Part 32 (1/2)

”Go right ahead,” said the voice of Cherry Bihtened horse, and had drawn him aside They quickened their steps and cahtful chauffeur had already cranked up at the sound of the shots

”Where is Kensky?” asked Malcolm suddenly, ”did you see him, Cherry?”

A pause

”Why, no,” said Cherry, ”I didn't see hiedy”

”We can't leave the old un-o back and look for him”

Five n or sound of Israel Kensky or of Cherry Then a shot broke the stillness of the night, and another and another

”Two rifles and one revolver,” said Malinkoff ”Get into the car, Highness Are you ready, Peter?”

There was another shot and then a fusillade Then ca the cart track, and the sound of a

”Take him, soure from Cherry's shoulder and carried him into the car A voice from the darkness shouted a command, there was a flash of fire and the ”zip” of a bullet

”Let her go, Percy,” said Cherry, and blazed aith both guns into the darkness

He leapt for the footboard and made it by a miracle, and only once did they hear him cry as if in pain

”Are you hit?” asked Malcolm anxiously

”Naw!” drawled his voice jerkily, for the road hereabouts was full of holes, and even speech was as i ”Naw,” he said ”I nearly lost ht, except to refuse the offer to ride inside the car He preferred the footboard, he said, and explained that as a youth it had been his ambition to be a fire the silence of nearly an hour

”What do you wonder?” asked Malinkoff, who sat nearest to the here Cherry stood

”I wonder what happened to that boy on the bicycle?”

CHAPTER XVII

ON THE ROAD

Israel Kensky died at five o'clock in the h attempt to dress the wound in his shoulder, but, had they been the eons with the best appliances which ery had invented at their hands, they could not have saved his life He died literally in the are of a sluggish stream, and Cherry Bim unconsciously delivered the funeral oration