The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1914-11-23

IN4NIGtAtA
nom the bsdchamber q seneca
Trine. where the cripple lay possess
sed bysseyens devils OF insensate EFageS
his screams brought atteadance;
but twas "a matt OF many ectousf
minutes before his demands could be
met and SMarrophat and Jimmy reused
from their crapulous slumbers in ad:
Joining chambers: and half an hour
elapsed before the chauffeur, reused
from his own we1l-earned rest, sue
ceeded in convincing the pair that
pursuit with the motor car was out
of the question.
But the devil takes care of bis own:
within another half hour what seemed
to be sheer, bu1l-headed, dumb luck
brought casual automobile to Mes
quite-a two-seated, high.power
racing machine OF the latest and
speedfest pattern, driven By two ire.
sponslble wayfarers who proved only
too susceptible to Marrophat's otter OF
double the cost of the carr Q. b.
Detroit-for Its immediate surrender.
The two piled out promptly enough;
Marrophat and Jimmy jumped in;
Urine from his bedroom window sped
them on their murderous mission with
blast of blasphemy.
1t must have been an hour later
when Alan, checking his motorcycle
as It surmounted the summit OF
long upgrade, looked back aud dis"
covered, several miles distant on the
far.fiuns winnings OF the mountain
road, a small crimson shape that ran
like mad thing tirelessly pursued
by a cloud OF tawny dust like gold
en- ghost.
A motor car, beyond all question,
and one OF uncommon woodworking
quality: 1t might or might not con-
tain Marrophat and Jimmy, once moro
in pursuit. Whether or not bitter
experience had long since educated
Alan in the gentle art Of taking no
chances.
Though It was his life that they
sought so pertInaciously, no later than
yesterday tand then by no means for
the first time) they had proved that
If Rose were with Alan they would
include her ruthlessly in whatsoever
scheme they might contemplate for
his personal determination.
Nor would Tom Bnrcus be exempt,
II they were caught in company
though Judith might be, in view OF
Marrophats infatuation for the girl.
These two we're far ahead, out OF
sight. indeed; and must somehow be
overtaken and warned-no easy mat
ter, since the machine which bore
them was, If anything, faster than
Alan's. just as the racing automobile
was faster than either.
Alan kept his gaze steadfast to the
road before them, daring not once TO
look up and round or back.
So sInuous and meandering was its
course, indeed that Alan seldom could
see a hundred yards of 1t ahead, but
must pelt on in panic flight. hoping
for the best-that Judith and Barcus
would soon show up in 'front.' that
something might happen to hinder tho
pursuit-never knowing whether the
latter lost or gained.
And thus catastrophe befell :.
Round the swelling bosom off wood-
ed ,mountainslde the motorcycle swept
like a hunted hare, and without the
least warning came upon Barcus and
Judith, dismounted, Barcus bending
over his cycle and ttnkering with Its
motor.
For one manipulating instant COLI
sion seemed unavoidable. Barcus and
Judith and the motorcycle occupied
most Of the width of the road; there
was little room between them and the
declivity, less between them and the
forest. To try to pass them on the
latter side would be only to dash his
brains out against the trees; while to
make the attempt on the outside would
be to risk leaving the road altogether
and dashing of into space
And it was impossible to stop the
cycle-so brief was all his warning.
In desperation Alan chose the outside
Of the road; and for the space OF a
single heartbeat thought that he might
possibly make 1t. but with the next
realized that he would not-seeing the
front wheel swing on over the lip OF
the slope.
At this he acted sharply and upon
sheer instinct AS the cycle left the
road altogether he risked a broken
knee by releasing his grasp Of the
handlebars and Strengthening out his
leg and driving it down forcibly
against the roadbed. The effect Of this
was to lift him bodily from the sad
die: the machine shot from beneath
him like some strange .proiectile
hurled from the bore of a great gun;
and Rose crashed against him In the
same fraction Of second.
Headlong they plunged as one down
the hillside. struck its shelving sur
face good twenty feet from the brink
OF the road, and flying apart tumbled
their separate ways down the re-
mainder OF the drop and into the
friendly shelter Of the underbrush.
Something nearly miraculous saved
4 RI1na