The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-04-11
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M Observation-Disclosures t

Excuse me-" she laughed as he sat up, startled,
and with the motion jerked a revolver from
his pocket
He grinned at her sheepishly as he saw the sparkle
Of mischief in her eye, and he wiped his face with
his sleeve.
You done 1t o. purpose" he specialized, chucking.
Think p she dimpled.
Big Bens eyes frightened.
Il believe you're after that shawl"
Fluid sell It," And she glanced across at the
sleeping with vindictve hatred
Take it, urged Big Ben. rising. "If F1ub sells It
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 It off slowly and gave 1t back to
the
Nothing doing" she sadly decided; then she slow
ly turned and looked at her husband and walked
away There 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 CLEAN Of some
thing yellow had caught his gaze. He walked close
and bent low. He pulled the cigarette holder out
far enough to identify It and pushed it back; then
he gave the sleeper a kick.
Get up. you thief" he roared.
Flub sprang up dazed.
What's that2'
II said get up you THEIR roared Big Ben as lean
Jake abruptly stopped snoring and jumped up. He
halfway to the ladder before he realized that
this not raid. and June, divining hts inten-
ton, rose swiftly and put her hands the loose
clapboards of the roof. Ben jerked the cigarette
holder from FLUIDS pocket You stole it!'
"Ah no. Benz" protested the II wasn't
out of the house Ave minutes Flub was asleep
when I went out, and he asleep when l come
back"
Flub seemed dazed by the accusation. but sudden
ly he let out yell Mechanically he had reached
In his vest pocket, as his habit when the
chamos bag was there. and had discovered his loss
My diamondr' he yelled. Its gomez And his
face turned white he looked around the tense
group. Slowly comprehension came to him. You
framed met he suddenly shouted, pointing a trem-
bling finger ut Big Ben You COPIED my diamond
then you planted this cigarette holder you
could
You're narr' beloved Big Ben and sprang for
his accuser
A knife cleaned in FLUIDS hand. and he slashed
savagely at his onrushing opponent With a roar
of rage Big Ben caught the descending wrist wrest
ed the weapon from it and plunged 1t to the hiit in
FLUIDS breast!
There was a piercing shrek from the attic and
tearing Of boards. The woman quick of mind
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 lifeless
man the floor There shudder in her.
only cold triumph.
tits girl! She's on the roofr' cried the woman
she gained the attic.
Lean Jake was the first out Of the door and Big
Ben Just after him. They rounded the of
the hut Just in time to June jump from the roof
and dart for her boat. 1t was the woman who
caught her.
let me gor' implored June II won't teiip
Those last three words would seal her fate in tho
mind OF any murderous thief Big Ben had caught
her roughly by the arm. and now he looked inqur-
ingly at the others.
Drown her" advised Lean Jake, who was mora
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 1t held its secrets well
and long. Without word Big Ben swung June up
In his and started with her to the waters
edge, while she uttered shrek upon shrek.
A shot and then another answered Junes piercing
shrieks and down the channel from the inlet swift
IL sped the little cutter. with Grin Cunningham al
the wheel. revolver In hand!
Hands up yelled strong voice. and another
shot startled the air Of the marshes Gilbert Blyel
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
fat on the ground behind a bowder, but before Big
BEN could return the fire OF the oncomtng boats
from the Hilarity he was confused by q shot from
another quarter and through the reeds OF the arsh
there pushed narrow steel gray motofboat, In
which stood a tall man with soft hat and lOooo-
ly knotted cravat.
stranger! And he was nearer to the helpless
June than her pursuers from the Hilarity! She ran
toward him like deer, and his driver drew close
inshore June sprang into the boat
Hurry she cried "Please hurryr
The man. evidently an artist. from the canvaseo
and folding easel in his boat followed her terrified
gaze as she glanced back her terror divided -.
tween the murderers on the island ana the man ~
the boats. The artist lowered June to Z seat bsaade
him, and, with a word to the driver. they daSeed
away toward the channel. shot whixzed ovsE
their heads they started. and shot after shot -
sounded from the upper channel
The man With the white mustache paid no attsn-
ton Big Ben he steered 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, whixzed around the
curve Lean Jake raised up from behind his bswider
the boat shot by, and the three-Babe Big Ben
and Jake-looked at each other in bewildsrmenG
Another boat came swishing down past the island.
1t driven by blazing eyed little chauffeur with
a tiny mustache, and he was shouting at the top Of
his voice. Behind him sat stinny q woman with
oh OH hanuo nd n nf 80