The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1915-02-01
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tide some more"
They went out through Golden Gate
park ana after a brief stop on the
bright beach came back into town by
way OF the Preside.
Ruth was now quoted, and us they
got out Mt the hotel she sighed hap
PLY.
That was beautiful, john she said.
At the desk the clerk handed John q
note addressed in a grabbed hand. He
tore 1t open, glanced Mt the contents
and turned to Ruth.
"Old Tom Kane got here tonight
he exclaimed. He came while we
were ont and left this note for me-
Ruth's face lit up wonderfully.
Where is he2 Where Is he2" she de-
manded. II want to see him"
At her door he left her with a hasty
"Ill be right IN as o ms Tom comes,
Ruth"
"All rightl' she called back, and
opened her door as he opened his own.
she paused on the threshold at the
sight within. 4 tall man in a light
mask was delying into the desk and
rummaging among her papers and be
~longlngs. At the sight OF her he quick
ly thrust a bundle Of papers into his
pocket and slipped toward the open
window. Then Ruth understood and
screamed for help.
John Dorr heard that call and IN
three bounds was in her room. She
pointed TO the open window, gasping:
THAT wayl The thief! lie stole the
deeds!'
Without a word Dorr leaped to the
window. 1t opened on a fire escape.
He peered down. No one. He looked
up. A slight figure was mounting
quickly and silently toward the roof.
Within another instant John had
swung himself out on the ladder and
was climbing rapidly after the un-
known housebreaker. lie paid no at
tention TO Ruth's agonized cry after
him. John! joint Don't go after
him! He'll hurt your
Helplessly she peered out Of the win.
down and saw the two figures going
swiftly up toward the crest OF the
building. The seconds seemed hours
as she watched. Then she saw John
stumble and catch himself. That de
cided her. She picked up her skirts
and stepped out on the platform her
self. Then she gingerly swung her
self out on the Iron ladder and com
menced to climb upward. She saw the
thief reach the cOrnlce and crawl over.
then John. She struggled on mp sob
bingly. bruising her tender hands on
the rusty rods. Once or twice she
stopped and called: "Johnl john
There was no answer.
Then she realized that there was an.
Their on the ladder below her. She
nearly lost her grip and fell. Surely
1t must be some accomplice OF the
theft She FASTENED her way up the
ladder, not daring to look down again
At last she gained the %cornice. where
the ladder bent suddenly outward and
she must perforce almost hang sus.
pended by her hands. But she man
aged to surmount this difficulty and
stumbled forward ON the roof of the
hotel.
At first glance she saw no one. The
roof was huge, broken here and there
by skylights and chimneys and air.
shafts. The shadows east by the moon
lay dark and strange across the tarry
gravel.
John, John!' she called softly.
Then again. in terror, she cried shrilly
stIohnf oh Inhnrf
At that moment the figure Of the
masked man slipped from behind one
OF the chimneys and made for the frt
escape. She realized that he was es
Gaping. Where was John? She way
cred. Could he be killed? she cried
again. "Johnv'
She stood directly in the way OF tn,
man making for the ladder. and he
paused at the sight OF that eerie figure
The hesitation was fatal to his pur
pose. Dorr darted across the roof and
grasped for him. With a swift turn
the thief leaped over a skylight and
commenced TO run hither and thither
trying to evade John, who was not t.
be put of now that he had full sight
of his quarry.
Ruth watched the chase with hands
~tensely clasped over her bosom. She
could not stir from her position In the
full moonlight, near the edge OF the
roof, nor did she move when Dorr fin
ally caught his man and tripped him.
They fell together on the roof and
rolled over and over, each trying 4
balk the other OF a good hold. The
fighting was furious. for Pell. still un
der the spell OF drugs. was possessed
OF tremendous strength which even
DORIS hard muscles could not over
come.
Suddenly Ruth heard a familiar
voice behind her saying, "Tll be dad
blamed IL IL amt a hght!' She did no
turn. Her eyes were fixed on the TIVE
writing men.
Suddenly Pell started to roll over to
ward the edge OF the roof. dragging
John after him. This new danger ap
palled the girl. She watched with fas
cinated eyes.
John Dorr was well out of breath b,
this time and knew his man. 1t wa
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