Omaha daily bee., 1916-03-20

heartily and reassuringly. and TO the
watchmans great relief You did ex-
nctly right. You didn't know these people.
They had no business In there. But they
were there not only to get my securities
out Of a box, but to get me out Of
box" The Waterman stared. "So"-Rhine-
lander turned to the sergeant In explain
auon-"there's really nobody 10 blame.
sergeant. except that your men and you
have y box OF cigars coming from some
body and q might as well he me as any
body else"
The sergeant scratched his head. This
IL the queerest mix-up I ever struck"
he muttered. perplexed.
At Rhinelanders suggestion he Gent
for the chief The moment the latter
appeared everything was made right
The chief knew Rhinelander well. and
without hesltation ordered the prisoners
released. And as he returned to his
office. after Rhinelsnder had thanked
him. the latter, with Helen and spike,
started away
Within his own room the chief had
knotted problem lie had been try
ing In every way to extract some dam
aeins admission from Ward and Adams,
dismissed the pair. satisfied that II Jus
tlce had her due the two would be be-
lind the bars.
Just outside the police station Helen
and Rhinelander-splke listening--were
comforting as to what should be done IN
the awkward emergency facing them.
How could they now save their prop
erty from Seagrues eager clutches? They
moved away together slowly. Just az
Ward and Adams. having got the real
handbag from the sergeant walked out
OF the station The two men encoun-
tered the hating and perplexed trio,
Rhinelander's rowing eye fell on the bag
as Ward passed him. He cried out and
pointed, ard and Adams turned ner-
vously. stop tnief!" yelled Rhinelander.
making for them
Seagrue's men recognized their victim.
Away they dashed. Helen and the two
men after them at top speed, Across
city street a block away the hind end
Of long freight train was rapidly pull
ing. Ward and Adams headed for II,
and, outdistancing their pursuers, sprang
for and gained the nearest boxcar. II
drew away with them as Helen. Rhine
lander and Spike ran up too late.
Pulling themselves into the empty box
car. Ward and Adams were well pleased
with their escape. But they were not
yet done with their pursuers.
Farther down the line, at Santa Re
crossing. a Tidewater passenger train
had slowed. and for this Helen. Rhine
lander and Spike made. But the excite.
ment and speed were telling on Rhine.
lander. who was not in the class ami
training of his companions. He weak
ened. Spike stopped TO help him along.
In that brief interval Helen made the
side OF a coach as the Tidewater pas
senger train picked up speed. Her com
panions could not overtake her, but
Fehinelander hastily chartered a passing
automobile and away he went with SPIKE
after the two trains. IL was n triangular
race but the passenger train, on a paral-
lei track, gained rapidly on the freight.
Helen had already climbed to the coach
roof. and. with both trains running, she
watched the gap lesseninG between tho
passenger and the freight that bore the
two thieves on the adjoining track. As
she found her own train rapidly over
hauling the other, she made up her mind
what TO do. The moment her coach
pulled abreast OF the last box car In the
long drag she jumped from the top Of
the coach TO the top OF the freight car.
landed safely. regained her feet and
looked over the side OF the train for the
men she was after.
Within the box car where they had
taken refuge. Ward and Adams were try
ing 10 open Rhinelander's bag They
had succeeded In negotiating the lock
when. to their Transformation, Helen,
through the open sidedoor. swung down
and in on them from the roof. The
thieves jumped to their feet. But be-
fore Adams was up, Helen had knocked
him over again. and as Ward Jumped at
her. she managed 10 shoot out her foot
at the handbag, BY fortunate chance
she kicked II clearly out OF the car. Free
ing herself from Wards clutches with
an energetic blow. she sprang to tbs
door herself and jumped after the bag
| from the fast-moving car to the ground.
As soon as she could regain her feet shs
ran back TO search for her hard-won
prize.
Adams, when Helen pushed him over
hHA HeihAh uAn hNeN aHahAnf nun pat
and he lay on the car floor unconscious
Ward turned TO him the minute Helen
was gone. Wake up" he shouted
We've got to get out Of here"
Whats up2" demanded Adams. Eros
gily
Were left. man. Shake yourself an
get out OF here before you get punched.
Waiting their chance when their train
slowed down In passing the next station
| the two men jumped out OF the boxcar
Down the line Ward saw the bridge they
had passed when Helen sprang from the
car That girl can't be very far off
yet" he muttered. she may be hunting
for the bag. II we get there quick
enough. we can get hold OF It ourselves. p
Helen, running as fast as she could
SEARCHED the rlBht-of-way keenly. HelT
was nearer to her than she was aware OF
But she had eyes for nothing beyond her
search and. finally. hardly a stone
throw from the bridge itself she saw
the bag lying on the gravel.