The Delta independent., 1914-10-02
watched warily from the window.
CHAPTER XVII.
The RInn.


rising for one last backward glance
through the rear window, started in.
voluntarily and choked upon an ex
clamation when he deserted power.
full touring car tearing madly toward
the ferry-house, it's one passenger hall
rising from the front seat, beside the
driver. and exhibiting countenance
purple with congested chagrin as he
saw his car barred out OF the carriage
entrance.
Quickly sensitive to his emotion, the
girl caught nervously at Alan's hand.
What is it, dear?"
"Marrophat," he snapped
She uttered a hushed cry of dismay
Don't be alarmed, however" he
hastened to comfort her. Hes lost
the race: the gates are shut-even the
passenger gates-and there must be
company spotter somewhere near by.
for the gateman is virtuously refusing
to be bribed by roll of money as
thick as my wrist"
AT that instant the taxicab rolled
aboard the ferry-boat; the deck gates
were closed; hoarse whistle rent the
roaring silence of the city; winches
ratified and chains clanked; and the
boat wore ponderouely out of its slip.
80 much for Mr. Marrophatl" Alan
crowed, sitting down. Fooled againl
He can't stop US now!"
Perhaps :"
why that perhaps? Why that
toner" he demanded sharply, struck
by the foreboding her accents con-
fessed.
This isn't the only ferry. There's
the Pennsylvania and the Lackawanna
and by hard driving he might even
manage to catch the boat that con-
meets with this from the Christopher
street ferry of the Eriel"
Impossible! l don't believe it, /
won'ti'
Lets not" she agreed. But Alan
"Yes?"
Promise me-if he should manage
to catch up with us-you won't let him
talk to you. I mean, don1 let him
mo fear OF that!" he asservated
hotly IF he tries to exchange one
word with mel only wish he would"
She seemed satisfied with that, but
the incident had served appreciably to
chill their spirits. They accomplished
the remainder of that voyage in a
silence that was no less depressed be-
cause they sat hand in hand through
out.
Nor was their taxicab three minutes
out of the ferry house on the Jersey
shore-though the chauffeur, stimu-
later by Alan;s extravagant promises,
was doing his best to fracture the
speed laws and escape arrest-when
the girls fears were amply justified:
a shout from behind drew Alan's head
out Of the window on one side and the
girls on the other and proved to both
that Marrophat had indeed found some
way to make the crossing without
great delay.
His touring car was within fifty
yards when they first were aware Of
It: and Marrophat, standing on the
running board. was shouting inarticu-
lately and hourishing an imperative
hand; while the distance between
them was momentarily growing less
noticeable.
As Marrophat's car drew abreast
Alan nodded and said quietly: Don't
be alarmed; can attend to this gen.
tleman single-handed"
And this he proceeded to demon
strate with admirable ease, even
though called upon to do so far soon
er than he had thought to be-thanks
to Marrophats hair-brained precipf
fancy. For. failing to influence the
taxi driver by shouted demands or
threats. or to gain the least attention
from Alan. Trine's first lieutenant abb
ruptly and surprisingly took his life
In his hands and in one wild bound
bridged the distance between the two
flying cars and landed on the taxi's
running-boa
Stop!" he screamed madly. stop,
! say! You don't know what you're
doing! Let me tell you"
He got that far but no farther. In
the same breath Alan had fiung wide
the door and was at the fellows throat.
There was q struggle Of negligible
duration; Marrophat was in no way
his antagonists match: within three
seconds he threw out both hands,
clutched hopelessly at the framework
Of the cab. and fell heavily to the
street.
The taxi sped on without pause, its
driver deaf to the halls OF innocent II
indignant bystanders. Alan pulled
himself together and looked back just
in time to catch a glimpse Of a num-
ber of loafers lifting Marrophat to his
feet and helping him to the sidewalk
1 OF an unsavory-iooKlng tenement, be
! fore the cab took a corner on two
mot seriously injured, fancy" he
told the girl in response to her eager
look. Worse luck!" he added
! gloomily.