River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1914-07-16
CHAPTER XIII.
Two Potent Aids.


he would be tempted TO slay.
On the blue nose Of his weapon was
screwed a Maxim silencer. The voice
of death would be dropped to a whis-
per- The end of the s.euth would
never be known by the outside world.
Before him doomed the brown horror
of cell and sunless. skyless days.
The heart of Molly Bran would lie
broken AZ the heart of his mother had
been broken
| If he killed would it not be in self
defense and in the highest and fullest
meaning of the phrase! There are
| things worse than death.
There was a slight sound against
the side of the house beneath the win
dow he faced. Whoever this was.
coming as thief in the night. would
soon show his head over the sill. The
weight of the revolver in his hand
seemed to increase. He was no man
to take human life. He realized it
suddenly. Moisture exuded from his
! fingers and blurred the steel of his
weapon in the dark.
He had said to himself that no one
would know of the death Of the relent-
less hound that had pursued him from
pit of despond TO Already. God and
| his conscience would know it!
He crossed the room on his toes
rapidly and replaced the weapon In his
desk
The terrible injustice that had blast
ed his life at twenty-one. that had
SCARED and branded him forever that
had sent his sweet patient little
mother to a sorrowful death and that
had penned him in q cage for the first
five years Of his maturity. had drawn
him closer to his Makev. A sound
came from the window sill and was
repeated. 1t came steadily for few
seconds and ended with a snap as the
latch over the window sash gave I'M
der the upward pressure OF jimmy.
The sash was raised slowly, cautiously.
Nelson's eyes. accustomed to the
darkness. recognized the heavy Shout
ders and the squat figure as the man
entered
"Billr' he whispered. depressing a
cry of joy that rose from his heart
"Kid" came the answer.
They strobe to each other and clasp
ed hands.
ais it safe. boy?" asked the old bur-
glar. SIS there any one else in the
house?"
mot a SOUL
THANK Godr
~ xrvfl hn
even safer there"
Nelson took the old man to the at
| tic, drew the blinds and switched on a
| light
He looked at the old convict for
moment and then placed his arms
about his shoulders as would son
embracing a father after long years
Of separation. Bill stood in the glare
of the light. scanning the face Of the
younger man.
BOY" said the old probationer. 81
come to you because knew you need
ed me. That hound at headquarters
turned me loose so that he could fol-
low me and get YOU"
| Nelson started
But don't worry Hawkins assured
him. "for I'm an old fox and hard to
follow"
why did you come in by the win
dow"
1T was the safest way" explained
Bill. although | felt certain that no
one was shadowing me. | could not be
dead sure So | thought I'd come In
as a burglar. and if there was any
shadow after me he'd think | was back
in the old game. If I was caught
shadow wouldn't know that John Mel
sou was jim Montgomery"
Hawkins dropped into chair. looked
! about the room and began studying
the bars, weights and trapezes.
Them things?" he asked, with the
wave of hand.
Il work with. them every day and
have changed my measurements" ex-
! planned Nelson. Il am taller and
broader, and my arms and legs are
longer"
| Hawkins nodded
Il doubt il they'd recognize you." he
said.
How did you find me?" asked Mel
son. i was afraid to put a name in
the personal"
After / reached Greenville 1t didn't
take me long to hear about John Mel
son." he replied. Il mingled with the
machinists as a laborer, heard about
your inventions and success and about
your work with the poor people. When
| found out where your place was |
travelled on foot. / got q bed and
lodging in q cabin two miles away. As
soon as everybody was asleep slipped
out of the cabin. and here | am"
| They were both silent for moment
Il know what you're thinking about.
Kid said Hawkins finally.
The guilty man." Nelson said slow
~.
You want me to try to get him."
Yes. l have plenty Of money now.
| huf I did NOT dare hire dpfoctiVoS -