Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-10-11
CHAPTER XVII.

see sufficiently to avoid COLI
- sionS The air. weighted by n
low hung roof of clouds. was sur
charged with the electric suspense
of an impending storm. and seemed to
sigh and tremble at the hint of power
In leash. 1t was that pause before the
conflict wherein the night laid finger
upon It's lips.
AS tine girl ncared Glenister's cabin
she was disappointed at seeing no light
there. She stumbled toward the door,
only to utter half strangled cry as
two men stepped out of the gloom and
seized her roughly. Something cold
and hard was thrust violently against
her cheek, forcing her head back and
bruising her. She struggled and cried
out.
Hold on, it's woman" calculated
the man who had pinioned her arms,
loosing his hold till only hand re-
manned on her shoulder. The other
lowered the weapon he had damned
to her face and peered closely
why. Miss Chester" he said.
What are you doing here? You came
near getting hurt"
Il am bound for the Wilson's, but l
must have lost my way in the dark
ness l think you have cut my face"
She controlled her fright firmly.
That's too bad one said 'We
mistook you for" And the other
broke in sharply. You'd better run
along. We're waiting for some one"
Helen fastened back by the route she
had come. knowing that there was still
time, and that as yet her uncle's ennis
saries had not laid hands upon Glen
lister. She had overheard the judge
and Mcnamara plotting to drag the
town with force of deputies, Selling
not only her two friends, but every
man suspected Of being yigilante.
The victims were to be jailed without
bond, without reason. without justice,
while the mechanism OF the court was
to be juggled in order to hold them
until fall. If necessary. They had said
that the officers were already busy, so
haste was crying thing. She sped
down the dark streets toward the house
of Cherry Malotte, but found no light
nor answer to her knock. She was dis
tracted now, and knew not where to
seek next among the thousand spots
which might hide the man she wanted
What chance had she against the posse
sweeping the town from end to end?
There was only one: he might be at
the Northern theater. Even SO, she
.ould not reach him, for she dared not
70 there herself. She thought of Fred.
her Jap boy, but there was no time.
Wasted moments meant failure.
Roy had once told her that he never
gave up what he undertook. Very
well, she would show that even girl
may possess determination. This was
no time for modesty or shrinking inde-
cision, so she pulled the veil more
closely about her face and took her
good name into her hands. She made
rapidly toward the lighted streets
which cast skyward glare and from
which through the breathless calm
arose the sound of carousal. Swiftly
she threaded the narrow alleys in
search Of the theater's rear entrance,
for she dared not approach from the
front. In this way she came into a
part Of the camp which had lain hid
den from her until now and Of the ex-
istence of which she had never
dreamed.
The vices Of city, however horrible,
are at least draped scantily by the
mantle of convention, but in great
mining camp they stand naked and
without concealment. Here there were
rows upon rows of criblike houses clus-
tered over tortuous, i'll lighted lanes,
like blow flies swarming to an unclean
feast From within came the noise Of
ribaldry and debauch. Shrill laughter
mingled with coarse, maudlin songs,
till the clinging night reeked with
abominable revelry. The girl saw
painted creatures of every nationality
leaning from windows or reckoning
from doorways, while drunken men
collided with ker, barred her course,
challenged her. and again. and again