Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-04-09

one may nave nearu the SHOUTS OI our
friends back there"
Not another word passed between
them for ten or twelve minutes. She
peered anxiously ahead, looking for
signs Of the barge dock. which lay
somewhere along this section Of the
city wall
At last the sound Of rapidly work
ing rowlocks came to the girls ears.
They're after U.s." grated Truxton
in desperation. They've got word to
friends one way or another. BY Jove.
I'm nearly tagged too! / can't pull
much farther. Hello! What's thisT
The side of the boat caromed OF .
solid object in the water, almost spill
ing them into the wind blown river.
1.-THE docksv' she whispered. I'VE
struck small scow. think. Can you
find ycur way in among the coal
barges?'
He padded along slowly. feeling his
way, scraping alongside the big barges
which delivered coal from the distant
mines. At last he found an opening
and pushed through. A moment later.
they were riding under the stern Of a
broad cargoless barge, plumb up
against the water Tapped plies Of the
dock.
Standing in the boy Of the boat he
managed to pull himself up oyer the
slippery edge. It was the work Of q
second to draw her up after him. He
gave the boat mighty shove. sending
1t out into the stream once more.
In few minutes loud curses came
from the river. proclaiming the fact
that the pursuers had found the empty
boat. Afterward they were to learn
that Newport's, shouts had brought a
boat load OF men from the opposite
bank, headed by the innkeeper, In
whose place Lorraine was to have en-
countered Marlanx later on, II plans
had not miscarried.
BY this time King had located the
open space which undoubtedly afford
ed room for the transfer Of cargoes
from the dock to the company's yards
inside the walls. Without hesitation
he drew her after him up this wide.
sinister roadway.
The pursuers were trying for land
ing, noisily. even boasterously. 1t
struck Truxton AZ queer that these
men were not afraid Of alarming the
watchmen on the docks or the man at
the gate above. Suddenly it came to-
him that there would be no one there
to oppose the landing Of the miscre-
ants. No doubt hundreds Of men al
ready had stolen through these gates
during the night, secreting themselves
in the Businesses Of the city, ready TOR
the morrow's fray.
They rushed up the narrow railway
chutes and through one Of the numer-
Gus gateways that opened out upon the
barge docks. No one opposed them.
No one was standing guard. From be-
hind came the sound Of rushing foot
steps. Lightning flashed in the sky.
and the rumble Of thunder broke over
the desolate night.
''They'll see us by the lightning"
gasped Truxton, almost ready to drop
from faintness and exhaustion.
Following vivid fash of lightning.
two shots were fired by the men who
were now plunging up through the
gates, a hundred yards or more away.
The same fash Of lightning showed
to King the narrow. muddy street
that stretched ahead of them. Instead
Of doing the obvious thing he turned
sharply to the left, between tho lines
Of freight cars. Their progress was
slow.
At last they came to the end OF their
rope. They were literally up against
the great city wall.
A car door stood open in front of
them. He waited for second fash
of lightning to reveal to him the ma
ture Of its interior. 1t was quite emp
ty. Without hesitation he clambered
in and pulled her up after him They
fell over on the floor. completely fag-
ged.
A few minutes later the storm broke.
He manages to close the door against
the driving torrents.
We've fooled them" he managed to
whisper close to her ear. They won't
look here. You're safe. Lorraine. Cad.
I'd like to see any one get You away
from me nowr'
She pressed his arm. Then she was
fast asleep
He sat With bis back against the side
Of the car, pistol in one hand. the
other lying tenderly upon the drench-
ed hair Of the girl whose head rested
upon his leg. She had slipped down
from his shoulder. He did not have
the desire or the energy to prevent tt.
Manfully as he had fought against the
impelling desire to sleep. he could not
beat it of. His last waking thought
was Of the effort he must make to
reach Dangloss with the warning.
Something stirred IN the far end Of
the cara still small noise as Of some
thing alive that moved with the un-
most wariness. A heavy. breathing
hofly crept stealthfly across the inter-