Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-11-05

y '''s . "a II WIS Al SNDma-
rtnc. so we're safe"
You set The !dcJ." muttcred Brown
Thcn the a,niablc hc.n..s who wc,c
planning to blow NunibcrlcsS fellow
BEINGS into eternity in order that thev
might gather some uf the Salvage ar
i wreck into their gaping purses.
marched of into the woods nnI az,
changed their engine OF destruction for
a real coffin.
tn caskct which took It's place o,,
board the Steamer Mandalay was to
send 10 their last reckoning numerous
men VINO were fully as worthy of hon
sheep of the Fitzstruther line.
The grim pantomime which GLADYS
Hanson and ! viewed was the exchang,
OF the casket full OF deadly explosives
Tor the body OF the young Englishmau
The Internal machine In the casket
was timed to explode when the Man
dalay was we'll out on the high seas.
She sailed at & o'clock. bearing with
her a precious freight heavily insured.
and at midnight that freight would
sink to the bottom OF the ocean and
the world would explain the wreck I'm
terms of floating mines and the afro
cities of war.
And SO Hanson left US to our doom.
and tho men OF Browns gang brough;
back the coffin containing the body
OF BERTHE Fitzstruther. and lowered It
without form or ceremony into an is-
noble grave dug In the hoor OF the
barn.
There were dozens OF human lives
dependent on the quality OF imagina-
ton which animated George Hanson.
Did he know pity and mercy. or was lie
measuring life in terms OF his own
personal gain?
Up in the living-room Of the cot-/
tage, Hanson sat putting vigorously ~
4 cigar. He seemed the one calm pc/
son in the farmhouse where SO my n
that was horrible was taking PLACE.
AS Doyle staggered back from the
trap where IiRnson's rejected bride was
a prisoner. the pseudo nc seem
ed more interested in the quality OF
cigar than In any OF the vital prob
lens Of life and death which were ed
dying all about him.
This is a regular stoRic, Brown,
It's n wonder you can't afford a de-
cent cigar" grumbled Hanson, and
flung through tho n what re-
manned of the cigar he was rejecting
as carelcssly as lie had denied his wife.
Leaning up against the fence in
front of the house stood the tramp
who had such n pathetic fondness for
cigarette butts. Perhaps JimnIy's wish
had brought about a miracle which
was to edoun to his advantage, for
IIanson's cigar hurtled out and fell
at tho feet of tho tramp.
rms Is what he re1Q: tfaNc NeSu-
Wan Line send wireless to captain Of
the team Mandalay to throw over
board casket In hold twenty-four
quick. Then surround house. Han
SON"
When the cold voice of the leader
came to me with thrilling emphasis,
Get the straw; We'll catch them As
they come up I felt that our doom
was written.
Then heard Browns voice ring out
again. Grab that fellow. Take his
gun away from him. Too bad you're
stuck on thnt woman; but they all
got to Gon'
An ugly snecr sounded In his tone.
1t registered regret. not at the kill
ing. but because ono of his lieuten-
ants should Erieve over tho death of Il
woman who appealed to him.
I did not guess how entirely lacking
IN pity WAS the gang leader. How
could I know of the steamer Mandalay
and all the souls doomed 10 sudden
death ut midniSnt-unlesS George Han
sons message were In time"
What had caused Hanson to send
that message? What had caused the
tramp to hurry of with an air or Iur-
pose and decision so foreign to tho
shiftlcss mantier OF the thief which
had been his rs he stood about smok-
ing cigarette butts rejected by other
men?
Half an explanation might havo been
offered had any one seen the tramp
hurry around the corner and Join IL
group or misunderstanding men who
stepped out of concealment at tho
Sound of 4 whistle which he blew with
an air of authority compictely at va
rance with his previous detected mood.
stand back. girls" ordered Jimmy.
I'll run and draw their fire, and when
You hear me yell rush up and make a
break for the grand outdoors"
tried TO protest, but Jimmy refused
10 wait the order of his going and
went at once. lie staggered up through
the smoke. and I could hear the sounI
Of his pistol fired again and again with
a quick. sharp bark which told me thar
he had neither time nor vision for
SLOW and steady aiming.
Little sp'rals of flame were eddyinr
UP 10 the trapdoor, and terdrils of fire
were licking their way huncriIy ocross
the cellar. seizing on the rars and 'o .
pers with which tho foul place was
Strewn. ] pulled my skirts about ms
anu began tramplinE out the blaze.
more ana more s~ictering grew IN,
ouHr OF smoke. more and more tho
oo..uteo ar choked me. and still tho
put them out. ou
NJ seemed such an ignoble wav Ia
ne. mad so often heard the cxpres.
SION like rats in a trap" usnS .rd
, ,ui,.eu t~oierantiy at the picture that
~ phrase calls UP. But now I ey-
perlenced all the bitterness OF its NO
ing: we were rats in a tran: then
suddenly there was the sound Of =
nurss,ns door and trampling feet
rocked on the floor above.
In quick stAccato even, ,ou
nnent--George Hanson burst down tba
aaouer from the upper floor and
caught in his arms the f,i.tinn "nu
man who had thought herself his n,;t.
- moment later Jimmy was dragrine
me up TO daylight with Il stranre adj
haste. "" fough
"hen we reached the livinu-room
an.Ee were a dozen handcuffed men
crlhGihS back against the wal and
shtriihG GU demands for venpeanrn
on the traitor. Mounting guard over
.nen were a half-dozen husky and de.
t,ihrh-lookin p~lainclothes men
What did il all mean?
Markham, are YOU sure that wire.
iesS got to the Nandnlav in ti,,a .,