda appeared," said Helena, “at a quarter to eight. It seems that jRte missed heir train In a final, frantic en deavor to do as we said. We told her to deliver the-Jefter to Geoffrey or Barley alone. Ten times she took that letter to your cousin’s Salzburg ad dress; 10 times she was asked to leave It, and 10 times the poor glH refused. When she had missed her train, she determined to try once mona, and this time they managed to bluff her Into^giving It up. Well, the mo-- aient I heard her story, I knew that the damage was done, so Sabre and I made for Witchcraft as fast aa ever we could. I confess I was rather wor ried. Vou see, though you didn’t know It, you and Fharaoh had now the same objective. It seemed extremely likely that you would use the same roads. And even when Pharaoh arrived—as he did, about half past nine—I couldn’t be sure that he’d missed you, for he might have dealt with you and come on for me. I watched him take the path. When they’d gone I made sure of the Rolls and came back to watch— and pray. The darkness was very try ing, for the path, as you know, was Id shadow and I had to watch for yon both. And then, far away in the forest, I heard two shots. . . ." (TO BE CONTINUED) TALL TALES 83 • As Told to: FRANK E. HAGAN and ELMO SCOTT WATSON The Goat That Sang Tenor \I7HEN William McClenahnn, news * * paper correspondent of Fort De posit. Md., first heard about It, he didn’t believe It. A farmer, so the neighborhood gossips said, had a goat that sang In a beautiful tenor voice. How did it happen? Well, It seems that some member of the farmer’s family had been care less and left a phonograph record of “Mother o’ Mine" by John McCormack out In the yard. At least, that’s the way Mr. McCIenahan’s story, which appeared in the Baltimore Sun, ac counted for It. TluKfarrrier and hls singing goat be came famous. People came to see It and paid for the privilege of hearing it sing. Then bad luck overtook the farmer. The goat stopped singing ns suddenly as It had begun. So the farmer bought an expensive record by a famous grand opera star—“O Sole Mio." It was—and fed that to the goat. The result was fatal. The goat be gan to sing but suddenly dropped dead. An autopsy revealed the fact that Its throat was cloged up with what the veterinarian called “some foreign sub stance." They were Italian words and phrases. The goat was 100 per cent American, so of course, he choked t< death on ’em. His Unlucky Day ES, sir, I believe in that super- * stlilon about Friday, the Uth. bein’ an unlucky day," said the Old est Ranger In Yellowstone park. “I recollect one of ’em In particular. “I was out on patrol and discovered I didn't have a hlte of food in my grub bag and only one shell left In my trusty ol’ gun. Well, I sneaked through the woods till 1 saw a brace of quail slttln’ on a bush so I maneu vered aroun’ so as to be sure of get- tin’ both of ’em with one shot. “I let fly an’, by golly, when I went to pick up them two birds I found that I’d killed six more that was siltin' on the other side of the bush. Just then I heard a big commotion out In a lit tle lake nearby. There was a big buck deer that had been skeered by my shot and had run out and got hlssclf mired down. "I run out to help him but before 1 could get to him he drowned. As I was carryln’ him to shore. I sank down in the mud an' water up over the tops of my boots. So I took ’em off to pour out the water and denied If there didn't flop nut of ’em a dozen of the finest trout you ev*r did see. “Well, I strung the quail an’ the deer an’ the trout on a pole so I could ear- ry 'em easier. But my struggles to get the toad up on my shoulders was Jest too much of a strain on my sus pender buttons. Derned If one didn’t fly off with such force that it killed a rabbit 100 yards away. “When that happened. I Jest decided It wasn't no use to try to do any more huntin'. Seemed like It was my un- ucky day, it bein’ Friday, the 13th." “Man Overboard!** M EN who go down to the sea In ships frequently see or hear about some unusual occurrences. J. W. Fut- man of Anaheim, Calif., who once served In the United States navy. Is no exception to that rule. One hot. sticky day as the battle ships and cruisers were steaming along off the coast of China a typhoon sud denly swooped down upon them. De spite the bowling wind and raging wa ters. the vessels managed to keep their alignment. In the midst of the storm a lieuten ant decided that he wanted a cup of coffee. So a mess boy started across the deck with a cup of coffee, a pitch er of cream and a bowl of sugar on a tray Just as he was about to open the door to the officers' quarters, a 61-foot wave swept acro-s the deck. It picked up the mess boy, juggled him for a second on Its crest, then carried him '308 yards astern and de posited him at the door of the officers’ quarters of the next ship In line. Open- ng the door, he walked In and said, ‘Here is the coffee you ordered, lieu tenant. One lump, or two, and shall 1 pour in the cream?" It had all happened so quickly that the mess boy didn’t realize he was on another ship until the officer roared >ut: “I’m a captain, not a lieutenant! didn't order any coffee, and what are you doing here?” C Western Newspaper Union. Indians Traced to Yallow Race The original red man, the Americar. Indian, came from pure yellow stock and did not carry any black strain from admixtures with natives of Oceania, reports Dr. Ales Hrdllcka, curator of anthropology of the Smith sonian Institution, Washington. He brands as “fabulous" the theories that natives.of the Oceanic Islands left their Imprint on the American conti nent. These Islands were occupied by the Melanesian peoples only as re cently as the first millennium before Christ, at which time the New world had been populated for several thou sand years from Mongolian stock. Skulls have been found in the Amer icas which seem to Indicate Melane sian origin, but these always prove to fall within the variations known to occur among the Indians, declares Doc tor Hrdllcka. Alluring Daytime Frock With Distinctive Yoke WISH TO BE HEARD Were we as eloquent as angels, we should please some more by lis- Jenlng than by talking.—Colton. 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