Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-07-07

then. Jes' one minute
There was tho wall as OF . lost soul
from Peavy ~ Sam. gripping his pow.
erful fingers around Peavy's neck.
bore him to the door. He knelt over
him for Just moment, while Peavy's
legs struggled convulsively. Then he
jumped up by the chauffeur, and
Pcavy lay still where Sam had left
him.
Kelvin uttered no word of protest to
Sam, but he turned to Herbert with n
return OF that chill feeling which had
twice before oppressed him this night.
"a bad omen." no said.
Herbert laughed lightly.
There will DO thousand bad omena
before we are through with this" he
predicted, "but think that even Peavy
would have been safe In this flying
wedge Of ours"
The automobile rolled out into the
street and took its place in the center
Of the hollow square. Both before and
behind it were six automobiles, three
abreast. and one was upon each side.
Each Of these was seven passenger
car. and in the tonneau OF each rested.
upon tripod, its sweep above the
head Of the chauffeur. cylinder of
shining brass. Behind each cylinder
stood u stalwart soldier in khaki, and
two others sat upon the seat. each
soldier was further accoutered with
rifles and small arms. and thus, sur
rounded by fourteen Calling guns and
spare men to man them. the fifteenth
automobile. which contained Kelvin.
took command Of the expedition. There
was shrill whistle from Rensselaer,.
the soldiers fell away from before the
machines like chair, and the strange
battery sprang forward.
Upon the cross street ut the end of
the block the people quickly gave way.
but out from an intersecting avenue
two blocks beyond. a fanntical mob.
shouting and cursing. turned and bore
straight toward them. Guns could be
seen on shoulders and torches were
hounted. From the forward automo-
bile there came sharp cracking. a
succession of stnccato snaps like the
ripping Of shingles from n roof. The
running mob stopped, it fell back.
1t scattered like chaff. and in an in
slant more the autos, keeping evenly
abreast. bumped and jerked over a
pavement strewn with slckeningly soft
impediments. So through the city
and out into the country they swept
to roads where they could go but two
abreast and sometimes but single file.
But always Kelvin was in the center.
and never was there any interference.
A half mile northeast Of the city the
headlights Haired on detachment In
unmistakabie khaki on both sides Of
the road, and these saluted as tho i'm
perial escort swept by and cheercd
and, closing in behind. marched at
double quick.
Tho ringing Of that first deep toned
knell in Washington had been stimuli
taneous with the clang Of the same
grim death watch from east to west
and from north to south. George
Blagg's own hand had pressed the
wireless key which had sent the mes
cage flashing in every direct don across
startled space. Eager fanatics had
received it and swnrmed an III clad
unkempt. undsrfsd horde to avenge
the follies Of rociety upon itself. The
horror Of It was that they. did not ut
tack the soldiery direct. as Blagg had
planned. but the better nourished citi.
Gems, for Blaggs original secret or
ganization, bound together with some
idea Of order. with some sense OF phi
lanthropic motive. with some plan OF
warfare against the Imperial army
was now augmented by wild, disor,
dered herd Of the criminally inclined,
who. seeing that law and order were
swept away, turned to mad license.
Out into the residence districts they
swept in packs. like starving wolves,
and sickening scenes of horror ensued
Wherever a proud home reared itself
O monument to the industry or the
wit or the greed of some man. there
were murder and pillage and rapine
all e1dlng in the torch, and when the
mob swept on it left behind 1t but a
leaping blaze to light Its way. The
authorities were worse than powerless
An all seeing eye sweeping that night
across the North American continent
would have found the land Redeemed
by these many pyres. which lighted q
redness still more terrible. for not only
men and women were put to death in
this maniacal orgie Of reprisal. but
little children, were slaughtered as they
ran shrie1ing from warm beds. Nc
night in all the history Of the world
had paralleled this; no blood lust was
ever so hideously satiated! no carnage
was ever so widespread. for this ono
smearcd a continent with blood.
While this raving debauchcry tool
place over the length OF the land. from
the Atlantic TO the Pacific and from
the lakes to the gulf, three separate
concourses crept under cover OF thu
night. one from the north and one from
the south and one from the east. con
vergent upon Forest Lakes. where thu
prize coveted OF each army-Breed':
$4,000 100000 in solid cash-lay bidder
beneath the library cellar. The frs
of these concourses. the one from thu
north, had crept silently forward al
night long. These bore no trace o,
uniform. but each man carried ovel
his shoulder his ride or his shotgun
Some had belts for ammunition. ant
others carried their pockets full. They
were grim, stern men, sane human be
incs Of the country districts whose