Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1914-11-10

to give bis finger prints anu nn uue
identity would be shown"
II know nothing Of such matters,"
replied Nelson.
He was prepared to meet any de-
mand Of the law save that OF showing
the little whorls. circles. islands and
parabolas ln the cuticle Of bis fingers.
Kearpey had taken little box oiled
with charcoal dust from his waistcoat
pocket and was spreading some OF It
on a sheet of white paper.
he was ready to make the demand
for proof from John Nelson that he
was not James Montgomery.
John Nelson stood watching the
sleuth as be made ready for this single
simple but awful test.
he determined to play for uma
Why. be did not know. for few SEC
onds, minutes or even days would
mean little to him now.
IF there Is anything further You
wish to say" he told Kearney. II
must ask ypu to excuse me. This mill
has Just been opened and l am anxious
about the new operatives. ] would
not have one Of my girls hurt for all
the money that might be made with
machinery"
he went to wide door which
opened directly into the operating
room. Kearney heard the purring OF
the machinery increase In volume as
Nelson passed through the open door.
He now felt sure that Nelson was
James Montgomery and that the finger
print test would prove 1t beyond
shadow of a doubt But he did not
bay his delight as would the real
hound when his quarry was run down.
He realized that the task before him
was going to smack Of danger. Mel.
son was fairly idolized by the people
among whom be had found refuge
from the law. These people were
more or less primitive and had a sense
of justice not built upon statutes
reeled of yearly BY corrupt legislators.
II the news spread that Nelson had
been made a prisoner and was to be
taken from the community be had
made better and happier for his exist
ence there at least the rough country
people would protest. These people he
had fed when hungry. had succored
from distress and had sheltered when
sheIterless.
But be was still the implacable law
officer. the machine-like product OF
machine government. and he would
run no chance Of his man slipping
from him after all these years. He
followed Nelson into the operating
room and saw him greet bis wife
Upper and neither flles Of bright new
needles gnashed away steadily at theii
work as the girls fed them with ma.
terial. and the finished product flowed
into large wicker baskets
A number Of the young women, In
terested as young women are In a
bride and groom. turned nt their work
to watch with many smiles and mods
the greeting between Nelson and Mol
ly. One Of the girls. with heavy
mass of black hair. had droppsd her
tresses because Of the heat Of the day
Nelson saw her turn with smile to
speak to another operative several feet
away. In second he realized her
danger. A strand Of her hair In one
Of the cogs of the machinery and she
would meet a frightful death.
he forgot his own terrible predica'
ment, although his own fate. trembling
In the balance. was even worse than
death.
A braid Of the girls hair swept Into
the steel cogs Of the machine she had
been operating. At the pull on her
scalp she uttered a shrek that rang
through the building. The treless
double row of needles worked away
within a few inches Of the head Of the
unfortunate girl.
Her cry was echoed by roar from
Nelson to the man In charge OF the
switch controlling the current
In two bounds he reached the girl
and caught the fastened braid Of hair
with both hands. her head fell under
his right arm he gave mighty,
twisting pull as the current was cut
of and the machine began to slow
down. The hair was torn free Of the
logs and the girl dropped In dead
faint to the floor. The needles sdli
flashed. but slowly.
Kearney had run toward Nelson to
help in the rescue. Of the girl II he
could. he saw the mill president stag.
ger as II faint Hls face was whittier
than the sheet Of paper he had used to
hold bis charcoal dust.
The detective saw Nelson's lips come
together in a 6rm. blue line. The
blood had left them. he spread forth
bis hands and in one terrible. ghastS
moment made his sacrifice.
The two hands fell between the
bright needles. and the upper and
neither files sunk into them. tearing
through every finger. destroying com
pletely the one strange stamp Of abso'
lutte human individuality that nature
has provided-ths record Of the desf
Itself.
No cry escaped Nelson's lips. The
agony was keen. But what was such
agony compared to that which would
be his II the man from New York po
lice headquarters slipped handouts
upon him and took him from his wife.
from the people he had worked with
and for, to be taken away and be bur
led alive7
Molly had started toward her hus.
band, but her woman's nature was not
equal to the horror of the moment
She fell face downward to the door.
The machinery came to full stop
but the steel jaws had closed over Mel
sons hands.
Kearney was the nearest man to
him.
"Just move that iron rod to the right
there" he heard Nelson say. Move II
slowly Just an inch backward"
Kearney obeyed, and the jaws re
leased their hold.
There is a physician in the ReedJ
mills" called Nelson to one OF the
white faced girls. Telephone hin
quickly"
he turned to another girl. ignoring
Kearney.