The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1916-06-17


was blinking cautiously about. to
make sure the coast was clear, when
a voice startlingly close to his own
portly carcass called out with a sud
den warning:
Look out for the Iron Claw"
"How's dat?" was the answering
cry OF the tingling Rastus.
Look out for the Iron Claw" re-
peated the voice so close behind him.
"Wha-what iron claw" demanded
the sweating Rastus.
I'll get you!" announced the bode-
full voice behind him And at that
threat utter and unreasoning panic
seized the terrified Rastus, who, with
a throaty below OF agony. charged
across newly-dug garden and bound
ed like a rotund jackrabbit down
moonlit alley bordered with shadowy
fences.
At the end OF this alley Rastus
plunged through a narrow gate. and
charged bodily into the peaceful beer
garden belonging 10 the roadhouse OF
one Antonio Dibello, where sat four
men In quiet conference about one OF
the little iron tables well out OF pub
lie ken.
These men showed prompt resent
ment at this unheralded interruption
TO their talk. But as the parrot. with
its head thrust through a hole in the
gunnysack, repeated its shrill cry OF
Look out for the Iron Claw" these
men rose in a body TO their feet.
Their leader. who in even the dim
light from the garden lamps showed
himself to be a one-armed man with
a strangely-scarred face, sprang for
the terrified negro. Rastus. however,
was in no mood for either interruption
or argument He merely emitted a
whoop OF reawakened terror and head
ed for home.
There he burst In upon the astound-
ed Jemima and collapsed with a
quavering groan OF exhaustion. But be-
fore Jemima could either understand
the nature OF his ailment or investi-
gate the contents OF his gunnysack, a
second and even more violent irrup-
ton took place. Legar and his men
dragged the quaking and gasping Ras.
tus TO his feet. showed him into chair.
and snatched up the gunnysack From
1t they took out the loudlyprotesting
green parrot and wonderingly ex-
amined a.
Where did you get that parrotT"
was the quick demand OF the man who
wore an iron hook where hand ought
to be. Rastus merely wheezed and
shook in the legs aud showed the
whites OF his eyes II was indeed,
several minutes before he was so
much as awakened TO the fact that he
was not in the. grip OF the law. But
once convinced OF that fact, he became
yoluble enough I'm his protestations TO
oblige the white genrmen" with any
information they desired He even led
those white gentlemen back to the
neighborhood OF Hannah's chicken
coop.
SO engrosscd were they in their dis
coveries that they thereupon paid
scant attention TO Rastus himself,
who took advantage OF that diversion
20 disappear.
There were certain phases OF that
hurried pursuit, however, which had
not entirely escaped the attention OF
a circumspect stranger who had mo-
tored casually about the quiet streets
OF Cedarton earlier in the evening.
Aunt JemIma Watson. in fact. had
scarcely recovered from the shock
consequent upon the sudden invasion
OF her cottage when she discovered
herself confronted by still another
stranger. And the fact that this
stranger wore a yellow mask did not
add TO her immediate peace OF mind.
"All want to know. my good WON
an. is where those men are taking
your husband
"Deys takn' him back L whar he
done got dat Bird explained the ne
gress. The stranger started for the
door. Then he stopped dead short.
For lying overlooked on the floor,
close beside a battered water bucket.
he caught sight or a familar-looking
oblong OF yellow paper In another
moment he had possession OF II.
Where did that paper come from?"
he demanded. For he knew that II
was the long-sought Golden chart
which he held in his hand.
Dat done como from nah oifus
sweepins.' explained the other. But
NAH Rastus allows IL hain't even wuff
green tradln stamp"
Your Rastus may be right" was
/ the strangers quiet reply. But It's
worth this much 10 me-" And Aunt
Jemima found a ten-dollar bill thrust
into her astonished pink palm. That
is yours. my good woman. II you do
! Just one thing, and do II quickly.
want you 10 90 TO the sheriff's. wake
him up, and get him TO tho house
where that woman called Hannah
works. Tell him 10 get there in a
hurry. and TO bring his men, or there1l
be murder done in this village before
Il IL