Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1919-08-21

the glass window or his prison. leaped
head first through it just as the truck
struck the taxi. Throwing himself fiat
into the gutter, he raised his eyes to
see the pOndtrOus vehicle crash into
the light framework of the deserted
cab, roll it over and grind it to pieces
as though it had been crushed by a
war tank. Getting upon his feet,
Davis found himself quickly surround
ed by a crowd. A policeman came in
to their midst, leading the driver of
the truck by the arm, Johns chauffeur
following close in their steps. The
officer stopped before Davis, then turn
ing upon Jake.
"What is the meaning Of thisT"
"My brakes wouldn't work." said
Jake with u defiant glare.
sand my engine went dead on me
and I was stalled" supplemented the
one-eyed man. John laughed grimly as
he faced the policeman.
"Guess we'd better call 1t an acct
dent, officer, and let 1t go at that"
Arriving at the Office Of Caldwell,
Brace & Co., the senior gentleman Of
that firm concluded his talk with John.
"That mining machinery was brought
from Alaska and unlOaded at Alamac
Island. You will find a launch, the
Senbird, at our private dock. One Of
our men can take you over II neces-
sary." John interrupted him.
81 can run 1t myself If you like"
'"GOod. Go and look the stuff over,
then come back and we will talk busi-
ness" With this understanding be-
tween them, the two parted.
Down In the undergrad the Spider,
undismnycd at the lucky escape of the
intended victim, was seated upon a
huge pile of boards 50 laid that the
top Of the pile Overhung the bottom
by several feet. Barney and Jake. who
had reported to him the miscarriage
of their plans, were ordered by Rellas
to remain In attendance. whereupOn
the latter left them. Securing a pack
age marked Dynamite" which he had
secreted near by, he carried the ex-
plosive to n small boat which was tied
to the wharf near the mOtorbont. Sea-
bird. Placing the dynamite in the fore
part Of his skiff he covered It with a
tarpaulin, then laid a fuse. The watch
man of the lumber yard approached.
"Hurry up" he warned. "The boys
will he coming back from dinner SOON"
The Spider nodded with a pointing OF
| his finger at what he had done. Then
sneaking away he secreted himself
where he might be ready for the decid.
ing moment.
Driving up to the place that he might
inspect the machinery, John dismount.
ed from his machine and stepped for
ward with the idea of inspecting the
| stuff before he returned for his final
consultation with Caldwell. Pursuing
his way as directed by the latter. he
stepped directly beneath the middle Of
the lumber pile which %overhung Its
great weight some twcnty-feet high in
the air, and Mt this the watching Spi'
der gave the signal. At once the two
sc0undrels upon the top gave the over
balanced heap a powerful pry with the
lever they had improvised, and the
whole massive pile thus thrown from
Its equilibrium, started down.
Warned by some slight sound from
above. the threatened n below
glanced upward just In time to see the
mass start its descent. With the quick
ness Of a cat he made a leap. and rs he
did so the descending boards, falling
about him In an avalanche Of lumber
shut him Off from sight. Ard at. that
same instant Barney and Jake, seeking
to leap and make their escape, were
caught In the downpourlng slide. The
One-eyed one, thrown aside by some
plunging board, escaped instant dealt
and scampered from the scene. The
head Of Jake n crushed "a
though by a %plle-drlver and his VII
lalnies we're a thing Of the past. From
! where they had watched the affair, the
watchman and a helper came running
up and lifting boards away from thu
place where Davis had disappeared
- HHa-