The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1914-12-22

mon sense by making q round break
fast in Grand Central station before
looking up the residence of Digby in
the telephone directory.
The information he gathered from
the voice that answered the name Of
Mr. Digby over the telephone shook
only momentarily Barcus' innate con-
viction that intimate acquaintance
with battle, murder and sudden death
was the inevitable reward of associa-
tion with this friend of his heart.
Alan being married to Rose Trine
in Jersey City at this very minute!"
he breathed skepticaliy as he emerged
from the booth memorlzing tho ad.
dress of the alleged officiating clergy.
man. Il don't believe it; it's too sud
den"
Forthwith he engaged a taXicab to
convey him to Jersey City. at top
speed, for an eXorbitant reward.
And when. from the forward deck of
ferryboat, he beheld dense volume
OF smoke advertising a confiagration
on the Jersey shore, not far from the
waterfront, he shook moodily sa-
gacious head.
IF Alan isn't mixed up in that,
somehow" he declared, hes missing
bet for once-and I'm a sorry failure
as prophet of woe and disaster!"
There was as much intuitive appre-
hension as humor responsible for this
remark; witness the fact that, on land
ing, he risked the delay required to
turn aside and have look at the fire.
1t proved to be situated in the heart
OF squalid slum-a wretched tene-
ment of the poorest class, whose roof
had already fallen in and whose walls
were momentarily threatening to go
by the time Barcus arrived on the
scene.
AT considerable distance from him
small disturbance had broken out
clamor OF protesting voices lifting
about the rumor of the mob--as
number OF men, case hardened rou-hs
ONE and aiI BEGAN Co lerga their war
n shaped Jr~.u.a the
rr.. toward
l. the
Ha 'r
What r.|
"' t'
.. - t.aa aaa-1s
utaisoeot ./omeaine strange that
had happeti in ,ha history of Mr..
Earcus.
AT the same time, at the point where
the had paused, wild uproar lifted
up and, coincidentally, wilder confu-
sion became noticeable. A cry was
audible-"Fireb, &! Lynch him! Lynch
him! Lynch the frebug!"-and at
this the mob turned as one man and
streamed away in pursuit of an in
visible quarry, who chose to attempt
his escape by a route directly oppo-
site to that which would have led him
within view of Mr.. Barcus.
Startled, and of a sudden persuaded
that there might have been more in
his "hunch" than was sanely to be
credited, Barcus started up and was
on the point OF stepping out OF his
cab, II with a rather aimless purpose,
when he was stayed by sight of that
evil white face returning the way IL
had come-still in the hollow of the
flying V, which now made faster prog
ress, thanks to the disorganiZation of
the mob by the chase of the alleged in.
cendiary.
And now, Barcus saw, the man of
the white face was not alone. There
was someone with him-someone
whose head was bent and face con.
cealed, but who seemed to be femi-
nine.
And so, Barcus argued, why might
1t not be Rose Trine, suffering new
persecution at the hands OF her unnat-
ural fathers creatures?
He was too far away to make sure
and attempt any interference; but he
pointed White Face out to his chauf.
feur as the " reached a touring car
on the edge of the mob and the woman
was lifted In (unresisting and appar-
emily In dead faint, and when the
touring car swung round and picked
up its heels, the taxicab of Mr.. Barcus
trailed 1t as unostentatiously as II 1t
was a pertinacioue shadow
Ten minutes later, from the rear
deck Of a ferryboat In midstream-a
boat bearing back to New York not
only the touring car of White Face,
but the cab of Mr. Barcus-the latter |
gentleman formed one of small but |
interested audience witnessing an in |
cident Of uncommon character.
He saw a young man, hatless, coat.
less, almost shirtless. tear down to |
the edge of one of the Jersey wharves,
his heels snapped at by a ravening |