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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (March 20, 1916)
. A THE HEE: OMAHA, MONDAY, MARCH 'JO, 1MB. AUTHOR. OF "WHISPERING SMITH," "THE MOUNTAIN DIVIDE," "STRATEGY OF GREAT RAILROADS," ETC. COfYWOHT, 1Y FRANK H. SPEARMAN. OF MOUNTAIN UFE GAME -A II J ar in ( i THlBTEFITlf IWST AI.I.MEXT. ayaeoets. Little Helen Holmea. daughter of General Holme, railroad tnu, Is rrecufd from imminent (lunger on scenic railroad by ;ei.rge Storm, a newsboy. Orown ta Young womanhood. Helen saves Storm, now a fireman, her father, and hl friends. Amos Rhlnelander, financier, end Robert Seagrue, promoter, from a threatened collision. Safebreakere em- ii kvkI h. Seagrue steal General Holme' urvey plana of the cut off Una for the .Tidewater, fatally wound the general an I 'escape. Her father's estate badly I -voted by hia death, Helen goes to work en the Tint-water. Helen rwoverl the urrpy plana from Heagrue, and thougu hey are taken from her. finds an ac cidentally mada proof of tha survey blue rrtnt. Btorm Is employed by Rhlnalandar. Spike befriended bv Helen, In hla turn aaves her and the fiirht-of-way contracts when Snagrtie kidnaps her. Helen and storm win for Rhlnelander a race agalnat Seogrtie for rltht-of-way. Helen, Storm end Rhlnelander rescue Spike from Sewgriie'a men. Ppike steals records to I rotoct Rhlnelander, and Storm and Helen save Spike from death In tha luirivng court house. Vein in Supersti tion mine pinches out: 8eegrie salta It and sells It to Rhlnelander. The mine la relocated. A Fight for a Forfait. n'opyrlglit, 1915, by Frank H. Spearman.) A bright morning aun beat down In winter warmth on the Superstition mine. Near the mouth of the tunnel stood Amos niilnclandcr, now sole owner of the prop erty, giving orders to his foreman. At the loading platform not far away George Storm waa bantering with Helen Holmes. It was the day after her haaardous flight down the aerial railway, but aha looked an refreshed and charming as if ah had never known the meaning of the word trouble. I George ?t.orm, her companion, stalwart nnd young, waa disputing with Helen for the possession of a pocket mirror h had filched from her vanity bag, when '.ilnclander approached. "I am afraid am de trop here." he said dryly, look- g from one 10 me omer. Helen's brows arched In feigned amase- mcnt. "What do you mean?" ah akd Innocently. He looked with a shade of suspicion at her and at Storm. "'I feared this might be an Intrusion." He threw the slightest bit of raillery into his words. "You two." he added, "seemed so deeply engaged.!" Helen flushed the leaat bit. "Why. not at all." she disclaimed. "We were only waiting for the team to come back from Valley." "And you found it eaaler to wait to gether," continued Rhlnelander. un abaahed.' "However." he went on, aper Ing the manifest embarraaamen of the young couple, "I've aoroehtlna to say to each of you." They looked at him queetionlngty. He held two' papers In hla hand. "Helen," he continued, "yeeterday completed, I think, pretty thoroughly, my title to the Superstition mine. I never expect to get any stronger claim on a piece of property than I now hare on this. Unless," he added. qulxilcallr. "to my lot In the home cemetery after I occupy It perma nently. In fact"-la face lighted with a smile-1 'It looked awhile yeeterday aa If I shouldn't have any real nee for that even. I certainly thought. George." he said, speaking to Btorm. "while we were trapped In the tunnel, the Superstition mine itself would be our laat resting I mine Itself would hi place, but while we w .g big vein you, Helen. out the loss of a mln f Neary to help us out a I "T"V la avia M1UV were relocating that were getting with- mlnute the help neces- ative. That Is one reason," he went on, de liberately, "why I have decided over night to convey to you, little girl, with my compliments and best wishes, a cer tificate for one-third the capital stock of this property." He handed her a paper. Here it is." Helen regarded him with astonishment. She took the paper beea.ua he had thrust it Into her hand not because she was able to apeak or to move from where ahe stood rooted In surprise. "But that is not the only reason I am doing It." continued Rhlnelander. "Tour father, Helen, was my best friend. When I lost him I lost half the backing I ever bad in life. But it seems, when I think of the way you have stood by me In all the trouble I've had since his death, that you must have been raised up to take his place. If I gave you the whole mine. It wouldn't be too much for what I owe ou over and over again." Helen could only proteat that It was not right and that he owed her nothing. To all her appeala, not to dc what he waa doing, he turned a dVat ear. "No." he persisted. "I know what you are entitled to. Say no more." "George" he turned to hia assistant "you, too, have stood by me at every turn or the road since I went into this l i 'fj''-"' fight. Tou lost your job with the i mewaier line mrougn aliening to me. I could have got you reinstated you know that, of course, aa well as I do. Rut there waa a little selfishness. I ad mit. In my not doing so. I felt you could he of more aid to me on the front; and my expectations have not In a single in stance been disappointed. "1 don't expect to spend all my life In this country. I shall have to leave be. hind me, when I go east, somone to rep- I'sent my Interests and to guard them. Th great wealth that has come to me thi property has come almost over rluht. I waan't suffering for money be fuie I owned it. But I want the man who ' -'nils, cut in this country, for the In tcrests of Amos Rhlnelander to have a substantial monetary backing outside