The Hickman courier., 1914-11-19

when Alan had dpcked smartiy into
the unfinished building. rose and stole
after him with footsteps as nuiselesa
no a cats and face that had the say.
agery OF tigora whom Il was tran.
silently revealed In shaft OF moon.
light
AZ length Alan gained the gridiron
Of girders on plane with the lighted
window across the way, and crept
along one Of these. gingerly on his
hands and knees. until he came 10 lta
end and might. n he cared 10. look
down hundred feet TO the sidewalks.
That view. however. did 81 ->mpt;
no kept his eyes level: az was 70.
warded with bare slimps. d pre,.
illy.papered vail. framed In the lace OF
halfdfawn curtains.
And OF sudden--whether through
fortulty. or instinct. or the psyeho.
logical attraction Of his steadfAst con.
centration-ths tenant OF tho room
came to the window and stood there
for little. looking pensively out. alto
reihsr unconscious OF the watcher in
bis aerial eoign.
Again q horrible uncertainty hAr.
assed him. Was the woman Ross
or JudithY Tnst she was one Of these
he could plainly see But whAchf Dared
ho assume his hopes fulnlledf
With difieulty he detached his
hungry vision from her. and drawing
from his pocket q smali notebook. tore
out blank page. placed this nat on
tho girder. found q pencil. and with
The assistance Of . ray or two OF
moonlight acrawled n message OF al.
most stenographio breyity.
when no looked up from this task.
che had vanished.
sitting up. Aatride the sirder. he
took his vatch-a cheap affair he had
picked up when reclothinE himself In
the garments Of civilized society, Al
Providence. that morning-opened the
hack Of tho case. and closed u upon
ihe folded message.
Then drawing back HE arm, be
treathed g silent prayer TO tho god Of
ell true lovers. and cast II from him
vith all bis mlght--with such forcs
that Z, almost unseated him si the eud
o. tho swing. hut nothing lesa would
lave served TO bridge that yawnins
chAsm.
And the watch few straight and
irue. squarely through the lighted win.
dow aud 10 the further vail.
Al iha, very instant of his srultation
over an obstacle overcome. hs.heard a
sound behind him Of heavy breathing.
The assassin had come that close
upoa HE prey when Alan turned and
discovered bis peril
The same moonbeAm which had
aided Alan In the composition OF his
message struck across the others face.
and showed u like = hideous Chinese
uAsR Of deadly hatred. with lss eye.
Tails staring and iis lips drawn hack
from tho naked blAde Eripped between
~ tee,h--a rtiletto nothing short OF q
loot In length.
With a sharp. startled movement,
Alan swung himself bodily about. so
that seated again sstrids the sirder.
be faced tho assassin Who sat up.
tiaddllng tho girder. his feet hooked
beuea,h Il a sSiietso poised In his
rgh, hand 10 strike
Bat even now Alan was IN little or
20 better cAae than before. II he faced
the thug. be faced him with no arms
other than his bare hhnda. lie had not
even a pen-knife In his pockets.
With low cry Of desperation Alan
matched on hia hat. soft and shape
lees iel, affair. and nung Il squarely in
TIE fellows face.
Before he could recover-before,
nat is, Il dropped away and cleared
BIS vision. Alan had bent forward and
graaped tho wrist Of the hand tha,
held the knife.
lie matched simultaneously at the
other hand. but u sluded him.
Alan had this advantage, a. long az
the knife might not strike--that his
Hghi arm was free. while the assassin
lad only hia left. With this he strovs
Eeuisienily TO reach his knlfe-hand
aad possess himself Of the weapon
As persistently Alan foiled his purpose
BY dragging the knifehAnd toward him
and swinging II far out 10 one side, Al
'he same time he struck repeatedly
With his clenched riEht hst at the 9th
trs face. Ills blows aid little dam
are beyond disconcerting the other