The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-02-24

for Alan, who was twifcking Els sleeve
mistakenly.
III you please" Alan begged, Iet
me speak to Digby at once. Forgive
me-"
Reluctantly the minister surrendered
the telephone.
"That you. Digby?"
ALLAN! Bless my soul, what are you
doing over there? Is Miss Urine with
you? But how can that be possible!
Rose? No. What about herr" Alan
demanded, stammering with anxiety.
"Why-one Of my spies has Just re-
ported by telephone. He was going on
duty this morning when he saw
young woman-either Rose or judith
wearing a rough coat over Douooir
dress-climb out of one Of the Dase-
ment windows Of Trine's house. She
was apparently in great distress Oh
mind and anxious to escape without
being seen from the house; but before
my man-whose post Of Observation
is in the third story OF one OF the
houses opposite-could get to the
street, she had been caught by severai
rough-looking customers, who rusneo
out of Trine's house, seized the girl
and made off with her in motor-car
bearing New Jersey license number.
am sending men to watch the jersey
ferries. Call me up in an hour"
Without a word of response, ana
without word of apology to the Rev
erend Mr.. Wright, Alan dropped the
receiver, snatched up his hat, and neo
that house like man demented.
Rose, escaping from Trine's house.
overpowered and made the captive of
Trine's lowest creatures-gunmen pos
sibly, Of the stamp of that animal
whom Trine had charged with the as
sassination 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. 1t must have been
upwards OF an hour before he came
| into a street which he recognized, by
J it's dinginess and squalor, as that IN
which he had thrown Marrophat from
the running-board of the taxicab.
And then, as he paused, GREATNESS
! and footsore, to cast about him for the
way to the ferry, touring car turned
! corner at top speed and slowed to
stop before that selfsame tenement OF
the unsavory aspect to whose sidewalk
he had seen Marrophat assisted by
the loafers of the quarter.
/ And this touring car was occupied
by some half-a-dozen ruffians in whose
hands q young girl writhed and strug-
gled when, Immediately on the stop,
they jumped out and wrestled her out
with brutal reconsideration.
Like q shot Alan had crossed the
street-but only to bring up nose to
the panels OF the tenement door, and
to find himself seized and thrown
roughly aside by a burly denizen when
, he grasped the knob and made as II
to follow in.
Keep back, young feller!" his as
sailant warned him viciously. "KeeI
, outa this, now, II you don't want te
get into trouble"
To the speakers side another
, ranged, cycling Alan with formidable
: scowl. At discretion he stepped bach
. and turned as If persuaded t. mind his
, own business, then swung on his heel
, caught the two in the very act Of open
. ing the door, and threw himself be
tween them.
An elbow planted heavily in the pi
. Of the stomach Of one disposed Of hin
'. for the time being. A blow from thu
! shoulder sent the other Keeling to tn
, gutter. And Alan was In the tene
!. ment's lowermost hall-a foul an,
, evil-odored place, dark as a pit tn
instant the door was closed, its murl
relieved only by the fame Of kero
sene lamp smoking in bracket nea
the foot Of the stairs.
Sounds of scufIiing Of feet we're az
dible on the first landing. Alan al
I dressed himself impetuously to tn
staircase, gaming Its top in half
dozen leaps, and only in time to see
door slammed at the forward end G
the hall and hear key turned in it
lock.
!. A cluster Of men blocked the wa,
He didn't pause to wait for 1t to
!. cleared, but threw himself headlon
= into their midst, and by dint of til
q surprise had gained the closed doc
n before they recovered and sought
stay him.
- Indifferent to them all, he shook Ii
/. knob and shouted: Rose! Rose!"
a Her cry came back to him, a mu
N fed scream: Alan! Help! Help!'
~ Backing away with q mad idea
!" throwing himself bodily against Il
"a door and breaking 1t down, he was su
denly confronted by q hideous mask
ID humanity-face Of man all misshape
10 bruised and swollen and disfigurt
: with smears of dried blood and dir
" bandage round his temples, but mol
:. the less vaguely recognizable.
The words that streamed from
y. A. distorted lips drove recognition HON
~ Gee. fellers, look't who's here!
NC it amt tn guy what threw me of
that girder this mornin'. Stand ba
,i' and let me kill TIL"
:. Without the hesitation of a hea
'.e beat Alan swung heavily for the thu
, jaw. The blow went solidly hon
The man fell like a poled OK.
- Pandemonium ensued. Rallying
al their comrade, the ruffians attack