The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1912-01-11

pressed with the conviction that thu
laws Of coincidence were working
against him, just then at any rate, tt
be willing to run unnecessary risks.
Chance, too, would have it tina
there should be an arc-light -ablazt
precisely at the foot Of the pier, be
meath which stood, clearly defined ir
the white glare, the figure of hulk
ing black native representative OF the
municipal police, whom O'Rourke mus
pass ere he could gain solid earth.
For this reason he dared not betraJ
evidences of haste; his appearance
was striking enough in all conscience
without any additional touches. So he
thrust his hands into his pockets anc
sauntered with well-assumed but
perhaps not wholly convincing air Of
nonchalance toward the officer.
The latter remained all unsuspicious
until-and then the mischief of it was
that O'Rourke was still full five
yards the wrong side Of the man
Hole himself leaped from the boat
upon the end Of the quay and sent
yell echoing after the fugitive.
Hey" he roared. "stop i'm! De
serter! Thief! Stop thief"
The black was facing O'Rourke In
an instant, but simultaneously the
Irishman was upon him and had put
an elbow smartly into his midriff in
passing, all but topping the man back
wards into the harbor.
1t had been we'll for him had he sue
ceeded. AS it was the fellow saved
himself by hairs breadth and the
next minute was after O'Rourke, yell
ing madly.
The Irishman showed fleet pair OF
heels, be sure; but, undoubtedly, the
devil himself was in the luck that
night! Who shall describe in what
manner rabble springs out of the
very cobbles of Alexandria's streets?
Men, women, naked children and yap'
ping pariah dogs, fellaheen, Arabs, Be
douins from the desert, Nubians,
Greeks, Levantines-the fugitive had
not covered two-score yards ere mob
of such composition was swapping at
his calves.
Turning and twisting, lodging and
doubling, shifting this gratuitous en-
envy full in the face treating the next
as he had the limb of the law (and
leaving both howling), he seized the
first opening and swung into narrow
back-way, leading inland from the wa.
terfront.
He ran as seldom he had run be.
fore, straining and laboring, stumbling,
recovering and plunging onward. And,
by the gods, wasn't it hot! The
khamsin raved and tore like spirit
of hell-fire through that narrow alley,
turning it into a miniature inferno.
But in the course Of some minutes,
the end of the tunnel came in view;
a lighted rift between house walls,
giving upon the illuminated street be-
yond. The sight brought forth a fresh
burst of speed from O'Rourke. He
dashed madly out of the alley,
stumbled and ran, headlong into a
strolling Greek, who grappled with
him, at first in surprise and then in
resentment, while the clamor of the
pursuing rabble shrilled loud and
near and ever nearer.
Exhausted as he was, the Irishman
struggled with little skill before he
mastered his own surprise; and IN the
end saw his fms written along the
blade of a thin, keen knife which the
Greek mad whipped from the folds of
his garments and jerked threateningly
above his head.
1t was falling when O'Rourke saw
it. In another breath he had been
stabbed. Unexpectedly the Greek
shrieked, dropped the knife as though
it had turned suddenly white-hot in
his hands, and leaped back from
O'Rourke, nursing broken wrist;
while a voice as sweet as the singing
Of angels rang in the fugitive's ears,
though the spirit of it's melody was
simple and crude enough
"O'Rourke, be all tn powers! The
masther himself! Glory, We beggar,
tits sorry I am that didn't split the
ugly face of We wild me sthick!
. This way, yer honor! Come
wild mel"
Blindly enough (indced the world
was all awhirl about him) O'Rourke,
his arm grasped by strong and conf
dent hand, permitted himself to be
swung to the right and across the
street. In thought blackness again
was all about him, but the hand
gripped his arm, hurrying him onward;
and he yielded blindly to it's guidance
power, for that matter, to
question or to object; what breath
he had he sorely needed. And as blind
ly he stumbled on for perhaps another
hundred yards, while the voice of the
rabble made hideous the night. be-
hind them. Hardly, indeed, had the
two whipped into the mouth of the
no oL.uyou oro ~ oho1-od hu