L. Frank Baum

“ His torch was playing upon every bit of ground about the garage, and suddenly it stopped in his hand as though paralyzed. The faint glow of its light had fallen directly upon a little bow from Mary Louise’s slipper, evidently torn off in her scurry to reach the car.
Danny leaned over it as if trying to solve the mystery of its being there. All that he could reason was that Mary Louise must have driven off with Uncle Jim. Then the quickest and only thing for him to do was to reach the crossroads. ”

“ Scarcely noticing the magnificent car which slowed up beside him, O’Hara, swung open the door of the tonneau and leaped in. Even as he did so the car gained speed, until at fully forty miles an hour they were speeding farther and farther into the desert.
The man at the wheel did not speak a further word. His whole attention was engrossed in keeping his powerful machine in the rut of the narrow road that stretched itself interminably out into the sand of the desert. The sun was glaring fiercely down upon them and the sand reflected its intense heat. ”

“ Yet wealth was no latch-key to the affections of Mary Louise. Just next door to Colonel Hathaway’s splendid mansion was a neat story-and-a-half dwelling that had not cost half as much as the Hathaway stables, but it was cozy and home-like, and in it lived Irene Macfarlane, the niece of Mr. Peter Conant, the most important lawyer of Dorfield, but by no means a wealthy man. ”

“ Josie placed the revolver in the pocket of her bathrobe and stole quickly from the room.
Her one idea was to waken Mary Louise immediately. Even as Josie entered Mary Louise’s room, she felt a sense of someone quite near and very much awake. There was no time to rouse her girl friend; she was perhaps safer sound asleep. Without turning the switch, Josie made her slow, careful way toward the open window. The scent of the lilies from the garden was blown to her as she neared the balcony, her little revolver held steady and ready for action. ”

“ Josie regarded her friend with amazement.
“Whatever its cost,” commented Lonsdale, “the thing has been stolen, and it’s my duty to try and find it. As for you, Josephine, you may tackle it or not, as it pleases you. Thirty-two hundred dollars is a good bit of money for a little automobile.”
“It isn’t entirely the money that bothers me or Gran’pa Jim,” remarked Mary Louise, with another deep sigh. “We’d have paid a thousand more, gladly, if necessary. It’s the thought that Danny would betray the confidence we held in him.” ”

“ Danny glanced doubtfully at the brick-paved driveway.
“No horses, I hope?” said he.
“No,” answered his conductor. “I love horses myself, but Mary Louise prefers an automobile; so, as she’s the mistress of the establishment, as you will soon learn, the horses are gone and a shiny little car takes its place in the stable.”
“Employ a chauffeur, then?”
“No; Mary Louise loves to drive the thing herself, and if anything goes wrong—something’s always going wrong with an automobile—there’s a garage just back of us to fix it up again.” ”

“ She must, she felt, get out in the wind, under the clouds, and feel the wildness and vitality of the night. Her rose-pink bedroom opened on a little balcony from which a few steps led directly into the garden. With a sudden sense of relief, Mary Louise threw back her dark head, breathing in the very storm about her, and ran down the steps into the dark. ”

“ Danny handed her the small gold pencil with its monogram “J. O’H.” Startled, Mary Louise took it from him. “Why—why—Danny, then it is certain that your uncle has been here, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” answered Danny grimly, “and it’s certain he was here yesterday if Josie saw three men!”
“Mary Louise,” he added, “I don’t like this place at all. I can’t tell you how distressed I feel about Uncle Jim. Why, any person on this spot—that beautiful woman included—would kill as indifferently as they’d tell lies!” ”

“ They may need friends, or a home, or may have been wounded, and have no one here to care for them. I’m sure we can be of use in some way. We are Dorfield’s own people and must show our appreciation of Dorfield’s own soldiers.”
The Colonel reflected for a time. “During the Civil War there wasn’t another Hathaway in the whole army,” he mused; “yet I had my duty to do, and did it. You know my utmost trial during the Great World War has been my inability to take part in it in any way. A soldier is a soldier always, and here I am on the back shelf unable to help my country in its day of need. ”

“ Mary Louise choked back a great sob that rose persistently in her throat. “It’ll be just fine to have you come back, Josie,” she said, remembering her loving hospitality even in her distress. “I’ll send the car for you,” she added, as she hung up the receiver.
Then Mary Louise tumbled into a little crumpled heap on the floor by the couch and buried her curly black head in its great pillows. “Oh, it isn’t fair; it isn’t fair,” she wailed. “Danny would have paid back the money. Danny’s uncle never meant to steal! ”

