The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1914-09-17


the mile long International bridge when |
he glimpsed her tail lights
And that was the last for the night |
except the owl at 2 O'Clock. the |
bridge tender told him.
Ward was in despair.
A glimmer of white showed far out
on the slender framework which span.
ned the mighty river in its mad rush to
join the cataract twenty miles lower
down. 1t grew and grew. and at last
railroad velocipede sped across the final
section. the rider stopping within ten
feet Of the reporter. whose brain was
pounding away with the phrase:
| THE fortune of war-the fortune of
WARP.
Ward strobe over to the dismounting
rider.
II want to borrow your machine"
said he.
Sorry. brother, but this here is rail-
road property, and kain't lend It."
! was the answer.
Wards brain worked like lightning.
Steppinga little closer he threw open
his coat and displayed his police badge
in the dim light The shield was much
like that of the plain clothes man.
"Oh." calculated the fellow, Il didn't
know you were'-
From headquarters" smoothly sup
plemented Ward Just went on today.
Every moment is precious to my busi-
| ness"
%I,o oil, Iyyv
the machine around on the track again.
and he said:
"Where are you SoingT
Missed the car to Mouse point" said
the reporter.
Keep to the switch on your left
IL mile this side of Fort Leary. The
new cut off saves you five miles by
keeping straight up the beach. When'll
you be back:'
by morning surely. II you are not
here I'll get the bridge tender to put
the car in the house. II
With hope high in his heart, despite
the half hour handicap which Thomp-
son had Ward bent to the lever. His
arms seemed tireless. Almost before
he realized it he was lifting the car
over the frog at the switch and again
speeding between big pines toward
Mouse point.
At Mouse point the road terminated.
Ward pointed down the one broad ave
nue. which the summer resort boosted.
Lights flickered along the waters
edge. Excited groups of summer idlers
from the cottages which fringed the
lake and college chaps from the Canoe
clubs casino We're rushing along the
beach, while older men from the Yacht
club moved among the crowd with
grave faces.
! Every one knew the story. The yacht
: Merida, with six of the most prominent
young men of the city, had started uI
the lake in a race Of forty miles and re
turn.
When the gale broke all the boats
ran for shelter behind the bluff a
Mouse point The Nerida's crew haf
attempted to come ashore in tn,
yachts dinghy.
1t had capsiZed. -Four were rescued
by crews Of other yachts. - Two wer'
somewhere out there In the whirl O.
the pitiless waves.
= There was no sign of Thompson
: along the waterfront Ward discernet
far in the ofTing of the harbor Il tin.
Il spot with red and green lights and i;
solitary beam of white high up.
"What's that?' he queried of a sailo
II who was scanning the lake with ma
( rine glass:
Its tug, but she'll never lam
here tonight with the sea on. and she'l
Il have to be careful in making the tur
to get back to the city among thos
waves"
: Has any tug come In tonight!
asked Ward his heart throbbing wil(
! ly..
t Nothing has come ashore for tw
i hours. and that was the surfboat fro1
IL the life saving station brii,gfn' In tn
e boys from the Nerida's dinghy afte
Il the other yachts had picked them up,
1t was now II 80. and Ward coul
not find the local telephone operate
y But he had gone too far to be bafke
by merely negative elements of pa
sive character. He sought the static
p itself. pushed back the window cato
with his knife blade and boldly ste
'e ped inside.
~ He turned Oil the light and expel
mented with the switchboard until
ct had the city connection. Just as
III was asking central for the Outpost O
ie fee some one gripped his arm AZ
q pushed the barrel Of a pistol again
). the small Of his back
III "Ye're under arrest for burglary
4! announced the strident voice of the v
tt iage constable, who held the Grimm
aa destinies Of Mouse point somewhe
ne about his person between his star al
10 his six shooter.
OF The reporter turned and faced hi
calmly.
ns "All right, old chap" said be easil
Anything to oblige. But just as so
as finish this message I'll present L
~ own credentials. Keep away for
&c minute. will you?"
i'll Throw up your hands," replied t
at guardian of the commonwealth. with
III snarl
Ike Ward started to comply. Then, m;
on dened mt the thought Of losing his s
al ry to a case of arrested mental dev
se opment he clinched his right. swoop
ari 1t up in wild swing and landed
to the peak of the whiskers Of justice.
on The swing kept on to the incepti
s of the beard. and the crash of the bl'