The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1909-03-12

and turned to the door. 4 long red
automobile had Stopped ut the curb
Two men whom it carried were jus,
entering the hotel Something in the
sight of the long. low racer" reminded
Harry-of what? His eye traced its
polished lines noting its cunning mech
anism. its build for silent speed. with
the eager lighting of a connoisseur. He
took step toward it, ohliviOus TO all
about him
lie did not note that men We're gath
ertng. that the nearest saloon was
e1nptying Of its occupants. Nor did he
see girl on horseback with a tiny
child before her on the saddle, who
refined up sharply opposite
The rider was Jessica. the child an
ecstatic ive-year-old she had picked up
on the fringe of the town to canter in
with her hands gripping the pOmmel of
the saddle She saw Harry's position
instantly and guessed it perilous What
did the men mean to do? She leaned
forward, a swift apprehension in her
face
Harry came back suddenly to a real
ization of his surroundings Tie looked
about him. startled. his cheek darken-
ing its red. every muscle instinctively
tightening He saw danger in the low
ering faces, and the old lust of daring
leapod up instantly.to grnpple with tho
re5uvenated character
Dcylin'B voice came over the heads
Of &. crowd a., burly and shirt Slowed.
he strobe across the Street:
Hand over the dust you've stolen
before you are tarred and feathered.
Hugh Stires!"
Harry looked at him. surprised. his
mind instantly recurring to the placard
he had seen. Here was tangible &C
cusation
Il have stolen nothing" he respond
ed quietly.
where did he get what he Just sold
me" The jewelers. sour query rose
behind him from the doorway.
"We'll find that out" was the rough
| rcioinder
In face of his threatening Peril Jes-
sica forgot all eise-the restive horse,
the child. She sprang to the ground.
| her face panied and indignant, ana
started to run across the street But
with cry of dismay. she turned back
The horse had caught sight of the red
automobile and. snorting and wild
eyed. had swung into the roadway.
Its Devlin's kid some one cried
| out, and Devlin, turning. went sudden
| ~ ashen. The baby was the one soft
spot in his rutfany heart He sprang
| toward the animal. but the movement
and the hands clltching at the bride
sent it to a lcaping terror In another
instant il had broken through the ring
of hystandprS and fren2ied AT its free
| dom. dashed down the long. level
street with the child clinging to the
saddle pommel
It was all the work of a moment.
one of panic and confusion. through
which rang JcsSica's scream of re
morse and fright Torpor held the
crowd-all save one. whose action fol
lowed the scream as leap follows the
spur In single step Harry gained
the automobile. With an instantaup-
GUS movement he pushed the lever
down and ierkpd the throttle wide
The machine bounded into IFS pace.
the people rolling back before it, and,
gathering Roadway. darted after the
runaway.
The spectators stood staring Hell
| never catch him." said Michael Hal
loran. who had Joined the crowd Flu
neral HoHow's only mile away"
With others he hurried to the hotel
| balcony, where he could watch The OK
citing race Jpssica stood stock stl.
as banched as DevIin, wrnging her
| hands
with the first bound of the car under
him. As the crowd was snatChed behind
| a weird, eSultant thrill shot through
| Harrr's every nerve Each bolt and
| bar he knew as one would tell his fin
GERS. Somewhere, at some time. he
| had known such fight through mel
low sunlight, with the air singing past
| Where? When?
Not for the fraction of a second.
however. did his gaze WAIVER He
knew that the fat on which the town
! was built tell away in hollow raviue
To the southwark he could soc il from
the cabin doorway a stretch of break
Deck road only mile ahead Could
| the child hold ON? Could he distance
those frrnlied hoocs in time? The ar
row of the Indicator stole forward on
the dial
Far behind as the crowd watched a
cry rose from the hotel balcony 1t
was Barney McGinn. the frajghter
| with glass at his eye He's gain
| ing!" he shouted He has almost
| Oyertakpu the horSew
! The horses first fury of speed was
| firing The steel sized was creeping
| closer y thunder of hoofs in pursuit
! wonId have mlddaupd the flying ami
NAL but the gliding thing that was
I now so close to him came on with
| noiSeless swiftness Harry had re
| served with the nicely Of a practiccd
| hand a last increment of speed With
! the front wheels at the horses flank
/ he drew suddenly on this. As the car
responded he swerved It sharply in
! and. holding with one hand. leaned
| far ont from the step and lifted the