Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1903-05-05
Have you any, idea what he wants
with me? I'm newspaper man."

'sWait till / call my pardner. /
think he knows something about it,"
Never mind your partner. / do not
care to know what he has to say"
Warde's suspicious were now
aroused, and he did not propose to
have tete-a-tete with these brawny
rufians. There could be no doubt
about it, trap Of some sort had
been laid for him.
"See here, young feller," said Old
Tom, you mint afraid to talk with q
couple of gentlemen, are your"
Il am not, said Wartle, shut have
nothing to talk to you about. Ny
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 "murtler' was
written upon it as plain as could be.
Warde saw that not moment was to
be squandered. He took the whistle
from his pocket and was raising it
to his lips when Old Tom sprang
toward him and with one sweepof his
powerful hand sent the whistle spin
ming across the table to the floor So.
vigorous was the blow that Warde
was knocked against a door to the
right and it gave way, sending him
through it. Somewhat dazed, he
picked himself up and with mechanic
al presence of mind he closed the
door quickly. He had touched a key.
on the outside, and he turned it rapid
ly; and thus a locked door was be-
tween him and his assailant.
AT first he 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 back
porch shut in with lattice work.
Round about him was the sense Of
something gliding.
Z In the saloon there was great
commotion, and he knew that he was
not yet safe. He would be pursued.
There was a door doubtless leading
from the barroom to the. porch, and
the ruffians would come that way or
break down the rickety door which
he had just bolted. He felt that
they were coming closer all the time.
He could not spare even a moment.
Hurriedly he felt with unsteady hand
along 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 sense of triumph pos
sessed him.
Z He flung it open and was about to
plunge out. but for moment he
paused, appalled, by the dense dark
ness beneath him; then he heard his
pursuers coming, and moment later
a light flashed through the porch.
Just then the moonlight futtered
feebly out of the clouds and he
caught it's 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 series OF
these dark objects leading away to
ward where a 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.
"Then he's in the river came the
answer.
And there was q rush toward the
rear.
The object upon which Warde had
lighted was half Ssunken pile, and
a series of them were driven at in
teryals of a yard apart. Some had
been sunk deeper than others, and
they stood out from the water like
the black pillars of q ruined temple.
Il he could walk along the tops of
these irregular columns he might
reach the tugboat. This would place
him where he could perhaps secure
help or where he could defend him
self:
The river had eaten great semi
circle in the bank under the Rest,
and the current eddied and circled
around therein with silent but tre-
Smendous power. None but an expert
SWIMMER could save himself from be-
ing drawn into this impromptu whirl-
pool, The piles had served the pur-
pose Of protecting the bank from the
further encroachments of the river,
and the line began under the Rest
and extended away from the shore.
At first Warde leaped from one to
another Of these pillars without much
trouble, but to climb up to one a
little higher than the others and
then let himself down to one far be-
meath it was q dangerous task, and
the further he got out into the river
the more difficult it became for him
to make any Roadway.
Hardly had he trayeysed a 6oze4
of these treacherous stepping stones
when he was discovered, and, elanc
ing back, he saw to his horror that
he was being followed by Old Tom
He looked at the swiring river be
low him, and the world was reelina
about him. A cold Precipitation stood
npon his face. He became nervous
blind almost, and felt an almost if.
yresistible impulse to throw himself
into the river and end the suspense. 3
Old Tom. however, was ut home in
this kind OF an enterprise. It was
pastime to him, and he crept from
pile to pile with the cat-like agility