Omaha daily bee., 1916-01-31

dropped 10 the ground.
Luckily, she had not been seen by the
men she was after but further obstacle
threatened. The convicts had swan q
the nearest hank and we're now acros,
the river from Helen. A passing boa
was awaiting the draw. and the moment
the train passed the jackknlfe had beer
started up by the bridge tender. Heller
was running to get TO the other side be.
fore IL was too late. Sykes and Dan
ashore, we're hufrytnR away. and the
ponderous jackknife was rising under
| IIelens fleeing feet The draw span, al.
ready high in the air made widening
gap between her and the abutment. but
Helen. running to the rising end. jumped
from II recklessly to the abutment 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 distance
from oceanslde. but Helens breath was
pretty well exhausted before Sykes and
Dan reached a suburban street car and
boarded II. So close was she after them
that ehe gained one platform just as the
two men stepped up on the other. Con-
cealing herself behind a seat. Helen hid
In terror, but with all their astuteness the
criminals failed TO discover her. When
the two left the car In the city. Helen was
again relentiessly on their heels. Follow
ing them vigilantly she intercepted an
officer. told him OF her chase. and he in
stantiy Joined her IN the pursuit OF the
men, now disappearing in the distance.
Turning into an obscure street the Grim
fvRal 49,
long flight of stairs. Helen with her
policeman hard behind. Looking back
from the first landing. the convicts now
saw their pursuers. Springing up a sec
ond flight OF stairs. they knocked hur-
riedly at the first door. II was opened
by their confederate, The Bat, who, inside
the room, had been diverting himself by
counting the stolen money.
They're after us" exclaimed Sykes 10
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 trap ladder.
The Bat. keeping TO his room, slammed
the door shut. Once through tho trap
door, which Sykes ana Dan dropped be-
hind them. and on the roof, the pair
imagined themselves safe. but Helen and
her officer were close behind, ana when
they found the trap door closed against
them the officer drew his revolver and
fired up through t.
On the outside. Sykes and Dan Jumped
back like rabbits from the shots Helen
and her helper threw open the trap door
unopposed. and. gazing the roof. faced the
convicts. Nowhere could the robbers find
an avenue OF escape on the top OF the
building, and cornered like rats as Helen
and the policeman reached them, they put
up hand-to-hand fight.
The officer tackled Sykes. the more
powerful OF the pair. and Dan, seeing his
opportunity for a flank movement. tried
to regain the trap door. Helen bounced
on him like panther He tried TO throw
her off Despite his blows and struggles
he could not get rid OF his tenacious as
sailant and locked in a life and death
struggle they fought, reckless OF conse-
quenoe. nearer and nearer to the edge OF
the roof. For a moment both their lives
were in peril. but Helen. her fighting
blood up, would have chung 70 her pris-
oner II It had cost her life.
Providentialy the harried man. fast
losing his nerve under her frantic at
tack. and pushing to the edge OF the
parapet in the wild assault. flung Helen
violently off in an effort to throw her
over the roof parapet to her death. In
his terrific effort he lost his balance.
with a scream he tried TO recover his
foothold. Helen. seeing his desperate
plight. would have caught him to save
his life, but fortunately for herself she
could not reach him in time. Had she
dOne an her NUN deafh xyauId h.,o 49,.
inevitable. for Dan. swaying wildly.
slipped again He caught with a fearful
curse at the empty air. II was too late
for anyone 10 aid him now. and the next
instant he had plunged headlong off the
roof TO his death.
Helen turned 20 the officer. who. IN
grapple with Sykes. was fighting in
the grasp OF the powerful criminal. 10
save himself from being hurled through
an adjacent skyIight.
Below the two. the fat man. Bat look
ing up, beheld his confederate in the
grip Of the law. Helen was too late
10 aid the officer to save himself. but
the plucky policeman gripped Sykes
around the neck as he plunged forward
himself. and before the fat man In the
room, watching apprehensively. could
draw a full breath. the two men crashed
violently through the skyliGht together
almost on top OF him. As Il was, they
landed In q heap on the bed. The Bat
sDrang at once on the helpless police
man. II would have gone hard with
him, but for instant aid from Helen.
She dropped down the open skylight,
,aught the revolver from the officers