Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1914-09-20

Without a word of response and without word
OF apology to the Reverend Mr.. Wright, Alan
dropped the receiver, snatched up his hat and fed
that house like man demented.
Rose, escaping from Trine's house overpowered
and made the captive Of Trine's lowest creatures
gunner possibly, Of the stamp Of that animal whom
Urine had charged with the assassination Of Alan
the night before
There was neither a motor-car in sight for him
to charter nor any time to waste in seeking one
Alan could only hope to find one on his way back
toward the ferry. II must have been upwards of
en- hour before he came into a street which he
recognized by its dingness and squaor as that
in which he had thrown Marrophat from the run
ningboard Of the taxicab
And then, as he paused breathless and footsore
to cast about him for the way to the ferry tour
ing car turned corner at top speed and slowed to
a stop before that selfsame tenement Of the I'M
savory aspect to whose sidewalk he had seen
Marrophat assisted by the loafers Of the quarter
And this touring occupied by some half
a-dozen ruffans in whose hands a young girl
writhed and struggled when Immediately on the
stop they jumped out and wrestled her out with
brutal reconsideration.
Like a shot Alan had crossed the street-but only
to bring up to the panels of the tenement door,
and to find himself seized and thrown roughly aside
by burly denzen when he grasped the knob and
made as II to follow in.
Keep back young feller!" his assaiIaut warned
him viciousy. Keep outa this, now, II you don't
want to get into trouble"
To the speakers side another ranged cycling
Alan with formidable scowl. At discretion he
stepped back and turned if persuaded to mind
his own business, then swung his heel, caught
the two in the very act Of opening the door, and
threw himself between them.
An elbow planted heavily in the pit OF the stom-
ach Of one disposed of him for the time being
blow from the shoulder sent the other Keeling
to the gutter. And Alan was in the tenements
lowermost ha-a foul and evil.odored place, dark
as pit the instant the door was closed its murk
relieved only by the flame of kerosene lamp smok-
ing in a bracket near the foot Of the stairs
Sounds of scufiing of feet were audible on the
FIRST landing Alan addressed himself impetuously
to the staircase, gaining its top in half a dozen
leaps, and only in time to door slammed at
the forward end of the hall and hear a key turned
in It's lock.
cluster of men blocked his way. He didn't
pause to wait for it to be cleared but threw him
self headlong into their midst and by dint of the
surprise had gained the closed door before they re-
covered and sought to stay him.
Indifferent to them all, he shook the knob and
shouted: Rose! Rose!"
Her cry came back to him, a mufded scream:
"Alani Helpl Help!"
Backing away with a mad idea OF throwing him
self bodily against the door and breaking It down.
he was suddenly confronted by hideous mask of
humanity-face Of man all misshapened bruised
and swollen and dsngured with smears of dried
blood and dirty bandage round his temples but
none the less vaguely recognizable
The words that streamed from its distorted lips
drove recognition home.
Gee, fellers lookt who's herei II it amt tn
guy what threw me offn that girder this mornin,
Stand back and let me kill thu"
Without the hesitation of heartbeat Alan swung
heavily for the thugs jaw. The blow went eolidly
home The fell like poled OK
Pandemonium ensued. RaIlying to their comrada
the ruf1ans attacked Alan with one mind and one
intent Murder would have been done then and
there had It not been for a rotten banister-ran.
which NAV pffof3p La a..
floor of the hallway.
simultaneously the lamp on the wall was struck
from its bracket and crashed the floor its glass
well breaking and loosing flood of kerosene to
receive the burning wick. The explosion followed
instantly In trice the hallway was a lake of
burning oil, and hungry flames were licking up the
rotting wallpaper and eating into decayed base
boards and stair-treads
stiil fighting like mailman, contesting every
root OF the way, Alan was borne down the hall and
out OF the front door. scream of "F1re!" greeted
him as he reeled out into the open. It was echoed
by dozen Threats.
He looked up dashing from his smartng eyes
tears drawn by the sitting clouds OF smoke and
saw vaguely at the second story window a woman
leaning out and shreking for help.
That II was hopeless to attempt the staircase
ne well knew Drawing aside, he endeavored to
come to his sober senses, and cast about for soma
more feasible way to effect the rescue of his Rose
The tenement occupied one corner of a narrovv
street. Directly opposite, a storage warehouse
stood upon the other corner. Before this last was
tne common landing stage for truck deliveries pro.
tected by shed-roof And, suspended from a tim.
Der that peered out over the caves a hosting
tackle dragged the ground with its ropes.
II was the work OF a minute to convince a thick.
headed policeman that the attempt was feasible
and should be permitted. 1t was the work of less
imam another minute to rig loop in the line and
fasten round hts body beneath the arms Volun
teers did not lack; couple Of husky longshoremen
sprang to the ropes at his first call. They heaved
with viii. His feet left the ground he soared
ne caught the caves of the shedroof, and shouting
10 cease hauling, drew himself up on this last
hacked nttle ways down it and calculating his di.
rection nicely, with running jump launched him.
self out over the street
The momentum of his leap carried him well on,
over the neads OF the throng assembled in the
street and truly toward that window where Rose
was waiting Then its force slackened. For an
awIui instant he believed that he had failed But
WIN the last expiring ounce of impetus he was
sill. '"e "inuo"