The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1916-09-02

WAS in love The brilliant Summer
moon. tonight. brought him momcn-
tary visions OF the girl he wanted to
marry. But common sens. brought him
far NOR" clear visions OF her ubIurate
old father who would not hear of such
a marriage until Patrolman OIiara
should win promotion
And, in a dead-anda liv, suburb like
/ Surfton. what earthly chance was
there for promotion There were few
crimes 10 thwart or to detect in This
/ peaceful resort. There wCro no lives
! To save except Of cramp smitt.n
swimmers, and The coast guard looked
/ out for that. 30. hc NIGH, stick lo
/ this dreary job for another ten years
without being promoted.
Fatrolman O'Hara sighed Luck
was lodging him. That was certain
/ Il he was forever looking for
/ chances To distinguish himself For
| instance. only This very evening. a
circular about a famous metropolitan
crook had arrived At tn Surftun 20
| lice station. OIara had read il six
times. He had studied ~. picture OF
the crooks face until he felt he would
| know il mile away.
But what good would that de- There
was no chanc" that such an ilmstrious
ornament Of the metropolitan under.
world as Smiling Sam Eagan would
dTiit into place like Surltuu 30
possible chance that he
Patrolman O'Hara turned corner
and came TO standstilI as ahruptlv
as if he had run into a stone wall
Fifty feet ahead of him Was an all
night lunChrCOm-thc only place or
the block whose window lights were
still burning.
In front Of the unchroum was q
blackboard menu, setting forth Ia, de-
lights Of various stodgy daintIcs at
a comfortably low price.
And, in the full flare Of the window
light. his hat pushed back on his fore.
head. stood man. hungrily reading
the menu
Patrolman O'IIara had not studied
that police circular for nothing. At
glance he recognized the man beside
the blackboard menu Il was the
crook whose rogue's gallery photo
graph was reproduced on the circular
II was Smiling Sam" Eagan
Patrolman O'Hara had visions
again-this time visions OF swift pro-
motion. His chance had come, He
stepped forward
At sight of him Eagan wheeled and
began to shuttle away into the com
parative darkness of the moonlit
street. That was quite enough for
Patrolman O'Hara. With a shout. he
gave chase
Sam, at sound OF the quickened
steps behind him. broke into a run.
Patrolman O'Hara's last doubt van
ished. Innocent men do not run when
a policeman gives chase At least.
not innocent men who bear so striking
resemblance to the police photo
graph of Smiling Sam" Eagan.
Patrolman O'IIara whipped out his
pistol. Hating Everybody but fool
knows the perilous uselessness OF
firing when one is running). the Off |
Ger pulled trigger The roar of the
heavy -caliber shot split the silence of |
the summer night
A second time he fired. Sam did |
not check his run. Lowering his re- |
volver. Patrolman O'Hara got his own |
long legs into motion and sprinted in |
pursuit
Long legs must ever win a race
against short. Speedily Patrolman
OHara gained upon his quarry. as
Sam dashed aimlessly up one street |
and down another Presently he was
almost within an arms length of the
putting fugitive Another ten seconds
and his hand would be on Eagan's
collar.
Halt" bawled O'Hara. Halt. or
I'll shoot"
Sam turned in at the entrance of
an alley and with a final squirt of
speed ran up the alleyway. O'Hara
close behind. The policeman's finger
was on the trigger. He lacked the pa
Instead. he made good his threat by
firing again. Purposely he aimed high.
but he was no marksman, and the
effect of his bullet filled him with the
widest CONSERVATION.
For Smiling Sam" swerved sharply
n his run. gave a coughing cry, stag
5ered forward upon his knees, half
rose, then tumbled prone upon his
ace i'll the mud of the alley.
Good Lord" groaned Patrolman
)'Iiara, suddenly unnerved and shak-
IN with nausea. I've killed him. I've
I've murdered a mani"
He stuck the pistol into his belt
md went forward to where the inert
'ody lay. Hesitatingly he turned the
huge, lifeless bulk over on its back
md stopped to feel the heart.
And in the very same moment the
man came to life.
Patrolman OHara felt himself
'lutched by a sinewy, thick hand.
whose fingers dug deep into his throat.
Iagan, with his other hand. wrenched
he pistol from O'Hara's belt and
it to his own pocket.
Then, with both hands and arms and
egs. he proceeded TO grip the dun
ounded officer and lay him fiat and
elpless on his back.
O'Hara struggled as manfully as his
tark surprise would permit. But he