The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-07-16


 illumination. He knelt, and from a former soap box, in a corner. took a lantern without a chimney and a large oil can, the leak in the latter being so nearly imperceptible that it's banfsh- ment from household use had seemed to Penrod as inexplicable as it was providential.
 He shook the lantern near his ear; nothing splashed: there was no sign but a dry clinlking. But there was plenty of kerosene in the can, and he filled the lantern, striking match to tllumtne the operation. Then he lit the lantern and hung 1t upon nail against the wall. The sawdust floor was slight y impregnated with oil, and the open flame guivered in suggestive proximity to the side of the box; however, some rather deep charrings of the plank against which the lantern hung offered evidence that the arrangement was by no means a new one and indicated at least possibility of no fatality oc- curing this time.
 Next Penrod turned up the surface of the sawdust in another corner of the floor and drew forth cigar box in which were half a dozen cigarettes made of hayseed and thick brown wrapping paper, lead pencil, an eraser and small notebook labeled:
 English Grammar Penrod Scho- field. Room 6, Ward School Nomber Seventh
 The first page of this book was pure lY academic. but the study of English undeflled terminated with a slight jar at the top of the second: s'Ior must an adverb be used to modife-
 Immediately followed:
 HAROLD RAMoREz THE ROAD
 AGENT OR WILD LITE AMONG
 THE ROCKY MTS."
 And the subsequent entries in the book appeared to have little concern with Room 6, Wand School Nomber Seventh
 The author Of Harold Ramorez,' Z etc, lit one Of the hayseed cigarettes, seated himself comfortably, with his back against the wall and his right shoulder just under the lantern, ele- vated his knees to support the note book, turned to blank page and wrote, slowly and earnestly:
 sCHAPITER THE sIxTH~
 He took a knife from his pocket, and, broodingly his eyes upon the inward enbryos of vision, sharpened his pen ciI After that he extended a foot and meditatively rubbed Dukes back with the side of his shoe. Creation, with Penrod, did not leap, full armed from the brain; but finally he began to produce. He wrote very slowly at first, and then with increasing rapid ity, faster and faster, gathering mo- mentunn and growing more and more fevered as he sped, till at last the true fire came, without which no lamp of real literature may be made to burn.
 MT. Wilson reched for his gun but our hero had him covred and soon said Well I guess you don't come any of that on mo my freind.
 Well what makes you so sure about it sneered the other biting his lip so saw ing but cornon Roada8ent any way and do not propose to be baf1ed by such, Ramorez laughed at this and kep MT. Wilson covred by his ottornatick.
 Soon the two men were struggling to- gether in the deathroes but soon MT. VII son got him bound and gagged his mouth and went away for awhile Ieavin our hero. it was dark and he Writhd at his bonds writhing on the floor vile the rats came out of their holes and bit him and vernin got all over him from the floor of that helish spot but soon he managed to push the gag out of his mouth with the end of his toungeu and got all his bonds off
 Soon MT Wilson came back to tant him WACn HIS ne1pIGSSs cOnO1ClOn dOWSd by his gang of detectives and they said Oh look at Rarnorez sneering at his plight and tanted him with his helpless condition because Ramorez had put the bonds back sos he would lock the same but could throw them off him when he wanted to Just look at him now sneered they. To hear him talk you would thought he was hot stum and they said Look at him now, him that was going to do so much Oh I would not like to be in his fix
 Soon Hayold got mad at this and jump bonds like they were air Ha Ha sneered he guess you better not talk so much next time. Soon there flowed another awful struggle and siezin bis ottomatick back from MT Wilson he eAot two of the detectives through the heart Bing Bing went the ottomAtick and two more went to meet their Maker only two detectives left now and so he stabbed one and the our hero was fighting for his very life. | It was dark in there now for night had I falen and a terrible view met the eye Blood was Just all over everything and the rats were eatin the dead men
 Soon our hero managed to get his back to the wall fer he was fighting for his veEy life now and shot MT Wilson tlroug h the abodrnen Oh said Mir Wilson
 Mir Wilson stagerd back vile oaths soil in his lips for he was in pain Why you pup you snsered he will get you yet Harold Ramorez
 The rernairrfn scondrel had an ax which he came near OUT heros head with but missed him and remand stuck in the wall Our heros ammunition was exhaused what was he to do, the reFnanin scondrel would soon get his ax lose so our hero sprung forward and bit him till his teeth met in the heoh for now our hero was fighting for his very life At this the remanin scondrel also cursed and swore vile oaths Oh sneered he you Harold Ramorez what did you bite me for Yes sneered MT Wilson also and he has shot me in the abodrnen too
 Soon they were both cursin and reviln him together Why, sneered they what did you want to fnjure us for Why, you Harold Ramorez you have not got any sence and you think you are so much but
 Soon our hero could stand this no longer If you could learn to act like gentlmen said he would not do any more to you now and your low vile expressions have not got any effect on me only to injure your own self when you go to meet your l Maker Oh guess you have had enogh