Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1912-09-11
At Four
O'Clock
Story Of q Narrow
Escape
BY CLARISSA MACKIE


Jaros Wostokow stared sullenly at
young Maitland as the paymaster
showed his pay envelope through the
little grated window.
you dock me that day l lose?" he
growled threateningly.
Its the rule of the company, you
know, Jaros," he said patiently. III
It's worth a days pay to you to get
drunk it's your own fault. Take my
advice and leave the rum alone. Then
you'll get full pay. Move along and
give the other chaps a chance"
Jaros flung a backward glance of
hate toward the paymaster and the
cashier as he went out, and he saw
something in that brief glance that
caused light to flicker into his dull
gray eyes.
The men had all received their pay,
and the paymaster and the cashier
were alone Maitland was gazing down
at the girl with an unmistakable look
in his eyes. and the girl. Miss Lane.
was blushing consciously.
Jaros Wostokow turned away salts
fed. With something tangible to work
upon he could have revenge upon the
m1serly paymaster. ALA, his golden
haired daughter, could help him. She,
too, hated Americans. If Dick Matt
land loved Edith Lane, then it was
through Miss Lane that disaster would
come to him.
On the following Monday afternoon,
just as Edith Lane had turned the cor
ner of the street beyond the Fleck
foundry, she was approached by a
fearful young girl, who inquired the
way to the nearest hospital dispensary.
my mother-she is suddenly i'll. She
is dying just beyond here. l know not
what to do! she walled in a voice with
foreign accent.
Edith looked at her quickly. She
was young and pretty and evidently
poor. The neighborhood was one in
habited by many of the foreigners who
worked at the foundry.
Take me to your MOTHER" she said
hastily. perhaps l can revive her
while you run for doctor. There must
be drug store near by. The druggist
will direct you to doctor"
=
At 10 o'clock that same evening Dick
Maitland received a telephone message
from Edith's home.
"Have you seen Edith?' asked Mrs.
Lane anxiously. "She hasn't been
home since noon."
mot since noon? Why, she left the
Office at o'clock, as usual-said she
was going out to play cards this even
Eing.x What can have happened?. Dick
was anxious.
"1'll call up all of her girl friends
and see if she has stopped anywhere,
but it is unlike Edith to do anything
like that. She is so thoughtful"
Call me the instant you get word
from her." said Dick. "I'll wait here
till you phone again."
He hung up the receiver and paced
the floor with worried frown creas.
ing his forehead.
+ What had become of Edith Lane?
Had she met with an accident Oh her
way home and was lying dead or dy-
ing and quite unknown in one Of the
city hospitals? He would inquire of
each one.
He leaped to the telephone again. for
it was ringing madly. A girls voice
came to his ear, strained and rather
frightened, but he forgot the tones in
the words that came over the wire.
"Come, come to me. am in great
trouble, in danger-No. Vroon street.
Come at once. Help!"
1t was Edith calling to him for help!
He dashed into his outer garments,
paused to notify Mrs. Lane of the dis.
covery and that he was on the way to
Edith, and then he was down in the
street jumping into a taxicab.
Vroon street was miles away, the
driver told him, on the outskirts of the
city, and it would take a half hour to
get there at fast clip.
"Get me there in twenty minutes and
you'll not regret it!' snapped Dick. and
the man earned the money.
Vroon street was a pit of blackness
lighted by solitary lamp post halfway
down its length. There was a dark
bulk of frame tenements against the
sky with long spaces of vacant lots be-
tween.
The cab stopped before a small de-
tached cottage standing in the midst
Of large empty lot, and Dick bade
him wait, but the man refused.
Tive got another fare waiting fol
me-" he protested and pocketed the
money Dick paid him. "There's cal
line three blocks east of here. You car
walk that easily"
| The machine moved away, and Dict
felt in his pocket for his revolver. Il
was there. He approached the cottage
with a sinking heart.
It was dark and gloomy, but some
body within the house had been watch
ing for him. for the door opened in
ward, and as he passed through some
thing soft and thick was tossed over
his head. tied tightly about his neck
and he was grasped in strong arms and
hfs hands and feet hound. and he was