The Savannah morning news., 1904-06-05

hoarsely, the motorneer applied the
| brakes. The car stopped with jerk
which almost precipitated Mr.. Hall
through the door.
AS She sprang upon the car, Alice
painted out the story of her father
incarceration, with it's pitifully mag
mary details, and Mr.. Hall turned
white and dizzy-not for the posslolli-
ties of loss to the bank, but at
thought of his old and tried. II whlm-
steal, friend, slowly suffocating in the
steel vault.
The motorneer let the brake fly
without waiting for an order from
Arthur. The boss's girl was in trouble
and there was no time for words
Take the rear brake, JIM" aid
Arthur. I'll tend to this" and as the
motorneer started for the rear of the
car, Arthur, with set face and firm
hand took control of the car Down
the mountain they rushed at express
train speed. Mr.. Hall clutched the
window ledge nervously as the car
jumped and jolted in rounding a
curve, but Alice sat with straining
eyes, her one solace, the dangerous
swiftness of their descent.
Half a mile below was the steepest
grade on the little line. There the
track dipped sharply, and near the
DOllOII SWSINGu dDIuplly AL III
who had let the car run beyond pru-
dent limits, frightened the brakes just
before the car reached the drop.
Tighter and tighter he wound the
chain, and for a moment the check on
the wheels held the car from any in
crease in speed. 1t was running en-
tirely of its own momentum, but even
this was too fast a pace on the brink
of the mighty drop. Arthur shouted
for TfV,1 I.1f 81, lrr
had prepared for the drop and was
Tightening his brake. Then there came
the sharp crack of breaking metal and
the car seemed to fall forward. The
momentum, started by the mad flight
on the lesser grade, was too much
even for iron brake chains. The car
bounded forward as through space,
struck the curve, and then with one
awful jolt and sway fastened itself
back on the rails.
Mr.. Hall had sprung to his feet, ter
! ror stricken, as the car made its leap.
Now he sank back trembling in his
seat, shamed by the calmness of
Alice. Her faith in Arthur was I'M
limited, The CLEAN of truth at his
success when they struck the rails
was unmistakable.
The remaining distance, three miles
and half, was over straight smooth
best rate of speed. Into the town
they dashed, breaking all the elabor-
ate rules and regulations formulated
by the town council to govern the
speed of the new electric line. AS
they turned into the main street they
could see the restless, helpless crowd
around the bank door.
Alice stood up, her gaze strained on
the bank door. No it was not possible
that any one could have opened the
vault. He must be still in its awful
blackness. Did he know and feel his
grooming doom? Was he dead or
alive?
THE crowd parted as Mr.. Hall
sprang from the car to the pavement
and sped up the bank steps. At his
| heels were Alice and Arthur. AS Mr..
Hall turned the combination an omi-
nous silence fell upon the watchers.
AT last the bank presidents hand fell
from the knob to the handle below it.
One pull and the door sprang back.
And as the door Enclosed. SO some
thing fell out from the darkness with
| in, something that had been huddled
cry of anguish Alice fell beside the
motionless figure, but Arthur's hands
drew her gently away.
Let the doctor come first, Alice" he
whispered, and led her gently away.
=
The doctor was leaving the bank. The
townspeople stood respectfully, if eau
tiously, around the gate.
Skull not fractured" said the doc
tor briefly. Badly bruised and suf-
Eered more from asphyxiaition than
from the blow. Ten minutes more and
! he'd been dead