The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-08-28


tempting to board the train. 1 should
have come TO no harm, I knew, in try
ing to catch tile cars. But he did not
know, Of course, how athletic L waS-he
could not take chances as I could.
But then only man as desperate as 1
was over the loss of my child through
the escape Of Lizzie would have taken
the sort Of chances that / was prepared
to take that night-no matter how deS-
perate or seemingly foolhardy they
might be.
And now what was I 90 do? The Z
o clock train had gone, carrying Lizzie
away to the city.
Ny idea of going to private detec-
tive agency to hire aid in getting het
brought back to me did not appeal 70
me half as forcibly as it had when l
had thought of that course in case she
did not board the train.
! planned that 1 would employ force
Of detectives TO Scour the country Tor
her if she did not go 90 the city. At the
most I'm that case it would only have
been a matter OF a day or Two before
she would be found and brought back
10 me.
But now that she had gone TO the city,
and I had been unable to intercept her-
even accompany her-the matter OF set
ting about her capture was not nearly
SO simple as a search Of the open cOun-
try for her would have been.
For where might she not 20 IN the
city? And how could nope 10 Eet on
her train in the crowded metropolis, or
set anybody else on her trail thefeE
As / had told my wife, the problem
of getting Lizzie back was TO be as
hard-if not harder-to solve tnan the
riddle of getting rid of her had been.
The next thing for me 70 do, though
was to follow her as quickly as l could
! II I could get on her trail in the city
before she had been there long enoug1
| TO let the scent grow cold. / might Stdnd
some chance Of bringing her back.
Hey" ] shouted after the gateman
| ''When's the next train for the city?
He turned and looked at me.
There amt no more trains leaving
nero tonight. he answered. Five
o'clock in the mornings the first one
out Of here.
/ groaned aloud. I could not walt
seven hours before setting out after
With seven hours start OF me. she
could lose herself so effectually in the
city that 1 might never ind her AGAIN
and that meant that my boy-my only
son-wouId be lost TO me forever.
Yet how could ] get TO the city now
right aWay-at OnceE
| The railroad was closed 70 me lnlil
IS O'Clock in the morning / could nOl
/ hire a team ard drive 10 town in less
than four or FIVE hours. a the least
even if I could get a lveTyman to let
mo have his horses on night like
| this.
There was only one way I could get
! to the city-walking. And II would take
/ longer TO do that than II would to wait
| for the ) o'clock train he next morning.
! Nobody could understand what / felt
/ to stand there inactiyely, and now that
my inactivity Iaight be losing nae my
| boy forever. Nobody but father could
understand that.
/ an automobile drawing 20 a sudden stop.
! An automobile, whose was it, No
| matter l could hire It from anybody
/ who owned II.
/ And i'm that way ] could make as
I
/ which had just left. i might, in fact,
/ beat thai train into its destination and
| catch Lizzie as she lan4ed
| 7 turned and ran back through the
| waiting room and out toward the con
tinued sound of the motor. / would
/ hire that car, nobody could refuse TO
! let me have il once they heard the
| story Of my need to use II in reaching
ran out OF the depot and turned
/ toward the noisy car,
| And then. as 1 caught sight Of its &C
/ cupant, 1 stopped, while a cry of baf-
/ fed disappointment escaped my lips. -
The owner Of the car was Jack Rog-
| There was the only man who would
| not let ne have the use OF his 2utomO-
bile Cor love or money He mad told me
| that we were no longer friends, but
| enemies, and ne was man VINO meant
| what ne said and kept his word.
| Could I prevail upOis him somehow "a
! forget the injury / had done him IN
! sending Lizzie 10 him knew IN my
heart that there was no way ] could
| make him forgive me.
| And there ] stood, ready to give
lanvthilg, do anything. TO get into
town IS quickly as ! cOuld-startng
at an easy means Of doing so which
lcould not accept.
And then Rogers turned and caught
a HI = he called TO me. I thrilled
lat his voice-he had called me by my
lold familiar nickname.
| What could that mean2 Had he sud
ldenly turned friendly Had he forgot
ten his sworn enLlity FOR me and
miner
yes. Jack" 7 cried, running TO his
side. I would do all in my power q
make him forget and forgive. VIVA
is it, Old man; what brings you doNr
there tonight
HAS the L O'Clock train gone yet?
he asked excitedly.
I stared in wonder at his face. j
| was white and drawn with suuerlnG
his lips were tWitChinR nervOusly5 his
eyes wild and staring.
| ct left not FIVE minutes ago. j re
piled quickly.
TOO late"' he groaned. MY God.
am too latet And 20 my amaZemeut
he bowed his head over the steerlnl