“ Then Grandpa Jim gave an exclamation of rejoicing.
“It’s Mary Louise’s car!” he cried.
Faster went the Lonsdale car, gaining, ever gaining on its object. Now they honked the horn repeatedly but the escapers evidently paid no heed. Though their speed did not seem to increase, neither did it slacken.
“Better not run a risk of their escaping again,” muttered Crocker, and leaning carefully over the side of the car he fired two shots into the rear tire of the machine. The effect was instantaneous. With a loud explosion, the car swerved quickly, slowed down and then came to a dead stop. ”

“ To-day Bill Crocker of Boston might be called the John O’Gorman of his city, but what will he be to-morrow?77 A few failures and he is totally forgotten.”
Josie gave one of her sympathetic nods.
“That’s true,” she affirmed. “If you’re pretty big you’re given a headline; perhaps your picture is printed, but in a few days no one remembers who you were. That’s a good idea, for otherwise the Book of Fate would be packed with nonsense. An author, painter or sculptor stands a chance of living in name, but no one else has a ghost of a chance.” ”

“ So on they went as day by day their car carried them across uplands and through valleys, now humming for miles through waving fields of grain, and again running through the lowlands near some river bed. One State after another they left behind as the days sped by, and always some new beauty lay before them.
Old Uncle Eben carefully forwarded all their mail, and each day Danny and Mary Louise watched eagerly for some word from O’Hara. But each day they were doomed to disappointment. The letters which came frequently from Josie, however, kept up their hopes mightily. ”

“ At his side stood Tom Whalen, sullenly defiant, and Jo, the little Jap chauffeur, who, with oriental calmness and imperturbability, surveyed his captors without moving an eyelash.
In the meantime, the third machine had already reached the ranch.
Jumping from their machine, Burns and his companions quickly searched the outbuildings of the ranch, and finding nothing of consequence, sat down to await the arrivals of the others. While they were thus engaged, the sound of purring automobiles in the distance suddenly ceased, and the sound of shots, carried on the still night air, fell on their ears. ”

“ Look down there at the cantonment! The places where they used to pitch their tents are nothing but mud holes. I doubt if our soldiers under present circumstances are as glad to see us as we are to see them. Let’s go home.”
Mary Louise in her heart knew that he was right, but her tone was somewhat peevish when she answered:
“If everyone felt as we do, it would be a nice reception for our soldier boys, wouldn’t it—with just ‘poodle-ground’ to greet them? ”

“ Josie laughed joyously.
“But who told you it was Danny who ran away with your beauty,” demanded Josie. “On the other hand, I’m growing more and more to favor this young man. If he can’t ‘own the dear little thing,’ the next best thing is to be its chauffeur. Tell me some more about him—all you know.”
Mary Louise flushed at this tribute, but she allowed the Colonel to depict Danny’s character before she gave her own glowing opinion of him. ”

“ What that girl can’t stumble against is no work for a detective. She isn’t clever, nor does she consider herself so; but she’s a way of falling into traps set for others that is really remarkable. If you know where Josie is, I advise wiring her the first thing you do.”
“I’ll go down to the telegraph office at once and send the message in your name, Mary Louise,” decided Colonel Hathaway, going into the closet to get his hat and coat. ”

“ Mary Louise noticed it and rejoiced.
“Yes, yes,” she cried, her plans growing and expanding with each moment. “Grandfather will be more than glad to get away, and we’ll take Irene McFarlane with us. Think what it would mean to her!”
“But,” argued Danny, “we might have to spend some time in the desert, if Uncle Jim should need us. It would be disagreeable for you, wouldn’t it?”
142 “No, no, I just love the desert,” contradicted Mary Louise; “I love the glow of the sand and the mystery of the distance. Why, Danny, I hope we stay in the desert! ”

“ Even as she entered the room the telephone was buzzing.
“Hello,” she called, seizing the receiver with one hand, pushing the odds and ends from the desk chair with the other.
“Yes, this is Josie O’Gorman. You say you haven’t found a trace of the car? Well, you needn’t have rung me up for that. I’d grasped that much already. Oh, you’ve found positively no strangers have left the neighborhood within the last forty-eight hours. That’s something to go on at any rate. Yes, thank you. Good-bye.”
As she hung up the receiver Josie’s face wore a puzzled frown. ”

“ Southwick’s car, they returned to the group by the bungalow.
The eastern sky was now shot with faint streaks of light, which proclaimed the coming of dawn. Now, for the first time, it would be possible to make a thorough search of the premises.
As O’Hara came up, Brown glared at him as though seeing him for the first time since the arrival of the raiding party.
“So you’re the informer, are you?” he said, wrathfully. “A fine patriot you are! Your friends must be pretty bad off to get help from criminals.” ”

