The Irish standard., 1903-07-25
Copyright. 1913, by a. N. Kellogg Newspaper Co.
CHAPTER NIIl.-t oNTINUED.

L. the name of William jackson.
-Four deuces," said Mr.. MCGEE. cit
will be hard to beat that. William?
Oh, yes. Bill was here about half an
hour ago. Are you the gent he was
cNpec'in?:"
YES"
'Ile said it you come to tell you to
wait for him. He'll be back directly.
You'll Lave to throw again. Dock.
Take seat in the parlor," continued
Mr. McGce to Warde. waving his hand
toward the door of an adjoining
room.
In one corner of the room two men
sat at Il table drinking. They were
sturdy looking fellows. who We're
Slightly better dressed than their as
sociates. bat their faces were almost
startling in the prominence of evil
displayed therein. One of them was
q very muscular man. whose strength
had Il certain cat-like element in it.
which bad been very cIeveriy crle
bratctl 10y his associates in the nick
name Of old Tom, which they had
given him. His companion WAS an
almost perfect specimen of physical
manhood.
The mirror revealed the fact that
these men were watching Warde with
an intcnsity-it seemed to him Il ma
l9nity of in1crest-for which he
could not account: but he betrayed
no surprise. nor did he give any evil
dence that he had observed them.
Taking from his pocket Il cigar lie
lighted it co"!iy. and then nonchalant-
ly entered the parlor.
He had been there barely five min
utes when the door opened and Old
Tom entered the room. a, first he
seemed Il bit embarrassed before
Warde's cool aud searching yazc and
then he said: you come here to see
Bill JAG l<son. did you:"
"Ics: has he come baclt?'
''No, but maybe my par'lner can tell
you something about him
I'm not particular about that. If
he does not come soon shall go.
Have You any idea what he wants
with me? I'm newspaper man."
"Wait till I call my par,lner. I
think he knows something about it,"
"Nevcr mind your partner. | do not
care to know what he has to say"
"See here. young feller," said Old
Tom, ''you nn't afraid to talk with a
couple of gentlemen. are you?"
81 am not" said Warde. "but 7 have
nothing to talk to you about. My
time is up, anyhow
He arose as he said this, but Old
Tom stood before the door leading
into the saloon. and there was some
thing in his face that Irving had not
seen before. The word murder" was
written upon it as plain as could be.
Wardc saw that not a moment was to
be squanorrrd. He took the whistle
from his pocket and was raising it
to his lips when Old Tom sprnng
toward him and With one sweep of his
powerful hand sent the whistle spin
ming across the table to the floor. SO
vigorous WAS the blow that Wardc
WAS knocked against Il door to the
right and il gave way. sending him
through il. Somewhat dazed, he
picked himself up and with mechanic
n! presence of mind he closed the
door quickly. He had touched n key
ON the outside. and he turned it rapid
1v: and thus Il locked door WAS be-
tween him and his nssainnt.
At first hr could not tell where he
was. it was so dark. But as soon as
he became accustomed to the dark
ness he found that he was on Il back
porch shut in with lattice work.
Round about him was the sense of
something gliding.
In he saloon there was Il great
commotion. and he knew That he was
not yet SAFE. Tie would be pursued.
There was q door doubtless leading
from the barroom to the porch and
the rutiianS would come that way or
break down he rickety door which
hc had just bolted. He felt that
they were coming closer all the time.
He could not spare even Il moment.
Iiurriedly he felt With unsteady hand
alor" the lattice work. If he could
only find an opening he could cross
the back yard and Join Fenton in the
vacant lot Just to the south of the
Rest, At last he found door in the
rear and Il sense of triumph pos
sessed him.
He flung it open and was about to
plunge out. but for n moment he
paused. appalled, by the dense dark
ness beneath him: then he heard his
pursuers coming. and n moment later
light flashed through the porch.
Inst tbnD tho u,oonlitrbt uuttnra
fecbly out of the clouds and he
caught its sheen below. a cold hor-
ror came upon him.
Beneath him lay the river.
Now his pusuers were upon him
indeed. Just below he saw the head
of some black object projecting from
the water, and as he gazed eagerly
out he saw that there was a series Of
these dark objects leading away to-
ward where tugboat lay moored
The object seemed solid, and with.
out moments hesitation he leaped
upon it.
"He has gone!" he heard a hoarse
voice cry.
s'rhen he's in the river" came the
answer.
And there was rush toward the
rear.
The object upon which Warde ha6
lighted was half sunken pile, anc
series of them were driven at in
tervals of yard apart. Some hat
been sunk deeper than others, anc
they stood out from the water like
l. II l.