Meade County news., 1915-09-09

L NNAAA
remainder back into the inner pocket
1t was only minute or two after
this that the red-faced mans impa-
tience blossomed into the thirst that
will not be denied, and he went into
the saloon to get drink, first putting
the cabman on guard.
Get down here and keep an eye on
this dicky-bird," he ordered. Slug
him If he tries to make a break"
But the cabman hung back.
IN nc tghtin' man, sorr; an, be-
sides, l don't dare lave me harrses,"
he objected. But the officer broke in
angrily.
What the devil are you afraid of?
He's got the clamps on, and couldn't
hurt you if he wanted to. Come down
here!"
The little Irishman clambered down
from his box reluctantly, with the
reins looped over his arm. When he
peered in at the open window of the
carriage the big man had passed be-
yond the swinging screens of the sa-
loon entrance and Griswold seized his
opportunity quickly.
What's your job worth, my man?"
he whispered.
The cabman snatched swift glance
over his shoulder before he ventured
to answer.
Don't yez be timptin' a poor man
wild wife an sivin childer hangin' to
um-don't yez do it, SORT"
Griswold, the brother-keeping would
have thought twice before opening
any door of temptation for a brother
man, But the new Griswold had no
compunctions.
"It's two hundred dollars to you IL
you can get me away from here be-
fore that red-faced drunkard comes
back. Have a runaway-anything!
Here's the money!"
For a single timorous instant the
cabman hesitated. Then he took the
roll OF money and crammed it into his
pocket without looking at it. Before
was a quick whish of the whip, pip
ing cry from the driver, and the
horses sprang away at reckless gal
lop, with the little Irishman hanging
to the reins and shouting feebly like
faint-hearted Automedon.
Griswold caught a passing glimpse
of the red-faced man wiping his lips
in the doorway Of the saloon as the
carriage bounded forward; and when
the critical instant came, he was care
full to fall out on the riverward side
of the vehicle. 1t was desperate ex-
pedient, since he could not walt to
choose the favorable moment, and the
handouts made him practically help
less. Chance saved the clumsy escape
from resulting in a speedy recapture-
When he tumbled out of the lurching
carriage he was hurled violently
against something that figured as q
wall Of solid masonry and was half
stunned by the concussion. None the
less, he had wit enough to lie motion
less in the shadow of the wall, and
the hue and cry, augmented by this
time to a yelling mob, swept past
without discovering him.
When it was safe to do so, he sat
up and felt for broken bones. There
were none; and he looked about him.
The wall of masonry resolved itself
into a cargo of brick piled on the
levee side of the street, and obeying
the primary impulse of fugitive, he
cl, hull ~ IL
between himself and the lighted thor
oughfare.
The next step had to be resolutely
thought out. How was he to get rid
of the handouts? Any policeman
would have key, and there were
doubtless plenty of locksmiths in St
Louis. But both of these sources OF
assistance we're out of the question
Whom, then? The answer came in
one word-McGrath. On day when
the upriver voyage was no more than
fairly begun, one of the negroes In the
crew had procured a bottle of bad
whisky. To pacify him the mate had
put him in irons, using two pairs or
handouts for the purpose. Therefore.
McGrath must have a key.
But would McGrath do it? That re-
mained to be seen; and since hesita-
tion was no part of Griswold's equip
ment, he covered the fetters as well
as he could with scrap of bagging.
and walked boldly down the levee and
aboard the Belle Julie, falling into line
with the returning file of roustabouts.
The mate was at the heel of the
foot plank, and he saw at once what
the scrap of sacking was meant to
hide.
Hello, there, Gavitt!" he called, not
less grufly than of yore, but without
the customary imprecation; what are
We doing with thin things on?"
Griswold told straight story, con-
cealing nothing-not even the detec-
tjves refusal to tell him what he was
arrested for.
"Yed ought to find that cabby and
buy him a seegyar," was the mates
comment. $50 ye legged it, did YET"
He led the way up to his quarters
in the texas, and telling Griswold to