“ But the chap who wins Mary Louise will be overpaid,—even you, my boy. She is pure gold. I hope you will win.”
Danny had tried to interrupt his uncle’s speech several times, but it was useless. The older man laid an affectionate hand on the boy’s shoulder.
“Say nothing about it,” he said. “Words, after all, are but feeble things. It is life alone that counts.”
There were a few minutes of silence before either of the two spoke again. Then O’Hara resumed:
“I want to say just one more thing, Danny, and that concerns my oil well, or, rather, your oil well, for I mean to turn it over to you. ”

“ Instantly the machines in command of Burns and Maitland swerved in opposite directions.
Danny was at the wheel of Maitland’s machine. Knowing the lay of the land, he put on full speed, and was soon leading the others by a comfortable margin.
As their machine bore down on the ranch, Danny and O’Hara realized that their course would bring them just to the rear of the Brown bungalow. ”

“ Could a man be anything but worthy who thinks more of his country than his own personal safety?”
Mary Louise was about to say more in behalf of Danny’s uncle when Josie placed her hand on the girl’s arm.
“There’s no need to argue O’Hara’s case further, dear,” she said. “I agree with you.220 O’Hara is a real American, and I promise to help him in every way I can.”
“I’m so glad!” sighed Mary Louise, and she lay back on her pillows.
“And I am, too!” added Irene, whose tender heart had been deeply touched by Mary Louise’s recital of O’Hara’s story. ”

“ Danny leaned even lower to the opening.
“When they let me out, I’ll put these papers under the back seat of their car. The Jap is evidently ignorant of the fact they put me down here, and does not suspect that anything is missing, so he won’t be especially watchful. Then you hide in the back of the car. Each night he goes upon some errand southward. Ride with him a way and then roll out and wait for your own car. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” answered Danny.
“Then hurry off,” ended O’Hara.
“But,” wailed Mary Louise, “Can’t you fish me out my slipper, Danny? They’ll all wonder where it went.” ”

“ And as the towering figure entered his machine, O’Hara turned to his nephew and said:
“Danny, do you think he knows who I am?”
215 “I think so, Uncle Jim. I have felt that right along,” replied the young man.
O’Hara sighed, and continued:
“I wonder what Mr. Southwick meant about helping me?”
“I don’t know,” responded Danny, “but I do know that Mr. Southwick appreciates what you have done. He is the kind of man who doesn’t say much, but I know he attaches the greatest importance to the raid we have just been through. You’ll have to admit, Uncle Jim, you were responsible for that!” ”

“ All girls are prone to gossip (in Dorfield it was a distinctly harmless amusement) , and usually Mary Louise and her chums gathered in Irene’s sitting-room, where the surroundings were sweet and “homey.” So, on the day they took their ride with Danny Dexter as chauffeur—Danny41 dressed in his new uniform—the four girls who had been favored by Mary Louise as passengers met at the Conant residence and began to quiz their friend. From them the news would fly throughout the city, where every little thing is of interest, and Mary Louise was quite aware of that fact. ”

“ No wonder everybody has turned out to give them an enthusiastic reception! Just look at the number of mothers and fathers and whole families here to welcome their own back! It’s hard to tell who is enjoying it most—the soldier boys who have come back, or their families who have awaited them so long. But why are you here, Mary Louise? ”

“ Then without further pause, Danny leaped down the steps and out to the automobile to prepare it for the long and sudden trip before them.
“It’s seven now,” thought Danny, glancing at the auto clock. “With luck we’ll get there by two to-morrow morning. It won’t really be so bad, and the moon is full.”
In the meantime Mary Louise had hastened to her grandfather. “Grandpa Jim, don’t put on those comfortable old slippers. I’ve received a letter from Josie. She expects to catch her forger to-morrow, and,” she truthfully added, “I feel sure we will be needed.” ”

“ Anyhow, I think we’d best call up Chief Lonsdale and ask his advice.”
“To be sure!” exclaimed Mary Louise, excitedly. “Why didn’t we think of that before? We’ve made mistake after mistake all day long. I’ll go in and telephone him at once.”
The Colonel held her back. “If the Chief’s to understand what we mean and what we want, I’d better talk with him myself. You grow more and more muddled the more you talk with a person over the wire.”
So he rose deliberately and went into the house, and soon they heard the Colonel telling the whole story of Danny Dexter to the Chief of Police. ”