hie care of my affairs. This Is why, George. I am presenting to you m thia certificate, a second one-third of the capital stock of the Kuperstltton mine. Now," he ex claimed, putting up his hands to shut off the protests and expressions of gratitude voiacd by his companions together, ' I don't want to hear a word further about this from either of you. All Helen and I will aak front you" ha waa speaking to Storm "la to aee that our dividend Aecka are mailed to us promptly." -gr A man earns up to Rhlnelander with a letter. He opened the note and read: Dear Mr. Khlnelaader: v Please tell Helen Hutmee that Laary, known likewise as Lefty (but whose reel name waa Hyde), haa confeased he killed U . I The warden aaya thst maybe I will be II paroled about the lth. SPIKE. The Moaaeat Her Coach Palled Akresat of tha Last Box Car he Jampod. Rhlnelander read the note aloud v.ry three were silent. Had they poeseaaed the gift of vision, there might have rtaen before them at that moment the picture of a great atone quarry In which many men in a tell-tale gang of convicts were moving about their work: they might have seen a man tamping beneath an overhanging ledge and a. huge rock, breaking unseen above hia head, crushing him to the ground; they would have seen his startled companions running In with the guards to pick the injured convict up. And they would have seen the same man lying on a cot in the hospital, a man sitting beside him taking down his con fession, while the warden direoted a guard to bring the convict known aa Spike Into the room; and while the dying criminal spoke on, they would have seen Spike standing at hia aide as the guard showed him the confession. And looklug over Spike's shoulder they might have read the words: "I struck General Holmes in that fight. Spike did not touch him at all." Rhlnelander handed the letter to Helen. She . stood deeply moved. Her two friends respected hr alienee. She looked up after a time. "I never could be lieve." ahe said simply, "that Spike killed my father. Seagrue, In his apartment, was still chagrined over the loss of-what he had believed to be a worthless mine, but which had already became known all over Nevada as the richest gold-bearing property on the great Superstition range- He had not yet abandoned hla hope of recovering through some clever trick the property that he had parted with for what how seemed a paltry sum. and hia mind waa set on regaining con trol of It. He waa now studying the bill of aale that signalised hia loss of the property. He presently took up a pen and wrote out a dispatch: Amoa Rhlnelander. Superstition Mine: Quarterly payment Superstition mine due tomorrow. SEAGRUE. He read the message over tne second time, and, seeming satisfied, called a servant and bade him dispatch It. Storm and Helen were with Rhlne lander when the telegram was handed to him at the mine. Rhlnelander showed it to his companions. I think I will draw the money from the bank and go to town with it In the morning," said Rhlnelander, studying the substance of the message. "Why not take hint a cheek?" sug gested Storm. Rhlnelander reflected a moment. "That would be all right with any ordinary man. But we're dealing with an ex traordinary one This contract Is drawn very precisely and It calls for the pay ment of these amounts at specified per iods. Time Is, In fact, the essence of this contract, and if I go down there with a check, Seagrue might refuse It on a technicality. A check would not be a lexal tender of the sum atiptulated, George, and I cannot afford to take any chances with Seagrue. Especially, since we find the mine Is worth millions In stead of hundreds of thousands." Helen Intervened: "Let me go with you," she exclaimed, "and I can start Spike for the mine when he leaves the jail. I should hate to see htm get mixed up with any more crooks when he gets out" Rhlnelander assented, and writing out an answer to Beagrue's message, read It to Storm before he gave It to a meaaen ger: "Earl Seague, Albemarle Apartments, Oceanaide: Wilt make payment on time. In on the morning paseenger. "RHINELANDER." Seagrue received the prompt anawer without much elation. He continued thoughtful, and as Adams, his servant, waa leaving, called him back, aaked for hla hat and coat, and, accompanied by tha man, left the apartment. IUrcctlng hia steps up the street, Sea grue made hia way to a quarter of the town leaa noted for Its attractiveness than for its reputation aa a haunt of men of doubtful character. Having reached the vicinity he desired a shabby and deserted side street he looked about to see whether he was observed, and, per ceiving no one, started down an obscure alley. He knocked at the door of a weatherbeaten bouse standing close to the street. A man opened the door. Seagrue, followed by Adams, went Inside. "Ward," said Seagrue, addressing the scowling occupant of the room. "I've got a job for you." The man addressed aa Ward, a swar thy, beetle-browed adventurer, scrutinised Seagrue silently at the Inttraation. I know you're aore," continued Sea graa. -at tha way tha laat lob went." he added, recalling the Incident of the ateal ing of Rhlnelander'a payroll. "But that waan't your fault or mine." Ward, without anawering. continued to regard him askance. Seagrue unfolded his idea to the hardened crook and the promise of ready money and enough of it whether he succeeded or failed finally Dilated him. "Tou and Adams, here" Beagrue nodded toward his servant "can handle the thing without any trouble. If you can't do It, you'll be paid anyway. But If there's any possible chance, I want to see you separate Rhlnelander from his money for twenty-four hours." "There's no time to lose," muttered