The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-08-14
PART v.


The encounter was so deadly close
that it did not permit of flight. To inrn
WAS 10 feel outlet in his back. To sur
render meant confession and a prison.
1t is the peculiar temptation of the eN-
convict that the idea OF prison is al
ways in his mind. Though he may be
mo more prone To violence than the best
OF men, he is driven to il by the press
ng fear of the cell, the unrequited toll,
the meagre fare, the loneliness of prison
life.
Therefore. daring neither TO flee nor
tn surrender, Jack Pinney sprang upon
the man who had risen so mysterious
~ in his path. He had no hope, for The
enormous size of his opponent and the
certainty that he was armed, made sue
cessful attack almost impossible. How
great, then, was -Pinney's- surprise
when his enemy went down at touch,
gasping for mercy as he fell. And, TO
complete the miracle, Pinney recognized
the half-smothered voice, and "A moment
later, the face of the man beneath him,
shining white in the darkness.
''Doc. Braydon!" he cried. "In the
devils name what brought you here?'
This Braydon-celled doctor" for
some reason that neither he nor anyone
else could remember--was an American
crimina, whom Pinney had known quite
intimately in the old days. Upon recog-
nizing him, Pinney leaped TO his feet,
but Braydon lay upon the stones, still
begging for mercy.
"Shu. up!" said Pinney, bending over
him. "You're all right. Get a grip on
yourself. I'm Jack Pinney. Don't you
know me?"
It required several minutes for the
truth to penetrate Braydon's mind. At
last he staggered 10 his feet, Pinney
supporting him with one arm.
"JaclS, is it your" he gasped. well.
this is awful. l never lost my nerve
like that before"
'I WAS just bit nervous myself" re-
sponded Pinney. 81 suppose we're here
on the same errand, and don't mind
admitting that it's ticlslish business.
but / feel good deal better now. IL
the noise that we've made hasn't
brought anybody, it's because there
Isn't anybody to bring. I'm convinced
that the job is as easy as it looks, and
You and ! gan do it in couple of min
utes."
IL don't know, Jack" said the other.
IF everybody else let's this thing alone,
there must be reason for il. It's got
n record"
Pinney laughed. The fears that had
so shaken him had vanished when the
first danger proved to be not only nat
ural, but of small account. He had
also the support of companionship,
made stronger by the pleasure of meet
ing an old acquaintance in foreign
land. The same influence operated 70
put courage into Braydon, but he was
of superstitious nature and could not
rise superior to the terrors of the ring.
He had been driven into the enterprise
by the spur of necessity, and had been
almost on the point of abandoning il
when his encounter with Pinney had so
absurdly frightened him.
With the encouragement of Plnney's
assurance, he prepared 10 execute his
share in the crime in which they had
so strangely become partners. Each
had provided himself with n noosed
md knotted rope for scaling the side of
the statue. IL was decided by lot that
Pinney should ascend by the rope after
the moose had been thrown over the
head of she image. This was accon-
plished after several failures; and still
there was no sign of discovery by any
of the city's nocturnal guardians.
The ascent was easy; but when he
came within reach of the ring, Pinney
could not, for all his hardihood, stretch
forth his hand and grasp it. His for
ncr fears returned. He hung there
trembling, until his strength had al
most failed, and he was on the point
of failing back TO the ground. At tins
moment he heard the voice OF his conn
panion whispering excitedly: "Some
one is comingl"
Some one cried out upon the corner
of the square. The thieves were dis
covered. Convulsiyely, Finney seized
the ring, and at the same instant he
loosed his hold upon the rope. The
golden chain broke with the strain
thus suddenly put upon it, and the
thief fell upon the shoulders of his
companion. Both men rolled upon the
ground. The ring slipped from Pinney's
hand. He heard il tinkle on the stones.
Braydon seized it, and sprang up. At
that moment, the policeman who had
discovered them, and was running to-
ward the spot, fired his revolver. Pin
1,z,I ls,Ss w