Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1917-01-27

felt I must seek a little relaxation.
You don't mind my coming to see you.
do your"
NO." she said timidIy. "why
should 1? You have been so good to
my brother"
Never mind your brother. Jane" he
leered. Its you 1 want now. You're
the one woman In the bunch that 1
really care about. Come here and I'll
whisper to you"
He grabbed her by the shoulders
and tried to kiss her Wrestling her
self free with a startled cry, the girl
endeavored to reach the door. Par
kins followed, telling her that she was
"a coy little devil" but he would get
her now for sure. He caught her be-
fore she could tear the door open
and crushed her forcibly in his arms.
She was screaming loudly, and resist
ing with the frenzy of despair, when
her brother entered Unexpectedly.
Jim Carter may have been a weak
minded youth, and somewhat given to
dissolute companions, but he could not
see his sister struggling in the arms of
drunken brute and remain unmoved.
Jim came forward, probably mean
ing to do a little more than utter a
protest, but Parkins, enraged at the
interference of this jackal, struck him
n violent blow in the face, which so
frightened the boy that he ran out.
Jane, however, succeeded in reaching
her bedroom and locking the door.
But Parkins was not to be denied. He
rushed at the door, pounded viciously
on the panels, and told Jane that if
she did not come out he would smash
the lock.
Meanwhile, Jim Carriers one thought
was to secure the help of someone
whose influence would be sufficiently
powerful that his employer would be
compelled to desist from the folly
which seemed to have overtaken him.
An appeal to the police would be worse
than useless, but Burton was talking
at no great distance. He was the
man! Parkins would not dare face
him! So Jim forced his way through
the crowd, nor did he hesitate to stop
John in the middle of a sentence and
mutter in his ear:
"Come quick, for Gods sake!" he
Kissed brokenly. "Parkins is mad
drunk and chasing Jane around the
room. When L tried to stop him, he
gave me a chip behind the ear that
put me out of business
John heard him with amazement,
but could not refuse to credit the
frightened boys veracity.
Arranging hurriedly with another
speaker to take his place, Burton made
off. They reached Jane Carriers apart
ment just as the bedroom door was
yielding to Parkins' violence. The
man had now aroused himself to a
state of bestial fury. No sooner was
he aware of Burton's entrance than
he sensed the object of this unforeseen
interruption and tried to put a sum-
mary stop to any attempted parley by
hurting a chair at the newcomer.
John lodged quickly and avoided
the heavy missile, but Jim Carter was
not so lucky and was knocked almost
insensible. The two men closed forth
with in a fearsome struggle.
The room was literally wrecked be-
fore Burton resolved to bring matters
to climax, once and for all. Exciting
his great strength to the utmost, he
wrenched himself free, delivered a
mighty punch and Parkins went down
like a stone.
By this time Jane was overcome
could not control herself, even when
Johns protecting arm was around her
shoulders. The mere sight of Parkins
lying insensible on the floor seemed
to shake the wits out of her. Selling
her hat and coat, she ran out of the
building, and Burton could do nothing
but follow her, wondering where she
was going and how he was to restore
her self-possession.
At that unlucky moment he saw
Mrs. Ketchum coming down the street,
and, remembering that she was re-
putedly a leader of the Suffragist
party, decided that he might safely in
trust the frightened girl to her care.
There never was woman more
perplexed than this keeper of notori-
Gus dive when the mayoral candidate
introduced Jane and began a hasty
explanation
'This young lady, as you see, is very
greatly upset." he said. "It will be a
personal favor to me if you will take
her to your house and safeguard her
there until other arrangements can
be made"
At that, though tongue-tied with as
constituent, Mrs. Ketchum thought she
understood. She nodded agreement,
whereupon John hailed a taxi, put the
two women inside and handed the
driver some money.