Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-05-24

Inv Pe1Nh~6C' AhSs are pulu OH lnlB
train" she cried. They have the
money We must get them or he'll be-
ruined, if he isn't ruined by this ter
rible fire. You must help me, conduc-
tor. both of you
"But how do we know" demanded
the conductor. who are the men?
What are we going to do? You can't
arrest them. They'd blow our heads
of If we tackled them. Do you know
them when you see them? What evil
dence have you got they stole the
money-or have it?"
i know" returned Helen, painting,
because two of them just bought tick
cts from me and handed me one of
the stolen bills. We upset a bottle of
ink when the money was put away,
The bill they gave me for their tick
cts had ink on the edge which wiped
off when l put the money away. You
must help me arrest them"
The conductor was game He drew
a revolver from his hip. examined it,
put it back in his side coat pocket and
babe Helen come along with him to
Identify the suspects you point out
the men," he said simply. "I'Il do the
rest"
Followed by the brakeman. the two
walked forward. II was rather long
train and the conductor, knowing that
no search but a thorough one would
be of any consequence, passed with
Helen through the coaches, examining
every nook and corner and giving her
chance to peer carefully into every
passengers face as they made their
way ahead.
The conductor could not be hurried,
and the search went all too slowly for
Helen. who feared what did, in fact.
presently occur. Sykes and Dan, un-
easy in the fear of special agents on
their trail, were on the alert. They
sat near the front door of the smoker,
and as Helen and the conductor began
at the rear end of the car to look over
the passengers, Sykes, espying Helen.
quietly slid through the front door
left open to let the smoke QUITO the
platform, Dan following. They sat
down on the steps looking for a good
place to jump off. While the conduc-
tor was walking forward. with Sykes
casting furtive glances at him through
the front window, the train drew near
the San Pablo river I'm off here"
growled Sykes to his confederate,
briefly.
Dan protested: a jump was not to
his taste, but Sykes, the big fellow.
did not hesitate. The train was cross
ing the San Pablo Sykes leaped from
the step into the river. Dan reluctantly
following suit.
Helen. through an open window of
the smoker saw Sykes jump She
caught the conductors arm and begged
him to stop the train. He pulled the
cord and, with the conductor and
brakeman after her, Helen ran to the
front platform. The train slowed. In
the river. Sykes and Dan were swim
ming Helen made ready to drop off.
The conductor and brakeman tried to
dissuade her; they could not
You'll have to go alone, | can't
leave this train" shouted the conduc-
| tor to her.
Helen only waved her hand as she
dropped to the ground
Luckily, she had not been seen by
the men she was after, but a further
obstacle threatened. The convicts had
swum to the nearest bank and were
now across the river from Helen. A
passing boat was awaiting the draw.
and the moment the train passed the
jackknife had been started up by the
bridge tender. Helen was running to
get to the other side before 1t was too
late. Sykes and Dan. ashore, were
hurrying away, and the ponderous
jackknife was rising under Helen's
fleeing feet. The draw span, ali eady
high in the air. made widening gap
between her and the abutment, put
Helen. running to the rising end,
jumped from it recklessly TO the abct-
ment below. She landed. bruised, on
the track, but she picked herself up
and sped on after the fugitives.
The river bridge is at no great dis
lance from Oceanside. but Helen's
breath was pretty well exhausted be-
fore Sykes and Dan reached a suburb
an street car and boarded It, So close
was she after them that she gained
one platform just as the two men
stepped up on the other. Concealing
herself behind a seat, Helen hid in ter
ror. but with all their astuteness the
criminals failed to discover her When
the two left the car in the city, Helen
was again relentlessly on their heels.
Following them vigilantly she inter
cepted an officer, told him or her
chase. and he instantly Joined her in
tie pursuit Of the men. now disappear
ing In the distance.
Turning into an obscure street. the
criminals entered a doorway and
started up long fight of stairs. Helen
with her policeman hard behind
Looking back from the first landing,
The convicts now saw their pursuers.
Swinging up a second flight of stairs.
they knocked hurriedly at the first
door. It was opened by their confed-
crate, The Bat, who. inside the room,
had been diverting himself by count
Ing the stolen money.
They're after u.s." exclaimed Sykes
to him. We've got to get out Of here.
Beat It, Bat The girl and the cop are
on the stairs.
Make for the roof" cried the Bat.
The hard-pressed pair ran for the