The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-09-10

that his mind resumed its sway. con-
fusedly. though, 81 first
He lay perfectly still; and in mo |
rnent be began to wonder That ne |
should next do 20 escape pursuit
why no. Ie. them shoot meg. be !
asked 10 q whisper. 'H It were not
for Kate, think I would. If Il wsfe.
not for her, nv lie would not be Mortn
az 5;s-,,- ~ -
The thought Of the woman who loved
him, and whom he loved, reused MIN
still more But still ne could think q
no expedient. he was still at his VIZ
end. The moment he moved ana
showed himself again, he would be
liable to be shot
While be lay thus. q penetrating but
restrained voice from directly below
him came to bis hearing:
Tom. are you aliye?n
Here am, Kate he replied in the
same voice.
Can't you crawl up to the next sta
ton, get off and swim the Harlem TO
Ned Stover's? They think you are
working down toward New York, and
I win try to let them. Only one Of EN-
has gone up TO watch where you'll II get
off Harlem way, and If You see him,
Won must manage him-no matter
how"
IAN right"
The next moment the woman below
heard her name said in hoarse whis-
per:
'-Kater' ..
''Tom!''
IF anything happens to me-good
byer'
The woman's voice was dreadful In
I its pathos, but she only said:
Goodbye. Tom!''
Then he could see her moving away
| in the direction of New York.
| He did not rise to his feet, for he
feared he would be seen; but all his
energy and acuteness of mind came to
him.
He crawled on to one of the rails,
| aud worked himself along with an in
credible rapidity, almost as snake
glides. ,
His trained muscles served him well
now. Thus moving, he could not be
seen ut all from below, and he trusted
Eentirely to his feeling the vibration OF
! a coming train for his knowledge OF
that impending danger.
Il was his intention to go near to the
| next station, and then to descend to
the ground as he had mounted-a COM
paratiyely easy thing to do.
He slipped through one of the open
| ings and swung himself out on to
| the nearest post; the next minute he
was on the ground, and he saw the
river cleaning beneath the city's lights
a few rods away.
He Strengthened himself for one deep
breath before he should dart forward
across the space between him and the
river.
There is no one near" he muttered.
| and put out his foot for the start.
At that instant a hand was laid on
| his shoulder, and an exulting voice
| said:
You're my man.
Tom turned, quick as a panther
tirns. and struck up the pistol in the
officers other hand, flung himself at
the mans throat, and bore him down
10 the ground from sheer suddenness
of onslaught.
III vain the officer tried to strike out.
l1f4ug ItAlll OllC 1ttSS wv LOT Va TIC
in the throat, Tom left the man sense
less and sprang down towards the
river.
He was halfway across it before the
officer came to his senses enough to sit
up and stare about him.
The policeman was one who rarely
let any one escape him. Angry. more
resolved than ever, he rose to his feet.
and plunged along in the direction of
the river, shrewdly guessing that in
that way the fugitive would go. His
pistol was gone. He had only his club
at his belt.
Reaching the shore and peering for
ward, the glitter of gaslights revealed
the wet and shining head of man
moving towards the opposite shore.
The officer threw off his hat and coat,
and jumped as far out as he could into
the water. He did not hear the splash
that sounded from the water almost as
soon rs he began to swim. He did not
see the form that pursued him with
the movements that told his pursuer
was an experienced swimmer, while he
himself was a bungling one by COM
parison.
Ali at once he felt his arms pinioned
by an embrace so close that both i'm
mediate1f began 10 sink.
It was Kate, who had succeeded in
following, for she knew that near here
would come the decisive moment of
the pursuit. If Tom could only reach
Ned Stover's $, there was a place of
concealment there which, she believed,
could not be discovered.
Furious at being thus detained, the
officer made desperate effort to shake
off the incubus that held him.
He put forth his strength and tore
himself from her arms.
As he did so, an irresistible impulse
made the woman cry out in an agony
of pleading and terror, the one name
ever in her heart:
Tom. Tom, bewarel'
The cry sounded over the flowing of
the river
It seemed to the man who heard it,
and who was just scrambling up the
bank, rs if it were a cry for help, and
he turned and dashed again into the
water.
The moment the woman had spoken
thus. the policeman gave her a swift
blow in the chest, and she sank back
As for Tom. he had lost all thought
of himself.
He only knew that he had heard that
cry in the beloved voices and that he
cared for nothing but to reach Kate,
and he knew instinctiYely how she
came to be in the river
He knew also that she could swim
remarkably well.
Now again he encountered the police
man. He could not lose one moment.
Follow me; do what you pleasein
he exclaimed; ''but. for Heavens
sake, let me save herl / swear I viii
give myself up Immediately after. !"
The officer knew that the man meant
what he said. He contented himself
with Saying: All right and then
swimming 20 the shore. and running
up and down on the bank to get warm.
he watched the head of the man whom |
he meant to arrest
In q few moments Tom reached the |
shore. and he bore on his arm a drip /
ping limp figure. the head hanging
back in that dreadful way which, once /
seen, can never be forgotten.
Tom sank on his knees. and fell to
the womanas hands in . dazed
sort of way.
Haven't you any brandy = any
thing?n be asked huskiIy.
mo. There was 4 flask in niy coat
but that's on the other side, said the
officer, and he bent lower, and said IN
q different voice, ITS no good. She
IS dead.
Tom uttered cry which. hardened
as ne was. the officer could never for
get. Then he dropped himself down
on the ground beside the body Of Kate,
kissing her cold face with passionate
tenderness. murnuring words Of love-.
reufqaching himself ling with akl
and abandon which were ter
rible TO hear.
stfsoYaa af,x,.e - Sid Aha .,effraraasl