The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-01-07

bOONuAIb NOlCN.
At the elbow Of the Reverend Mr.
Wright a telephone shrilled impera-
lively. With a gesture Of professional
patience he turned to the instrument,
lifted the receiver to his ear, and
spoke in musically modulated accents.
Yes Yes: this is Mr..
Wright. All. yes, Mr.. Digby.
Not coming? But, my dear sir.
Mr.. Law is already here. l must tell
you"
He checked with a reproving glance
for Alan, who was twitching his sleeve
insistently.
"If you please" Alan begged, "let
me speak to Digby at once. Forgive
me"
Reluctantly the minister surrendered
the teIaphone.
That you, Digby?"
Alan! Bless my soul, what are you
doing over there? Is Miss Trine with
you? But how can that be possible?
Rose? No What about herr" Alan
demanded, stammaring with anxiety.
"Why-one of my spies has just re-
ported by telephone. He was going on
duty this morning when he saw a
young woman--either Rose or Judith !
wearing a rough coat over boudoir
dress-climb out of one of the base |
ment windows Of Trines house. She
was apparently in great distress OF
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 several
rough-looking customers, who rushed
out of Trine's house, seized the girl.
and made off with her in motor-car
bearing a New Jersey license number
am sending men to watch the Jersey
ferries. Call me up in an hour"
Without a word of response, and
without word of apology to the Rev
erend Mr.. Wright, Alan dropped the
receiver, snatched up his hat, and fed
that house like man demented.
Rose, escaping from Trines 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 d street which he recognized, by
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, breathless
and footsore, to cast about him for the
way to the ferry, touring car turned
a corner at top speed and slowed to a
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 young girl writhed and strug-
gled when, Immediately on the stop,
they jumped out and wrestled her out
with brutal reconsideration.
Like a 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 burly denizen when
he grasped the knob and made as If
to follow in.
. Keep back, young feller!" his as
sailaht warned him viciously. "Keer
outa this, now, if you don't want tc
get into trouble"
!. To the speakers side another
. ranged, cycling Alan with formidable
a scowl. At discretion he stepped bach
= and turned as if persuaded to mind hii
own business, then swung on his heel
- caught the two in the very act of open
ing the door, and threw himself be
a tween them.
p An elbow planted heavily in the pi
Of the stomach of one disposed of hin
for the time being. A blow from thu
y. shoulder sent the other reeling to thu
; gutter. And Alan was in the tene
. ment's lowermost hall-a foul ant
y evil-odored place, dark as a pit thu
y. instant the door was closed, its murl
', relieved only by the flame of kero
sene lamp smoking in bracket nea
the foot of the stairs.
Sounds of scuffling of feet were au
dible on the first landing. Alan ad
d dressed himself impetuously to tn
staircase, gaining its top in half
'p dozen leaps, and only in time to see
m door slammed at the forward end @
u the hall and hear key turned in it
lock.
A cluster of men blocked the way
8, He didn't pause to wait for it to b
n cleared, but threw himself headlon
st into their midst, and by dint Of tn
r. surprise had gained the closed doc
re before they recovered and sought
ly stay him.
90 Indifferent to them all, he shook tn
in knob and shouted: Rose! Rose!"
Her cry came back to him, mu
w fed scream: Alan! Help! Help!'
a Backing away with a mad idea
Is. throwing himself bodily against tn
ep door and breaking it down, he was su
or denly confronted by hideous mask
J." humanity-face of man all misshape
as bruised and swollen and disfgure
with smears of dried blood and dirt
nd bandage round his temples, but nor
no the less vaguely recognizable.
i'm The words that streamed from !
In distorted lips drove recognition nom
If, Gee, fellers, look't who's here!
en- it amt tn guy what threw me off
th that girder this mornin'. Stand bat
he and let me kill th'-"
Without the hesitation Of heal
er. beat Alan swung heavily for the thug