The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-07-08
Copyright. lse7, by THE NAr1oNAL TR1BuNr

saw at the inquest and the meeting coming out
Of an Office building. He finds out the mans
office in the building, aud thinking that he has
gone away for the evening enters 1t and makes
an examination. He finds that the man has
been passing under many aliases, and discovers
some tell tale evidence in his waste bask ct.
While he is securing them the man unex-
pectedly returns and surprises him.
". desperate fight ensues, in which Raga-
bert finally gets the better of Kent, but the un-
expected entrance of Sparger and Purtell turns
the tables. They leave Ragabert in Sparger's
charge. and go out to seek officer. Ragabert
suddenly produces a revolver, drives Sparger
out OF the room, drenches the desk with kero-
sene, sets FIRE to it, and escapes. Kent goes over
in the evening to see Miss STANDARD, but is hor
rifed to find that she has been decoyed away
by letter which has evidently been written
by Ragabert.
V. Kent Halliday goes to the Superintendent
of Police to consult what further steps shall
he taken. Wat and Con are there, after a
little airing of their new official importance at
the Coal Yards. They all set to examining
the desk which has been brought from Raga-
berts Office, and fnd letter which shows that
the motive for the crime was probably to get
rid OF a man who knew Rsgaberts criminal
past, and threatened exposure unless he de.
sisted from his evil ways. The officer on duty
on Madison street arrives and reports having
tion spirited away in a hack driven by Mick
Horgan. Wat and Con sre sent to bring Hor-
gan In.
The Superintendent stopped the carriage
at the corner of the street, and all four got
out and carefully reeonnoitered the block.
An alley ran behind it. The Superintendent
placed Wat Sparger and Con Purtell at the
corner of this, while he and Kent walked
slowly along the front sidewalk toward No.
945.
There were very few passers on the street,
but the windows Of many of the houses on
either side of the street were still open, and
in one of the brightly Lighted parlors a
young lady, seated at a piano, was singing,
with lusty, ringing voice:
Down in the coal mines,
Undernerfh the ground,
We're dig IN dusky diamonds
All the feasons round" !"
and a circle Ql young men and women
around her we're coming in very strong on
the chorus.
They approached No. 945 very circum-
specify. Kent's quick eyes were the first to
note the shattered window pane, and he
called the Superiniendents attention by
pressing bis arm and pointing to it.
"Stay here and watch the front door,
while go around aud station them On the
back" said the Superintendent, in low
voice.
The Superintendent counted the houses
in front. and then turning into the alley
counted the rear yards, until he came to
that behind No. 945. 1t was inclosed by a
high board fence, and the back gate was
securely locked.
"Take me fnt, Wat, an give me a boost" !"
said Con, and was over the fence in an in
slant.
"Shtay outside there, ye numbering boddy-
doddy, an watch the cats" he said trium-
phantly. But Wat set up a piece Of board
against the fence and labored over it.
The superintendent returned to where
Kent was. They both studied the house.
There was not point Of light anywhere in
! it.
For an instant there was lull in the up.
roarious singing across the way. Kent was
certain that he heard muflled screams com.
ing from the back part of the house. The
Superintendent thought he heard them too
but then the singing broke out afresh and
drowned everything. They assembled the
steps and rang the bell. There was no an.
swer The singing lulled again, and both
heard the scream distinctly.
"She heard the bell, muttered Kent, al
most beside himself with excitement. III,
caught hold OF the d0orknob and tried il
violently, but it was proof against him
The Superintendent produced bunch o
keys and tried them in the lock withou
success.
"You might get in the window there,
said the Superintendent, pointing to th
broken pane
In an instant Kent had clambered owe
the balusters, gained precarious footing OF
the narrow water-ledge, and was workin,
his uncertain way toward the window. H
caught at the sash with such eagerness as 4
. cut his hands badly on the jagged glass
He saw a man inside, dimly outlined in tn
uncertain light from the street lamps, VIII
struck at him viciously with a billy" bu
: missed his aim. The roar in the choru
across the street drowned the crashing of tn
glass as Kent forced his shoulders through
aud, drawing his revolver, stood upright i
, the room. The man turned and ran uI
stairs.
"Help me in, Halliday" called the Super
intendent, who had leaped over the balu,
trade on to the ground below the window
Kent leaned down from the window an
reached his hand TO his. chief, who, with il
aid, elambersd up the side and into thsToon