Mount Vernon signal. (Mt. Vernon, Ky.) 18??-current, 1917-04-06

IS Stormeo UP tne T1lll.
sticky hairs caught up that scrap OF
paper. which. by his distracted wallow-
ing, was worked into his matted coat
until it chung with burrlike tenacity.
Although Black Tony was in igno-
rance that his discriminating diagram
had been appropriated in this odd
manner. he had an inherent dislike
for all animals, which he now mani
Tested by bestowing we'll directed
kick with his heavy boot upon the
struggling Sandy. The injured and
much aggrieved puppy gave one yelp
of panied surprise and darted out Of
the tent. With dropping tail and
equally dropping spirits, he started as
fast as his short legs could carry him
for the home of Aunty Kicks, which
was the place of his nativity. and
where no such brutal treatment as
this had ever been melted out TO him.
The maltreated Sandy. reaching the
old gray farmhouse which mad former
ly been his home, raced through the
open door into the cheerful living
room where a somewhat detected
young man was sitting with an elder
ly. kindly-faced woman.
"Sakes alive, If it amt that pup
come back hOme." she calculated
Her younger-eyed companion inme-
diately saw that something was amlss
with the pet he had bestowed upon
Margery Golden as parting gift
I, A.
sticking in the dogs matted hair and
his face grew serious. Perhaps the
one he loved was in danger and in
this strange way had sent a message
asking his help. With swift fingers he
disentangled the paper and, smoothing
out its gummy creases. studied it with
frOwning intensity. What he saw was
rough sketch of a large field tent,
with a tree outlined close beside it.
To the puzzled-eyed young man
! came a sudden and startled compre-
hensiOn of those apparently meaning
less drawings. Only that afternoon he
had passed the great manor house and
had seen the preparations for the lawn
fete to which he had received no in
marquee put up directly under ths
mammoth oak.
That time would undoubtedly be tho
supper hour. Davy's face went whit7
as he hurriedly glanced at the clock
| on the mantel. \ fearful apprehen-
sion seized him that ii might already
be too late to prevent the fright
f,rl
armed criminal. Paying no heed to
the anxious queries of his wonder
| ing companion, he rushed from that
room in a frenzy Of dread forebod-
ing. AS he flung himself upon his pull
sating motorcycle and shoe out into the
| darkness. His fear would have been a
hundredfold intensified could he have
seen the murderOus Italian. who at
that moment touched a lighted match
to the end of the time fuse projecting
from the nearly severed oak.
| 1t was a race between a spark of
| fire eating its way up the ever
shortening fuse and a wildly driven
motorcycle lurching through the night.
The stakes of that desperate race were
precious human lives. Once the race
was nearly lost, as the pounding ma
chine missed by a hairs breadth q
heavy touring car with vision-blinding
headlights. Then it careened into the
driveway Of the brilliantly lighted
grounds, raced madly across the level
stretch Of lawn and into the very tent
itself before Its white-lipped rider
leaped from the saddle.
run, all of you! Run for your
lives :" he cried frantically.
As his meaning dawned upon the
startled guests they stampeded from
that threatened tent Ike a flock Of
fear-crazed sheep. Even as they
cleared the guy-ropes a dull, muffied
defamation split the air and the strick-
en- oak swayed unsteadily for an In
slant; then 1t came topping down on
those deserted walls Of canvas with q
roar like the mighty crash of thunder
clouds.
As David Manley relinquished his
hold on the white-faced girl whose life
he had saved, Enoch Golden graspsd
him TREMENDOUSLY by the hand In silent
thanks for their deliverance from dis
aster. Margery turned to him a little
shyly.
II don't know how to thank you for
what you have done. Davy," she said
impulsively.
But the deeply hurt young man ooly
acknowledged her gratitude with
; stifiy formal bow as he turned -
strobe away into the darkness
(TO Bio CONTINUED