The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-01-14

fast in Grand Central station before
looking up the residence of Digby in
the telephone directory.
The information he gathered from
the voice that answered the name OF
Mr.. Digby over the telephone shook
only momentarily Barcus' innate con-
viction that intimate acquaintance
with battle, murder and sudden death
was the inevitable reward of associa-
tion with this friend Of his heart.
ALAN being married to Rose Trine
in Jersey City at this very minute!"
he breathed skeptically as he emerged
from the booth memorizing the ad-
dress of the alleged officiating clergy
man. Il don't believe it; it's too sud-
den"
Forthwith he engaged taxicab TO
convey him to Jersey City, at top
speed, for an exorbitant reward.
And when, from the forward deck of
a ferryboat, he beheld dense volume
of smoke advertising a confagration
on the Jersey shore, not far from the
waterfront, he shook a moodily sa'
gacious head.
IF Alan isn't mixed up in that,
somehow" he declared, "he's missing
bet for once-and I'm sorry failure
as prophet of woe and disaster!"
There was as much intuitive appre-
hension as humor responsible for this
remark; witness the fact that, on land
ing, he risked the delay required to
turn aside and have look at the fire.
1t proved to be situated in the heart
of a squalid slum-a wretched tene-
ment of the poorest class, whose roof
had already fallen in and whose walls
were momentarily threatening to go
by the time Barcus arrived on the
scene.
At considerable distance from him
small disturbance had broken out
clamor of protesting voices lifting
about the rumor of the mob-as a
number of men, case-hardened roughs
one and all, began to force their way
in V-shaped wedge through the
throng, making toward it's very heart,
the point on the fire-lines nearest the
burning building.
What this meant, Mr. Barcus had
not the slightest idea. But his atten-
tion was first distracted by the maneu-
ver then fixed by the face of a man
who was following in the hollow Of
the Van evil white face that seemed
somewhat vaguely familiar, somehow
reminiscent of something strange that
had happened in the history of Mr.
Barcus.
At the same time, at the point where
the V had paused wild uproar lifted
up and, coincidentally, wilder confu,
sion became noticeable. A cry was
audible-"Firebug! Lynch him! Lynch
him! Lynch the firebug!"-and at
this the mob turned as one man and
streamed away in pursuit of an in
visible quarry, who chose to attempt
his escape by route directly oppo
site to that which would have led hin
within view of Mr.. Barcus.
Startled, and of sudden persuaded
that there might have been more il
his "hunch" than was sanely to bt
credited, Barcus started up and wal
on the point Of stepping out of hi!
cab, if with a rather aimless purpose
when he was stayed by sight of tha
evil white face returning the way i
had come-still in the hollow of tht
flying V, which now made faster prog
ress, thanks to the disorganization o
the mob by the chase of the alleged in
cendiary.
And now, Barcus saw, the man o
the white face was not alone. Their
was someone with him-someon
whose head was bent and face cor
cealed, but who seemed to be fem
nine.
And so, Barcus argued, why Nigh
it not be Rose Trine, suffering neI
persecution at the hands of her unnat
ural fathers creatures?
He was too far away to make sur
and attempt any interference; but h
pointed White Face out to his chau
feur as the V reached a touring ca
on the edge of the mob and the woma
was lifted in (unresisting and appal
emily in a dead faint, and when tn
touring car swung round and pickle
up its heels, the taxicab of Mr. Barcu
trailed it as unostentatiously as if
was a pertinacious shadow.
Ten minutes later, from the rea
deck of a ferryboat in midstream-
boat bearing back to New York no
only the touring car of White Face
but the cab of Mr.. Barcus-the latte
gentleman formed one of small bu
interested audience witnessing an il
cident of uncommon character.
He saw young man, hatless, coal
less, almost shirtless, tear down t
the edge of one of the Jersey wharves
his heels snapped at by a ravenin
rabble, jump aboard a square-rigge
vessel which lay moored there, an
execute a maneuver of despair b.
climbing up the rigging in a hopeles
attempt to escape his prosecutors
They were too many for him, and wha
was worse they were headed by
squad Of police apparently as griml
bent on comprising the destruction @
their quarry as was the mob.
And they swarmed up the riggin
after him without a moments hesitS
ton.
Holly pressed, the fugitive climbe
higher and still higher, until at lengt
? he gained the topmost yard; wit
three policemen not half a dozen fec
: below him and popping away for dea
!. life, if happily with the notoriousI
, poor craftsmanship Of policemen gel
J orally.
a None the less, there was no tellin
t when some accident might wing a bu
: let into the young man; and 1t wa
D evident that he so decided.
; For inchinR out IN the end Of I'll