Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1915-02-24

I
looking up the residence of Digby in
the telephone directory.
TPa information he gathered from
| the voice that answered the name of
| Mr.. Digby over the telephone shook
only momentarily Barcus' innate con-
| victlon that intimate acquaintance
with battle, murder and sudden death
was the inevitable reward Of associa-
ton with this friend of his heart.
ALAN being married to Rose Urine
in Jersey City at this very minutel 4"
he breathed skeptically as he emerged
| from the booth memorizing the adj
dress Of the alleged officiating clergy
man. q don't believe it; it's too sud
den"
Forthwith he engaged taxicab 10
convey him to Jersey City. at top
speed for an exorbitant reward
And when, from the forward deck of
ferryboat he beheld a dense volume
OF smoke advertising a conhagration
on the Jersey shore, not far from the
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 a prophet of woe and dlsaster!"
Thore 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.
II proved to be situated in the heart
Of a squalid slum-a wretched tene-
ment of the poorest class. whose roof
had already fallen in and whose walls
we're momentarily threatening to go
by the time Barcus arrived on the
scene
At "A considerable distance from him
small disturbance had broken out
n clamor Of protesting voices lifting
| about the rumor OF the mob--as a
number of men, case-hardened roughs
one and all, began to force their way
in a Y-shaped wedge through the
throng, making toward its very heart.
the point on the flre-lines nearest the
burning building.
What this meant, Mr.. Barcus had
not the slightest idea. But hts atten-
ton was first distracted by the maneu-
yer. then fixed by the face OF a man
who was following in the hollow of
the Van evil white face that seemed
somewhat vaguely familiar, somehow
reminiscent of something strange that
had happened in the history Of Mr.
Barcus.
At the same time, at the point where
the V had paused. wild uproar lifted
up and, coincidentalIy. a wilder confu-
sion became noticeable. A cry was
audible-"Flrebugl Lynch himl Lynch
himl Lynch the firehug l"-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 route directly oppo-
site to that which would have led hiIn
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 be was stayed by sight OF that
evil white face returning the way 1t
| mad come--still in the hollow OF the
flying v. which now made faster prog
ress, thanks to the dlsorganization of
the mob by the chase of the alleged in.
cendiary
And now, Barcus saw the man o.
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
It not be Rose Urine. 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 V reached touring car
on the edge of the mob and the woman
| was lifted In tunresisting and appar.
emily in dead faint. and when the
touring car swung round and picked
up its heels. the taxieab OF Mr.. Barcus
railed It as unostentatiously as IL II
was a pertinaeous shadow.
Ten minutes later, from the rear
deck of Il ferryboat In midstream-a
boat bearing back to New York not
| only the touring car of White Face,
but the cab of Mr.. Barous-the latter
| gentleman formed one Of small but
interested audience witnessing an In,
cident Of uncommon character.
He saw young man. hatless, coat
less, almost shlrtless, tear down to
the edge Of one of the Jersey wharves
his heels snapped at by a ravenina
rabble, jump aboard a square-rigged
vessel which lay moored there. and
execute vancouver Of despair by
climbing up the rigging in a hopeless
attempt to escape his prosecutors.
They were too many for him, and wha,
was worse they were headed By q
squad OF police apparently as grimb
bent on comprising the destruction OF
their quarry as was the mob.
Aud they swarmed up the rigging
after him without a moments hesita
ton.
Hotly pressed. the fugitive climbed
higher cad still higher, until at length
he gained the topmoSt yard: Will
tsree policemen not hair dozen fee
below him and popping away for deal
. life II bapnflv with the nNtnr{,,,s1,