Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-06-23

make a Job of it whlIe you're about
itl" shrieked the castoway, lost now
to everything save the biting sense
of his wrongs. you've put 1t all over
me-knocked my chances with Yer
da Richlander and shut me up here
in this hell-hole TO go mad-dog crazy!
II you let me get ont of here alive
I'll pay you back, If it's the last thing
I ever do! You'll go back to Law
renceville with the bracelets on!
You'll" red rage could go no far
tier in more words and he hung
himself in feeble fierceness upon
Smith, clutching and struggling and
waking the grewsome echoes again
with frantic, meaningles maIedlc-
tions.
Smith did not strike back; wrap
ping the madman in pinioning grip,
he held him helpless. When 1t was
over, and Jibbey had been released,
gasping and sobbing, to stagger back
against the tunnel wall, Smith groped
for the candle and found and relight-
ed it.
Tucker" he said gently, you are
more OF q man than 1 took you to be
"a good bit more. Now that you're
giving me a chance to say II, l can
tell you that Verda Richlander
doesn't figure in this at all. I'm not
going to marry her, and she didn't
come out here in the expectation OF
finding me-"
Then what does figure in it?" was
the dry-lpped inquiry.
'It was merely a matter of self
preservation. There are men in Brew
ter who would pay high for the infor-
nation you might give them about
me-"
"You might have given me hint
and a chance, Monty. I'm not all
dog"
That's all past and gone. 1 didn't
give you your chance but I'm going
to give 1t to you now. Let's go-if
you're fit to try it."
Wait a minute. If you think, be-
cause you didn't pull your gun now
and drop me and leave me to rot in
this hole, if you think that squares
the deal"
I'm not making any conditions"
Smith interposed. There are a hun
dred telegraph offices in Brewster,
and for at least two days longer 1
shall always be within easy reach"
Jibbey's anger flared up once more.
You think 1 won't do it? You
think I'll be so glad to get to some
place where they sell whisky that I'll
forget all about it and let you off?
Don't you make any mistake, Monty
Smith! You can't knock me on the
head and lock me up as If l were a
yellow dog. I'll fix you!"
Smith made no reply. Linking his
free arm in Jibbey's, he led the way
through the mazes, stopping at the
tunnel mouth to blow out the candle
and to pick up Jibbey's suitcase. In
the open air the freed captive tramp
ed in sober silence at Smiths heels
until they reached the automobile. AT
| the crossing of the railroad main
! track and the turn into the highway,
| the river, bassooning deep-toned
among it's powders, was near at
hand, and Jibbey spoke for the first
time since they left the mine mouth.
I'm horribly thirsty Monty. That
water in the mine had copper or
| something in it, and l couldn't drink
| it. You didn't know that, did you
when you put me in there, 1 mean 4?
| Won't you stop the car and let me
! go and stick my face in that river ?"
! The car was brought to a stand
and Jibbey got out to scramble down
| the river bank in the starlight Obey
! ing some inner prompting which he
| did not stop to analyze. Smith left
his seat behind the wheel and walked
| over to the edge of the embankment
where Jibbey had descended. With
! the glare of the roadster's acetylenes
| turned the other way, Smith could
see Jibbey at the foot of the slope
| lowering himself face downward on
| his propped arms to reach the water.
| Then, in that instant. Jibbey, care
less in his thirst. lost his balance and
went headlong into the torrent
A battling con had passed before
Smith, battered, beaten and half
strangled, succeeded in landing the
unconscious thirst-quencher on a
shelving bank three hundred yards
below the stopped automobile. After
that there was another eon in which
he completely forgot his own bruis-
ings while he worked desperately
over the drowned man, raising and
lowering the limp arms while he
strove to recall more of the resuscita-
tive directions given in the Lawrence
! Vile Athletic clubs first-aid drills.
In good time, after an interval so
! long that 1t seemed endless to the de-
spairing first-aider. the breath came
back to the reluctant lungs. Jibbey
caughed, choked, gasped and sat up.
His teeth were chattering and he was
| chilled to the bone by the sudden
| OiunRa into the cold snow uvatar E,,t