The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-08-10
Love Affairs of a Lonely Woman
By MARY HAu

scorned him, that still she was unattain- able. He determined to win word from her, to force her to like him. There was no evil intent in his drunken mind, but as in so many scrapes in the past he was running into trouble with his reckless de- termination to have his own way in this as in everything. caring naught for the consequences of effects upon other peo- pie.
 Now, as Jane could tell by the heavy breathing audible through the panel of the door, to which she had placed her ear, the drunken man was placing all the weight of his shoulders against the panel, endeavoring to force the lock.
 The strain was too much for her nerves. and she ran to the window with pierc- ing scream of Help! Help! Policel"
 Again she hurried to the doorway.
 "Get away from there," she cried. The police are coming
 ''Ill throw them downstairs!' grunte( Burns. You've got to open this door and talk to me-"
 Once more the girl called help through the open window, looking as it did upon the back yard court. She had no idea that her scream would bring results in the dark and desolate areaway, but she did not kr.ow the quickness with which such words could be carried to the blue coated officer of the law, who even now was patrolling the next street.
 A lodger in a house, whose rear faced on the same court, heard the scream, sped down to the street and notified the police man. telling him the direction from which the cries came.
 Jane had faced the terrifying door once more. On the table, by the window she had dropped her purse, and this she snatched up, new and desperate plan having come to her.
 Softly she slipped the bolt, and with surprising suddenness the door opened, sending Burns headlong upon the floor of the little bedroom. Lithely the girl sprang through the opening and down the stairs.
 Burns staggered heavily to his feet and looked about him. Now he realized that he had over-reached himself, and that Jane Brown had meant what she said. But he was not aware as he looked daz- edlv about the room that Jane had reached the street level, and had opened the front dor.
 As she did so she saw a policeman standing inquringly outside the vesti- bule. He was breathing heavily, after his race around the entire block.
 "Oh. officer" she exclaimed. There's a man upstairs who has been trying to break into my rom. I screamed through the window! He's there now. I'm so frightened"
 ''I'll attend to him." exclaimed the po- liceman curtly, and swinging his night stick in a firm hand he sprang up the stairs Jane hesitated at the landing Mrs. Selden, superinduced to pleasant dreams by her usual heavy might cap,' had not awakened.
 From the direction of her noom Jane heard the policeman cry out, What are you doing in this room?"
 Then from Burns came snarl, Mind your own business Get out of my way, you fool. Take that"
 There was the sound of blow landing on flesh There came a grunt from the policeman and cry, "If mind 1t all right" and suddenly horrible crash as body fell down the entire upper flight of stairs.
 Jane could stand it no longer, and she fled though the doorway to the street. (Copyright, 1919, Thompson Feature
 Service)
 Gro be continued tomorrow)