The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-01-30
BY MILTON PAXTON.

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AIRY Press
The insistent ringing Of the tele-
phone bell brought Portcrneid out OF
the chair where he had been lounging'
half asleep.
swelr" he demanded, taking down
the receiver
The voice that came back Was that
OF his friend, Jack Crookston, sheriff
of ehe county. THAT you, Tom This
IS Crookstou. Now listen. The bank
at Bellevue has been robbed The two
burglars made a getaway in white
touring car with top, Windshield and
four lights. We think they went your
way. Get out ana stop them
That was SO like Crookstou. whose
pursuit of eyii-doers was single mind
"a and tir,less, that Pcrteri,ld could
not help but grin. He answered
promptly
DO YOU think I'm crazy" Her, it is
past IL O'Clock OF january night
The thermometer is GOWN pretty close
10 zero. and the snow Is drifted two
feet over the walk And you imagine
TIM going out on the road aud Try 10
step an autOmobile--load OF bank rob
bcrs Why. man I haven't the ad-
thority, even il / had the inclination.
4 make ypu special deputy came
back Crookstons quick, decisive voice
Get cut there. now. better take
gun. and "a lantern e flag them with.
a couple Of my men Will be along Ia
hall AN hour You don't have 70 Try 70
capture the yegEs; just disable their
car. Ring me up when you do 1t,
Good
For heavens sake. hold oH.' COM
napded PurterAeld. You aren't In
earnest, Jack. I'm not going out there
fvsss a Ia f.Vs
guns In every pocket, II they're com
Ing this way. call the sheriff AT Lcha-
non He's paid for making a target
OF himself"
Wires 10 Lebanon are down" snap
ped CroOkston storm has played
havoc all around. Of course. If you're
afraid. there's nothing more to be said
I'm 90. eonfound you" roared Por
terfeld, "But If ! do stop them. how
am gazing 20 hold them tin your depu-
ties get here ."
That's up 10 you" replied the sheg-
IN. and hung up the receiver.
Porterfield was alone in the house;
his parents, brother and sister were
IL tire city, and the theater train would
not be due for nearly an hour The
servants were away al a neighborhood
party. lie had been hunting an day,
anu has shotgun, cartridge belt and
heavy canvas coat We're huddled In q
corner Of the room. Ii was the work
OF "a minute to don coat and belt slip
on cap and gloves. and catch up the
gun and a lighted lantern,
He hurried down the walk 10 the
road There was a bitter wind. and the
flying SNOW stung his face like gravel
There was pale moon over all. whose
beams lighted up the white landscape
surprisingly.
He had barely taken his position by
the front gate when the lights of a
motor ear topped the gentle slope a
quarter of a mile away 10 the east, and
Bellevue lay in that direction. The
road was good, except for occasional
drifts; and the car was fleeing like a
wild thing 1t had four lights. the
moonlight revealed that ii had a top,
and. yes. it was white
porterfiesd, his heart humping, step
ped cut into the road and began wav-
ing his lantern.
The car rushed on. eating up space
with an eagerness that spoke we'll OF
lis horse power Ah--they had seen
him; A long 'Ho-o-o-onk!' proved
that.
There was no siaCkeniug Of speed;
the car came on faster than ever. in
fact. Again the hoarse note OF the
horn warned him out Of the way.
lie swung the light across the road
vigorously
Portertield believed that the signal
would hardly halt the occupants Of
the car, II they were really the burg
lars And he believed they would
not go So far as To fire on him. They
were anxious To get as far as possible
from Bellevue before daylight, and
would do their best to avoid broil
or parley along the way,
Ii flashed through Porterfield's
mind that II he could disa BILE two of
thstr tires, The delay was almost GER
tain to result In their capture. He
had double-harrelled gun. and was
quick Of eye and trigger finger.
The tar WAS now almost upon him,
and the horn beloved frantically.
He dropped the lantern and flung the
gun 90 his shoulder. When the car
was barely five yards away he fired
at the tire nearest him and jumped
aside. The car rushed by; he emp
tied the other barrel into the rear
tire. broke open the gun and reloaded
swiftly
And then "a sound. flung back TO
him ty the wind. struck him tnto Ina
mobility. The sound WAS a scream
such as never issued from the lungs
OF man.
Good Lord"' he groaned: the