Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-12-10
something bright in Old Toms hand.
It was II long. sharp knife.

~ "d' III mug. Sha' hh''''
Warde shivered.
On went tho two figures leeping
from pile to pile. one with trembling
and uncertain steps, the other with
the easy confidence of one to whom
the way was familiar.
Old Tom was gaining steadily upon
him. and Wardc. with some reeling
and despair in his heart, saw that be
could not escape.
Suddenly he remembered his pis-
fol. He did not want TO use IL ms
long as he had been in the saloon,
for he knew very we'll that il he had
killed anybody the mob would have
torn him TO pieces with Joyous unan-
! unity: and in his effort TO escape he
had for the time forgotten ii. II
was now his only hope unless Fen
ton should come 10 bis assistance.
He turned about upon the pile on
which he was standing so as to con-
front his adversary. The latter was
approaching him confidently and res
olute,y. His one grim object was the
death of the reporter.
Tho shadowy houses on tho shore
were rising and falling as il they
were about to plunge into the stream.
The silver lines of light played over
the face If the water. He could see
the great steamboats,. with their red
and green lights and their trailing
banners of black smoke. rounding tho
bends or putting into the wharf. All
else was silence. Even the crowd of
reckless criminals. craning their
necls from the back door. were
dumb with excitement as they wait
cd the duel between the men upon
these black stumps.
The stars were silent. and they
wore cold. too. Warde felt that they
did not care.
In his eagerness to get out his
pistol. his hand trcmblcd SO that the
weapon. catching in his clothing,
slipped and fell into tho river.
Where could Fcnton be. he won
dcred in vague way? Had he on
tered the Rest and been disposed of?
Wardc called to him several times.
but received no response; but he had
no time now TO look toward the
shore. Old Tom was nearly upon
him. and he determined that il he
had to die. il should only be after
a game fight. He braccd himself
as firmly as he could upon his pile,
prepared 10 use his fists upon his APP
proachirg antagonist. and drag him
down 10 death with him.
Old Tom had just lighted on the
nile next to him and was getting
ready to lsap.
4 pistol shot broke upon the air.
tho cleaning knife dropped into the
stream and Old Tom gave terrible
cry of mingled pain and disgust. and
then crouchcd down and held 10 his
pile to prevent himself frou falIin"
into the river. but his strength was
not great enough and he slipped into
the swrling water and was dragged
away from sight.
In the meantime = sl,ff which had
been moorcd on the bank just under
the rear OF the Rest was pushed out
from shore. and in few seconds
Fenton had Wurdr safely within it,.
Getting outside the line OF piles. Fen
ton began TO pull away. It was Il
shrcwd move on his pact. for The
crowd within the saloon had ~urgcd
back through the front uoor. ;nd bil'
Mct,ec could he beard calling for his
skin Then followed mingled cci"s
of rage and disappointment. aud
when She boat was detected moving
a. 'vnud the row of piles = num-
brt Gathering shots We're fred.
Trnton stopped long cnouoh 60 Gre
back ut the crowd and "~ il 'urrcd
out. casually shot away q small seq
ton Of Mr. McGer's nose. Then n,.
bent to the oars with all hi- might
and pulled for the wharf, which WAS
about u mile away. II lid not take
him tong TO ret beyond the range of
the stluuEc shots that were seat
sizing aft,r him.
Wardc was completely exhausted
by the tense strain upon his physical
and nervous system. and he ny in
the bottom OF the boat III a sort of
stupor. Gradual as they APP
preached the wharf and as he real
i/rd that be had, indeed. cscap"O with
=
assert Themselves.
When they reached the wharf and
he began TO feel more like himself
he gave Fcn1on an account of his
adventures. The latt"v was prdfusr
in Ids regrets tina, he had not gone
to Wardc's help sooner; but he *
planned that as he had not heard
the whistle. he concluded that The
noise in the saloon was only some
extra Notification on the part q the
BacchanulS inside. He had heard the
cry for help, and ran down ~ the
rivers edge through the Vacant lot.
The skifl was tied up, but with his
knife he had cut the rope, and sue
ceSSfully made tho rescue.
II was - O'Clock when Irving
Wards Ta-sntcrcd the Gazette Office.
He had been gone but an hour, and
vet IN that time nc seemed TO have
lived an age.
Al one o'clock the police raded Pc
trr's Rest, but the easy Mr.. McGee
with his mutilated nose and all his
guests had mysteriously disappeared
and the only persons caught were a
boy, who was acting as barkcepcr
and several individuals who had
struggled into the Rest when the
i