Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1909-06-11


the rifles, this, although srned men
had watched all night There had
been much guess work The cabin on
| the hillside was the nearest habitation
the company's fume disgorged its
| flood in the gulch beneath lt--and sus-
| plcion had eventually pointed its way
| The sudden ceasing of the robberies
with the disappearance Of Hugh Stires
! had given focus to this suspicion
Now. almost coincident with his re-
| turn. the thievery had recommended.
| 1t had been red letter day for Dew
lin and his fix, who caviled at the
more charitable. or all this, however,
| the object of their II told you So
| was serenely ignorant
Entering the town, there were few
| stirring on the sunny streets, but be
| could not but be aware that those he
met stopped to gaze after him. Some
| indeed followed. His first objective
point was a jewelers., where he could
turn his gold dust into reader coin
for needful purchases. He saw
sign next the Mountain Valley House
| and entered.
| The jeweler weighed the dust, with
| distrustful frown, but Harry's head
| was turned away. He was reading a
freshly printed placard tackled on the
| wall, an offer of reward for the detec-
ton of the sluice thief. He read it
through mechanically, for as he read
| there came from the street outside
sound that touched a muffied chord In
| his brain. 1t was the exhaust of a
motor car.
He thrust the money the goldsmith
grudgingly handed him into his pocket
and turned to the door. A long red
automobile had stopped at the curb.
Two men whom 1t carried were just
entering the hotel Something In the
sight of the long low tracer" 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 connoisseur. He
took a step toward It. oblivious to ali
about him.
He did not note that men were gath
ering. that the nearest saloon was
emptying of its occupants. Nor did be
see a girl on horseback. with q tiny
child before her on the saddle, who
refined up sharply opposite.
The rider was Jessica, the child an
ecstatic fve-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, swift apprehension in her
face
Harry came back suddenly to real
ization of his surroundings. He 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
leaped up instantly to grapple with the
rejuvenated character.
Devlins voice came over the heads
Of the crowd as, burly and shirt sleeved,
he strobe across the street:
"Hand over the dust you've stolen
before you are tarred and feathered,
Hugh Stiresl''
Harry looked at him. surprised, his
mind instantly recurringtto the placard
he had seen. Here was a tangible ac-
cusation.
II have stolen nothing" he respond
ed quietly.
where did he get what he just sold
meY' The jewelers. sour query rose
behind him from the doorway.
"We'll find that out" was the rough
rejoinder.
In face of his threatening peril Jes-
sica forgot all else-the FESTIVE horse,
the child. She sprang to the ground
her face panied and indignant, and
started to run across the street. But.
with a cry of dismay, she turned back.
The horse had caught sight Of the red
| automobile and. snorting and wild
I eyed, had swung into the roadway.
Its Devlin's kidr' some one cried
| out, and Devlin, turning, went sudden
ly ashen. The baby was the one soft
| spot in his ruffianly heart He sprang
toward the animal, but the movement
| and the hands clutching at the bride
sent 1t to leaping terror. In another
instant it had broken through the ring
| Of bystanders and, frenzied at its free
| dom, dashed down the long, level
street with the child clinging to the
saddle pommel.
| 1t was all the work of moment,
| one of panic and confusion. through
which rang Jessica's scream of re-
morse and fright Torpor held the
crowd-an save one. whose action fol-
lowed the scream as leap follows the
spur. In a single step Harry gained
the automobile. With an instantane-
| Gus movement he pushed the lever
| down and Jerked the throttle wide
| The machine bounded into its 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