Gilpin observer., 1917-01-11

not minded to risk broken heads and
sore bones in fair hand-to-hand fight.
One of them whipped out revolver
and fired point-blank at Reilly. The
bullet struck him in the breast and
he staggered and fell. Burton, giving
his faithful companion one agonized
glance, was momentarily taken una
wares and soon yielded to an attack
in force.
The whole dramatic scene ended al
most as quickly as it had begun. Bur-
ton was now u prisoner again, and
poor Reilly lay grooming ON the floor,
little caring what further suffering a
vicious fate might have in store for
him.
For few seconds it looked as
though the brains of both men would
have been shot out then and there.
But, as Burton ascertained subse-
quently, Mother Flanagan had been
an interested spectator not only of the
fight but of Reilly's unexpected re-
lease, with its sequel in the explosion
of the bomb outside the house. The
old hag herself, aided by Two-Gun
various lengths, and meant making q
last attempt to extort ransom from
the principal victim before 1t was too
late.
Knowing that the gang did not pos
sess second bomb, she determined to
| change her tactics, and intervened
shrilly at the very instant one of her
henchmen was drawing a pistol with
intent to fire point-blank in Burtons
face.
You wait for orders, you boob" she
| screamed. "Who told you to butt in?
Put away that gun, and tie him up in
the chair again."
Her command was obeyed with diff
ficulty, since both chairs had been
broken in the struggle. While John
was being lashed to rickety seat, he
looked calmly into the scowling faces
of his prosecutors. --'--
"What good will it do any of you
to kill me?" he said. "You are only
committing stupid crime, which will
surely be discovered, and lead to n
hue and cry of the most determined
kind"
Mother Flanagan thrust herself for
ward. Her evil eyes blazed into his.
"Now you're talkin'," she croaked.
do us bit of good, an save yourself.
VIII you give us fifty thousand dollars,
an keep mum when we turn you
looseT
John shook his head.
"That is not my meaning at ALL" he
said quietly. 'To buy my life on those
terms simply implies the triumph OF
evil. / will repay you by help and
kindness. / will promise you the fail
treatment which many Of you have
never yet received from society, bu
absolutely refuse TO bargain in term,
of money"
"You do, eh?" screamed the virago
; "We'll see about that. You are in ou
hands here, Mr.. Marquis, and dom
you forget it. IL it weren't for th
carelessncss of some of these blunder
] in idiots you and your pal would hav
7 gone up n minnit since in smoke an
> fire. You think, perhaps, that tn
1 cops are after us, an If you can onl
4 waste time they'll rescue you. Don
you believe 1t. To prove my words
i. I'll give you one hour. II, however, a
e the end Of that time you don't promis
j to pay down fifty thousand plunks jus
Q when and where we want 'em, I my
o self will drive u knife through you
d ribs, an let the boys here finish til
g job as they like afterwards"
d 1t was only too evident that til
r dreadful old creature meant what sh
d said, but John met her malignant ga2
g unflinchingly, almost with compassion
IS "very WELL" he said, II accept yor
respite Of an hour. Bind Reilly
d wounds, and give him some waite
% Now, men," he added, sweel