not take place?
She had long since recognized Paul Ring in spite of his make-up. She had
seen him too many times in the Masquerader's Shows at Annapolis. For a
short time she flitted behind the cab like an avenging shadow. It would
never do to let Helen make such an idiot of herself, and bring notoriety
upon the school where Peggy and Polly were pupils, or so humiliate Mrs.
Vincent and Natalie. Nelly did some quick thinking. There was but one
road for the elopers to follow. Her father, to whom she had confided
her suspicions and begged him to aid her, must be on his way back by
this time. Wheeling Star she shot back as she had come, and making a
wide detour around Columbia Heights School, put Star to his best paces.
Half a mile beyond the school she met her father coming at a fairly good
clip.

Ten words were enough.

"Thank the Lord we're riding Empress stock!" ejaculated Bolivar as he
and Peggy gave the two beautiful creatures their heads and they settled
into the long, low stride which seems never to tire, muscles working
swiftly and smoothly as the machinery of a battleship, heads thrust
forward, nostrils wide and breathing deep breaths to the rhythmic
heart-throbs. But the runaways had a good start.

Presently Bolivar said:

"If Shelby has ridden easy he's somewheres ahead on that selfsame road."

"Oh, dad, if he only is!"

"Well, by the god Billiken he is! Look yonder."

A more dumbfounded man than Shelby it would have been hard to overtake.

"Had he seen the cab?"

"Certain. It was hiking along ahead. Passed him just a little time
before, the horse a-lather. Wondered who the fools were."

"Well, you know now. How far ahead do you reckon they are?"

"Quarter mile beyond that turn if the horse ain't fell dead. Let me
break away, overhaul them and then you two come in at the death," he
laughed.

Shelby was riding Shashai, and at his word a black streak passed out of
sight around the bend of the boulevard. Star and Columbine chafed to
follow, but their riders held them back for a time.

True enough, as Shelby had said, the cab was still pounding along toward
Washington, though the poor horse was nearly done up.

Shelby came abreast the poor panting beast, leaned quietly over, caught
the bridle and cried, "Whoa!" The horse was only too delighted to oblige
him. Not so "Cabby."

With wrath and ire he rose to mete out justice to this highwayman. Had
the butt of his whip hit Shelby he would have seen m