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Nedra

Chapter 3 THE FIRST OBSTACLE

Word Count: 2887    |    Released on: 30/11/2017

ntle. The glass in the hood of the hansom kept out the biting rain, but the drear approach of a wet evening was not to be denied. For nearly th

he glare from the globes; tiny volcanoes leaped up by thousand

g closer to his side. "I thought the weath

y. "Just the sort of weather for a myst

hey are. Anyhow, it will be fun to dine at Sherry's.

an accounting is necessary. This is to be our last dinner in good old America for many a da

," she said with

. One rises with him. Bedsides, we should try to keep our lark in fine fe

om projection through the glass. The hansom had come to a sudden stop, and outside there was a confused sound of shouting wi

s and peer dazedly forth into the gathering night. A sweep of fine rain blew into their faces. He saw a jumble of high veh

into something!

these reckless drivers! Wh

eel, and he saw a huge policeman brandishing hi

's hansom. His fare noticed that they were at the Sherry corner,

officer. "I saw the whole thing. Ye

cemen were making their way to the side of their fel

le?" Hugh called

," answered the policeman. "

d Mr. Ridgeway. "You've no

udes can't kill people and then get off with talk like that. Not much

got a la

't chew the rag.

n was protesting loudly. Rain had no power to keep a curious crowd from collecting. Hugh, indignant beyond exp

tle firmness. "I'm afraid you'll have t

ficer--I have nothing

l that at the desk. We have to get at the

down the street engineered by bluecoats. Hugh, seeing that it wa

said a soft voice in his ear

of a building which Hugh lugubriously recognized as a police station. "We've got to make the best of it, dear. Did you ever hear of such beastly luck? I'll see if they won't let me go in alone and square things. You won't be

down from the seat and march indignantly into the desk sergeant's presence. Hu

he truth is, I don't know wha

bewhiskered sergeant sh

hed him, an' this felly had ordered him to get to Sherry's in five minutes if he ha

he had to kill the old plug. Who is Ber

the row," said the polite roundsman

geway. "It's beastly to drag a lady and gentleman in

the sergeant sharply. "You'll t

e asked, "Has that fellow b

came up just as

t hit him. He says the g

isper to Grace as they took the seats

ispered bravely

nd respectful attention. Whatever it was that happened between those cabmen, I had nothing to do with it, and I am absolutely ignorant

your name

't necessary, is i

it is. Na

et into th

you answer now, or do you wa

me is

of resi

ook

s the

sist

e, lady, if

d a word of the foregoing examination, he was perfectly aware. Vainly, and

instant warning given by the

hat is y

navoidable, and something like a sigh escaped her lips; but as suddenly fear gave way to a feeling of elation. How clever Hugh would c

instant approval, she stepped forward and p

ss Ridge i

tion of dismay burs

ur brother's name--Smith?" ej

ent; and then with a dazzling, bewitching smile di

. Mr. Smith is

, as he watched the somewhat am

do yo

d she, with blind

d don't be worried. This is what we have to do. Your driver slugged another of his kind and he's likely to die of the fall he got. We'll have to use you as witnesses, that's all, an' we must have you where we can put our hands o

" she wailed so prettily that he co

know. The captain will soon be here

friends, a bright idea suddenly coming to the rescue. Grace looked her amazement and alarm as he marched into the telephone booth. Bravely he called up Sherry's and, with the sergeant listening, he sent word to the head waiter to inform Mr. ---- (mentioning th

e to do?" s

time. Perhaps I can do it again. Great bluff, wa

till morning," she cried, on the verge of

less we give bond, but that's all. I'll try another bluff and see how it works. There's n

plain-clothes man to a nearby restaurant for a "bite to eat." In the meantime he was to send a messenger boy with a note to an influential f

is that you say you are brother and sister," said the captain.

gh with a fine inspiration. The captain

on in dead earnest. We have to give this plain-clothes man the slip and get aboard the

hispered. "Can we do it? Would it not be wi

be dragging you into all this sort of thing! Yes, dear. We'll give

tty big and wild, dear,--all that is ahead of us. But, after all, it's like any sea voyage, isn't it? Only we're going to be married when it's over. We Wouldn

them to go on to the restaurant in Longacre Square. It occurred to Hugh that it would be timely to explain why they were not dressed for dinner. They were on their way to the hotel to dress when the fracas took place. The plain-clothes ma

g else. I'm hungry. Haven't eaten since last night, dear

he courage that counts. With their heads close together they planned and plotted until they fo

as they arose. "Do as I have told y

wn Broadway the glare of lights was broken and left hazy in the fog like rain. The sidewalks in the distance looked like a bobbing fi

nding around this kind of weather. No job for a decent human being, I'd say. Especially when one's set to watch respectable people and not criminals. This is a ra

aid he "didn't care if he did." Grace urged them to hurry as she entered the cab and Hugh gave his promise. Scarcely had the two men passed beyond the light screen doors whe

ould safely engage a cab to take her to the dock. And all the time she was hoping and praying, not for

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