The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-28

and with the same motion jerked revolver from his pocket.
 He grinned at her sheepishly as he the sparkle of mischief in her eye. and he wiped his face with his sleeve
 "You done it O purpose. he speculated, chuckling
 "rhnk sop she dmpled.
 Big Ben's eyes frightened.
 q believe you're after that shawl"
 "Flub'd sell it' And she glanced across at the sleeping with vndictye hatred.
 'sTake It." urged Big Ben, rising. "If Fub sells 1t tell me- He picked up the shawl and clumsily threw 1t around the womans shoulders She looked down at the shawl and toyed with its long, delicate fringe She took 1t off slowly and gave it back to the man.
 Nothing dong," she sadly decided; then she slow ly turned and looked at her husband and walked away. There a softenng in Big Bens eyes as she walked away. and then he. too, glanced at the sleeping Flub He strolled to the door and came back. Suddenly he stopped. The geam of some thing yellow had caught his gaze. He walked close and bent low. He pulled the cigarette holder out far enough to identify 1t and pushed 1t back; then he gave the sleeper kick.
 Get up you thiefl' he roared.
 Flub sprang up. dazed
 What's that?'
 q said get up, you thiefr roared Big Ben as lean Jake abruptly stopped snoring and jumped up. He was halfway to the ladder before he realized that this was not a raid and June divning his nten- ton, rose swiftly and put her hands the loose clapboards of the roof. Ben jerked the cigarette holder from Flub's pocket You stole it!'
 "Ah no, Benw protested the woman "I wasn't out of the house five minutes. Fiub was asleep when I went out, and he was asleep when come back"
 Flub seemed dazed by the accusation, but sudden ly he let out yell Mechanically he had reached in his vest pocket, his habit when the chamos bag there, and had discovered his loss.
 My diamondr' he yelled Its gonew And his face turned white he looked around the tense group. Slowly comprehension came to him. You framed mev' he suddenly shouted pointing trem- bling finger at Big Ben. "You copped my diamond; then you planted this cigarette holder you could"
 You're liarw beloved Big Ben and sprang for his
 A knife gleamed in Flub's hand, and he slashed savagely at his onrushing opponent. With roar of rage Big Ben caught the descending wrist wrest- ed the weapon from it and plunged 1t to the ht in Flub's breast!
 There was a piercing shrek from the attic and . tearing of boards The woman, quick of mind as she of body the first to comprehend what that might mean. She sprang to the ladder but as she went she cast backward glance at the lifeess man the floor There shudder in her, only cold triumph
 Its girl! She's on the roof" cried the woman she gained the attic.
 Lean Jake the first out of the door and Big Ben just after him. They rounded the corner of the hut just in time to June jump from the roof and dart for her boat. It the woman who caught her.
 Let me gor' implored June. q won't tell1
 Those last three words would seal her fate in the mind of any murderous thief. Big Ben had caught her roughly by the arm, and now he looked inquir ingly at the others.
 Drown her. advised Lean Jake, who was more full of fear than thief should be. "She knows too much"
 All three of them looked at the water. It spread far into the marshes, and it held it's secrets we'll and long, Without word Big Ben swung June up i'm edge while she uttered shriek upon shriek.
 shot and then another answered Junes piercing shrieks and down the channel from the inlet swift ly sped the little cutter, with Orn Cunningham at the wheel, revolver in hand
 Hands upv' yelled a strong voice. and another shot startled the air of the marshes. Gilbert Rlye He stood up in his racer, and the wheel bent heavy Edwards, his eyes narrowed and his thick lips firmly set.
 Big Ben had dropped June at the first shot and had reached for his revolver Lean Jake had dropped flat on the ground behind powder, but before Big Ben could return the fire of the oncoming boats from the Hilarity he was confused by shot from another quarter, and through the reeds of the marsh there pushed a narrow steel gray motorboat, in which stood tall man with soft hat and a loose ly knotted cruvat.
 A stranger. And he nearer to the helpless June than her pursuers from the Hilarity! She ran toward him like deer. and as his driver drew close inshore June sprang into the boat.
 "Hurry!' she cried. "Please hurryr'
 The man, evidently artist. from the canvases and folding easel in his boat. followed her terrified gaze she glanced. back, her terror divided be- tween the murderers the island and the men in the boats. The artist lowered June to seat beside him, and, with word to the driver, they darted away toward the channel. A shot whizzed over their heads they started. and shot after shot sounded from the upper channel.
 The man with the white mustache paid no atten- ton to Big Ben he seered his swift little cutter around the island and struck into the lower channel after the artist and the beautiful young girl who had escaped from the attic. Nor did the man with the black vandyke waste any time upon the aston ished thieves his boat, too, whzzed around the curve. Lean Jake raised up from behind his powder as the boat shot by and the three-Babe, Big Ben and Jake-looked at each other in bewilderment Another boat came swishing down past the island It driven by blazing eyed little chauffeur with a tiny mustache, and he shouting at the top of his voice. Behind him sat stfiy woman with high check bones and wilderness of gums and she, too shouting:
 "Voila! Voila Voila.'
 Another boat! In it were two men and woman the driver plump faced little man with deep con- cern upon his brow, the woman hysterca and the other man with his teeth and fists clinched.
 For ten minutes Babe and Big Ben and Lean Jaks stood there in dumb stupefaction waiting for sr