Omaha daily bee., 1915-02-14
ccontinuea from par, renl


OF our escape Elaine had sunk back into
ths chair an the telephone rang. Clutch
Ing Hand answered the telephone,
A moment later, IN uncomfortable fury
he hurled the instrument to the floor.
'Here-we've got TO act duickly-that
devil has escaped again. he Kissed. I'VE
must get her away. You keep her here
I'll be back--right away-with a car"
He dashed madly from the church. pull
Ing off his mask az he gained the street
Kennedy had forced the crook ahead
Of ne into the car which ives waiting. and
followed. taking the wheel this time.
''wlntoh way, now-duioki" demanded
Craig. sskhd if you get me In wrong-Ive
got that tube yet-you remember"
Our crook started Off with whole
burst OF directions that rivaled the motor
Euide-"through the town. following troll
ley tracks. Cog right. jog left under the
railroad brlege, leaving trolley tracks; at
tho cemetery turn left. stopping at the
old stone church
els this IT." asked Craig incredulously.
"Yes-as live" sworo the crook In y
eowed voice.
He had gone TO pieces. Kennedy jumped
from the machine. s...-.
Here, take this gun. Walter" he said
70 ma. sfpont take your eyes off the fell
low--keep him covered"
Craig walked around the church, out OF
sight, until he came to small vestry
window and looked In.
There was Elaine, sitting In a chair.
and near her stood an elderly man in
clerical garb. which 20 Craig's trained
eye was quite evidently a disguise.
Elaine happened Just then to glance at
the window and her eyes grew wide with
astonlshment at the sight OF Craig.
he made a hasty motion TO her to make
q dash for the door. She nodded quietly.
With a glance at her guardian she sud
denly made a rush.
He was at her In a moment. bouncing
on her oatlike.
Kennedy had seized an iron bar that
lay beside the window where some work
men had been repairing the stone pave
nent, and with a blow shattered the glass
and the sash.
At the sound Of the gmashing glass the
crook turned and with a mighty effort
threw Elaine aside, drawing his revolver.
As he raised II. Elaine sprang at him
and frantically seized his wrist.
: Utterly merciless the man brought the
butt of the gun down with full force on
Elaine's head Only her hat and hair
aaved her, but she sank unconscious.
Then he aimed at Craig and fired twice.
One shot grazed Craigs hat, but the
other sstr1cR him in the shoulder and
Kennedy reeled-
with a desperate effort he pulled him.
self together and leaped forward again.
closing with the fellow and wrenchins the
gun from him before he could fire again.
Just then the man broke away and made
a dash for the door leading back into the
church feself, with Kennedy after him.
At the footeof a flight OF stairs he turned
long enough 10 strike at craig's head.
Kennedy warded off the blow as best
he could. then, still undaunted, started up
the stairs after the fellow.
Up he went into the choir loft and then
into the beifry itself. There they came to
sheer hand-to-hand struggle. Keanedy
tripped on q loose board. and would have
fallen backwards II he had not been able
70 recover himself just in time. The
crook, desperate, leaped for the ladder
leading furtherear into the steeple
Kennedy, followed.
2 Eihine had recovered consciousness al
nsoat immediately. and. hearing the COM
motion, stirred ana started to rise TO look
about
From the church she could hear sounds
Of the struggle. shs paused just Ions
enough 10 seize the crooks revolver lying
on the Moor.
she hurried into the church and up into
the beifry, thence up the ladder. whence
the sounds came.
The crook by this time had gained the
outside of the steeple through an open
ing. Kennedy was in close pursuit.
On top OF the steeple was a great gilded
cross. considerably larger than man.
AS the crook clambered outside, he scaled
the steepge, using q lightning rod and
some projecting points to pull himself up.
desperately.
Kennedy followed unhesitatingly.
There they were. struggling in deadly
combat, ciinging to the Gilded cross.
The first I knew OF It was a Mortified
gasp from my own crook I looked Ut
carefully. fearing It was a stall to gel
me off my guard. There were Kennedy
and the other crook. struggling. swaytne
back and forth. between life and death
! looked AZ my man. What should do,
Should leave him and go TO Craig7 II
did, might he not pick us both off from
a safe vantage point. by some sharp
shooting sldil2
There was nothing I could do
Kennedy was clinging to a lightning
rod on the cross
It broke. s.fs
I Easped as Craig reeled back. But h
managed to catch hold of the rod fur
Their down and cling to 1t.
The crock seemed TO exult diabolically
Holding with both hands to the cross h
let himself out TO his full length AM
stamped on Kennedy's fingers. tryinI
every way TO diaodge him It was al