The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1914-11-03

presently, ina colorless voice. -.
"At 5olr present pace-say, two
hours" s5e ss
"And will that enable US to hold
our, oWn?.s ~ elTfss u q =
,"Just about" Barcus allowed, squint-
ing critically at4 the ,chase;3 Sshe's
some footer, that schooner and this
is just the wind she likese best 4
'IHow much: lead have, we got?"
2 "Almile. or sor~none too, much"
anything to be done to mend mat
ters?"
'Nothing-but pray, II you remem-
Der how"
In the end they made it by a narrow
margin. The face Of Judith Urine was
distinctly revealed by the chill gray
ugk: of early dawn to those aboard
the power cruiser as she swept up
through the reaches of New Bedford
harbor and aimed for the first wharf
that promised fair landing on the
main waterfront of the. city. 4
There was neither a policeman nor
a watchman OF any sort In sight.
Nor was there. for all his hopes and
prayers, based on the telegram to
Dighy, sign OF motor car.
Still. not much of the street was
revealed. The docks on either hand
were walled and rooted, cutting off the
view. -
II they ran for it, they must surely
he overhauled. Something must BIZ
done to hinder the crew of tia
schooner from landing.
"Here!" he cried sharply to Barcus:
you take Rose and hurry to tie
street and find that motor.car.
know she's there. Dlgby never failed
me yeti"
"But YOU"
Don't waste time worrying about
ME. Ill be with you in three shakes.
I'm only going to put a spoke in, Ju.
dith's wheel. I've got a scheme!"
AS for his scheme-he had none
other than to give them battle. to sac.
ritice himself II need be. to make sure
the escape of Rose.
Sheer luck smiled on him to this
extent that in turning his eye lighted
on four.foot length of stout, three.
inch scantling, an excellently for.
midable club.
But soon, dIsarmed, his case was
desperate-and there were two al
ready safe upon the dock and others
1nadly scrambling up to reinforce
them.
Wildly he cast about for some sub
stitute weapon, he leaped toward
small pyramid of little but heavy kegs,
and Selling one, swung 1t overhead
and cast 1t full force into the mtdriH
OF his nearest enemy; so that this ono
doubled up convulsiyely, with sick
ish grunt. and vanished in turn over
the end OF tho wharf,
His fellow followed with less injury.
But Alan had no time to wonder
whether the man had tripped and
thrown himself in his effort to escape
second HURTING keg, or had turned
coward and fed. 1t was enough that
he had returned, prectpitately and
heavily, to the schooner.
The key, meeting with no resistance.
pursued him even to the deck, where
the force Of its impact split Its seams.
None OF the combatants, however,
Alan least of all. noticed that the pow
der that filtered out was black and
coarse. Alan; indeed, had only tho
haziest notion that they were powder
kegs he used as ammunition. That
they we're heavy and hurt when they
collided with human flesh and bone
was all that interested him.
In the same breath he heard a
friendly voice shout warning far up
the dock, and knew that Barcus was
coming to his aid. ~
A glance over.shoulder, too. discoV-
cred the cause of the warning; two
men who had thus far escaped his
attentions were maneuvering to fall
upon him from behind. The bound
required to evade them brought him
face to face with Judith 5as5she landed
on the dock.