Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-05-08

a neglected garden which by daylight
would have been sky blue with ruby
margin. but now it merely gave an
other cont to night. and Tom was out
side ard halfway down the fight OF
stone steps before he saw that which
maGc the iron ba!ustradc grow colder
In his hand. The chimney pot hat.
white trousers and drawn staff of enc
Of the new police awaited him at the
bottom
Come aiolC," said this officer. It's
10 use turning back. Hear that"
A. L. spoke tie naise OF breaking
glass came through the open door. and
Toms mind WIS made up. Suddenly
crcuchiYG. with kaecs and elbows at
acute angles. lie spranG clean on top OF
the police officer. who collapsed be.
meath him like house of cards. The
fall was bad enough for Tom. His nose
was bleeding whom he picked himself
| mp. but the other lay motionlcss or his
back, and Tom bent over him in horror
| HIS eyes opened that instant, and he
! made Il grab at Tom. who turned and
| Garted down the garden just rs there
WAS Il CHATTER of fresh feet upon the
| stone stairs behind.
The garden wall was mercfully low
| Tom vault2d X and all but landed il
| Il cucumber frame upon the other side
He found himself in nursery garden
with avenues OF crystal roofs shining
, to the moon in long low parallels
Down one such causeway sped Tom Il
| top speed. getting into another by turn
Ing left and right at the first gap. JUS
then he heard welcome crash at III,
cucumber frame fifty yards back. Blu
now the frontage wall doomed aheatl
| cutting the stars at an uncomforta bl,
height. and Oh daShing up to it Ton
saw the mistake he lad made b,
changing avenues. He had to turn bacl
to the right to make the gate. and tn
officers. who had run straight ahca;
and thus gained Il score of yards, wcr
upon him in full cry.
The gate was Il high wooden one
luckily without spikes. The runawa
straddlPd the top just as the pu"Suer
reached the bottom and left a shoe il
their hands ere he threw himself dow
upon the other side ana kicked it
fellow to the winds
Tom ran swiftly on and present.
overhaulcd Il cart numbering westwar
along the middle OF the road. II
was passing it ut Il less suspicious pac
when he made Il discovery. The drive
was bent double and fast asleep.
Tom dropped behind again and peel
ed III over he back. 1t WAS ha
cart. and the load had been left i
1 town. All that remained was the tn
= paulin lying in a crumpled heap. II
!, looked back along the road. but sa'
p nobody. Then he boarded the cart
: silently enough in his ragged socks
$ and curled himself up beneath the tn
. paulin.
At Kew the carter stopped for h
$ breakfast. and Thomas Erichsen mas
Q good his escape.
q Tom had his breakfast in the beaut
r ful early sunshine beside the river
| brim
0 Overnight he had avoided the taver
e but not the pastry cooks shop. so /
had made his supper in the emp
p over, his pocket was still weighted |
S poor Blaydes' broken watch, nor cou
he make up his mind to pitch into Il
@ river his only asset. and one to whi'
G he was so justly entitled. He w;
clear of London now; the early ST
gave him confidence and pluck. /
would pawn the watch in one of the
n Thames valley towns and then z
= back to London and the docks by ii
@ er and in new habiliments. 1t W
q Saturday morning; he would wait u
+ til that best of times, Saturday nigl
|. but first lie must find a place to hi
:. his head in during the day.
k He found one in the boathouSe of
y small. new. white brick villa. with
r narrow garden leading down to {
o rivers edge. The boathouse had
: open window. Hardened by his e
Il trnmity into Incredible alacrity il SUI