Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1914-10-02

OF an unsavory looking tenement, be-.
fore the cab took corner on two
wheels !"
Not seriously injured, | fancy" he
told the girl in response to her eager
lock. Worse luck!". he added
gloomily
But 1t seemed that he was to have
greater cause than this to complain of
his luck, before that ride was ended
Three blocks further on a tire blew
out with a report like a cannon. crack.
er, and the taxi lurchcd perilously
hesitated, slowed down, and lmped
deiectedly to the curb
Alan and the chauffeur piled out in
the same instant the one standing
guard with an eye out as well for
another oab-whle the other assessed
damages
Nothing for 1t but new tire, sir"
this last reported sympathetically. 1T
must have been broken bottle or
something like thdt-it sure did rip
the usefulness clean out OF that shoe"
Go to it !" Alan advised him terse-
ly; and If you make a quick job of it,
Ill stand the cost OF the new tire"
But if another cab comes along
while you're at it you'll lose u3 as
quick as wink. Here's my card, in
case We have to desert you In hurry;
you understand this is matter OF life
and death, and I'll nave no time to
settle up with you. But you can call
at Mr. Digbys Office and he'll fix
things up to your satisfaction
The man took the card and after a
glance at the name touched his hat
with more noticeable respect.
All right, Mr., Law" he agreed;
anything you say" And forthwith
got to work
The rapldity with which he com.
pleted the change OF tires proved him
an excellent chauffeur, an adept at his
craft but the delay was one disas-
trous for all that. 1t worked together
with what Alan pardonably described
as the devils own luck to bring the
touring car in sight at the precise mo-
ment when the chauffeur was cranking
up and Alan on the point OF re-enter-
ing the cab And though they were
OFF again before Alan could close the
door, the attempt was hopeless from
the start
And yet whether or not because
Alan's dlstaste for interference had
been too convincingly demonstrated
the touring car for the time being
contented itself with trailing about
fifty feet in the rear, while the taxi
fled the tenement purieus OF the Ho-
boken waterfront and found its way
into the broader streets of an UMPIRE
tentious suburban quarter.
Not until they were well into the
suburbs, with few dwellings near and
no pedestrians to interfere. did Mario.
phat's purpose become apparent Then,
however and It happened while Alan
was looking back the touring car
drew in swiftly and easily and Mario
phat, rising in his scat, leveed u re
yoIver over the windshield and fired.
The crack Of his weapon was prac.
Iically coincident with metallic thud
beneath the rear seat OF the taXicab
Not for some moments did Alan ap.
preciate the viCiousness Of the scheme.
that the gasoline tank had
been pune tured by the bullet, he was
inclined to believe that Marrophat .
hoped TO stop the taxlcab by depriv
ing It, In course OF time, OF Its fuel
And with this in mind he was present
ly surprised, as the cab took a corner,
to see Marrophat's car stop at that
corner and Marrophst himself get
down. The brow of hill interviewed.
off sight OF the blackguard as
he knelt and lit match 1t was the
girl who gave the alarm, suddenly
Withdrawing her head from the win.
dow to scream at Alan.
, He's fired the gasoline! It's fam.
Ing along the street, following the line
Of the leak-and catching up with qs!"