Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-07-18

and. remembering Hobbs. he halted. ming kirkwood could hear the heavy pounding of his clumsy feet. Already Dorothy had almost gained the farther corner. AS she whisked round it with a futter of skirts Kirkwood lodged hastily behind gatepost. A thought later Hobbs appeared. head down, chest out. eyes straining for sight of his quarry. pelting along for dear life.
 As, rounding the corner, he stretch ed out In swifter stride Kirkwood was inspired to put spoke In his wheel. and a foot thrust suddenly out from behind the gatepost accomplished his purpose with more success than he had dared anticipate. Stumbling. the mate plunged headlong. arms and legs a-sprawl, and the momentum of his pace. though checked. carried him along the sidewalk. face downward. a full yard ere he could stay himself.
 Kirk wood stepped out of the gate way and sheered ofAas Hobbs picked himself up. something which he did rather slowly, as if In daze, without misfortune. And for moment he stood pulling his wits together and swaying as though on the point of re- suming his rudely interrupted chase. when the noise of Kirkwood's heels brought him about face.
 .snr lss h Io rto t.~ temper as vicious as hss countenance.
 Myself" admitted Kirkwood fairly, and then. in gleam of humor. Weren't you looking for me?"
 His rage seemed to take the little cockney and shake him by the throat. He trenbled from head to foot. his face shockingly congested, and spat out dust and fragments of lurid blas- phemy like an infuriated cat.
 Of sudden "W'ere's the gelf" he sputtered thickly as his quick shifting eyes for the first time noted Dorothy's absence.
 Miss Calendar has other business none with you. I've taken the liberty of stopping you because have a word or two"--
 low. you ave, 'ave you?. I've a word for you too! And over that bag and look nippy or I'll myke you pye for wat you've done to me. I'll myke you pye" he iterated hoarsely. edging closer. And 1t over or''-
 You've got another guess Kirk hA h.xt ht I. ... deference to an Imperative demand on him for instant defensive action. for a six inch blade of tarnished steel was winging toward Kirkwood' $ throat with the speed of light
 lnstinctively he stepped back, as in- stinctively he guarded with his right forearm. lifting the hand that held the satchel. The knife. catching in his sleeve. scratched the arm beneath painfully and simultaneously was twisted from the mates grasp, while n his surprise Kirkwood's grip on the bag handle relaxed. It was torn forci- bly from his fingers just as he re- eeived heavy blow on his chest from The mates fist. He staggered back.
 By the time he had recovered from inc shock Hobbs was a score of feet away, the satchel tucked under his arm, his body bent almost double. run ping like jack rabbit. Ere Kirkwood :ould get under way In pursuit the mate had lodged out of sight round the corner. When the American caught sight of him again he was far down the block and bettering his pace with every jump.
 He was approaching. also, some SIX CT eight good citizens of Calais. men of the laboring class. at guess. Their attention attracted by his frantic flight they stopped to wonder. One or two moved as though to intercept him, and he doubled out Into the middle of the street with the quickness of thought. An instant later he shot around an other corner and disappeared. the na- tives streaming after in hot chase. electrified by the inspiring strains of ''Stop thief!' or Its French equivalent.
 The mob struggled round yet another corner and was gone. Its clamor. al. minished on the still spring air. and Kirkwood, recovering. abandoned Mir. Hobbs to the justice of the high gods and the French system of jurispru- dence. At least he hoped the latter would take an interest In the case If haply Hobbs were laid by the heels and went his way rejoicing.
 As for the scratch on his arm, 1t was nothing. as he presently demonstrated to his complete satisfaction In the se- clusion of chance sent facre, Kirk wood. commissioning it to drive him to the American consulate. made his di- agnosis en routes wound handker- chief round the negligible wound. rolled down his sleeve and forgot 1t altogether in the joys of picturlng to himself Hobbs fin the act of opening the satchel in expectation of finding therein the gladstone bag.
 At the consulate door he paid off the driver and dismissed him. The fiacre had served his purpose, and he could find his way to the Terminus hotel at infinitely less expense. He had a con slderably harder task before him as ha ascended> the sfpps to the consular