Ward, picking up a railroad time table. "Are you ready to go, Adams?" Adams nodded. Seagrue supplied both plentifully with money and the two left together. Seagrue himself remained in Ward's room toying with a drug to which be had become addicted. When he returned to hla apartment he looked at the clock and threw himself on the lounge to await news from hla emissaries. Ward and Adams, proceeding to the station, boarded an outgoing passenger to Intercept the train from Las Vegas which ahould bring Rhlnelander to Oceanaide, Learning from the conductor where the down train would be flagged, they left their own train at a convenient atatlon, and buying tickets back boarded the Laa Vegas passenger when It stopped. In the observation oar Rhlnelander, aeated with Helen, waa watching the landscape through the window when Sea grue's men coming In paid for seats not far away. In hia lap Rhlnelander held a small bag, and from the care with which he retained it. Ward surmised It might con tain something of especial value. He called Adams' attention to It. It waa. In fact. In this handbag that Rhlnelander had placed the money with which he wet to make his payment to Seagrue. Strap Ping the bag and locking It when he left the bank, Rhlnelander had been careful not to let it go out of his hands. Ward, while he eat studying out a scheme to take a chance on the proposi tion and at least get the bag Into his own possession, , presently spoke to Adams: "The train stops twenty minutes at Clin ton Junction," he muttered to his com panion. "We can get hold of a bag there somethlnk like Rhlnelander'a." No further word were needed to con vey his meaning. The moment the train pulled Into Cliifton, Ward and Adams hurried off uptown to a leather goods store. Breaking precipitately in on the proprietor, they pulled and hauled his stock about with small aense of respon sibility. Evidently they wanted a bag. but they seemed to the ahopkeeper hard to auit. It was only after much search ing and many hard words that Ward's eye lighted on something such he aa waa looking for. When he saw the right kind of a bag, he grabbed It in such haste that he waa about to leave the atore when the proprietor reminded him he had overlooked the little detail of paying for hla purchase. Throwing a bill back at the man twice the price of the article taken Ward, followed by Adams, ran back to the station and boarded the ob servation car Just as the train started. The diner had been put on and luncheon called. Rhlnelander, taking Helen. started for the dining oar closely watched by Ward. No sooner had the two aeated themselves at table than Beagrue's men following took seats directly behind them. Rhlnelander placed the handbag at his feet. Ward made no move until Rhlne lander became occupied closely with the bill of far. While he waa trying to tempt Helen with the various delicacies offered. Ward put his foot carefully out, slid Rhlnelander'a bsg away with hla toe and. unobserved by the hurrying waiters or the busy diners, pushed the dummy leather bag Into Its place. The knavea then coolly ordered their luncheon, ate It somewhat hurriedly and left the dining car ahead of their vic tim. However, they did not venture back again Into the observation car, but taking seats in a coach with the bag hidden on the seat between them, they became ab sorbed in two newspapers. When slackening speed warned Ward and Adams that the train was nesting Oceanaide, they were in no hurry to start out. In fact, they lagged noticeably in their movements and Helen and Rhlne lander left the station and took a taxlcab uptown before noticing the change of bags that had been played aa them. And Just at this Juncture blind chance itself took a hand In the little game. Two city detectives In plain clothes had come to meet the train and were refreahing their memortaa by reading a description of two holdup mna expected on It. Scan ning the face of the Incoming passen ger for eueh a pair as would fit their search, the detectlvea noted Ward and Adama getting slowly out of the coach. While the pair did not quite auit the de scription, the officers, on general prin ciples, crossed over to nit-it them and stopped them for examination. A few curt questions and equally voluble An swers did not satlafy the plain clothes men, who, after some discussion. Instated that the suspects should accompany them to the station. Ward'a mouth fell when he heard the order. Uselessly he tried to convince the detectives that he and hi friend knew absolutely nothing of the holdup In question. To . the station they were compelled to go and there were held In cells until the sergeant could send out a man to bring In the victim of the holdup for their further Identlflca- . To complete Ward'a chagrin, the preo lous handbag was checked in under the sergeant's desk. But a suggestion on the part of the sergeant to search the bag Itself met with a fierce objection from Ward. "I tell you, you can't do it." h exclaimed heatedly. The sergeant waa unperturbed. "Hand over the key." he demanded. Tve got no key. I tell you I'm in the employ of Earl Seagrue, superin tendent of construction of the Colorado at Coast railway. That bag la hla prop erty. I'm only hia messenger. I don't know even the contents of It, but I want to tell you he will hold you re sponsible If you touch It." The sergeant, considering that nothing was to be lost by waiting, stuck tha bag grimly under his desk and ordered the men marched to a cell. On reaching the hotel to which Rhlne lander had taken Helen, ahe suggested that while he made hla payment to Sea grue, she would go to the safety de posit vault Rhlnelander himself waa president of the Safety Depoalt Vault company and place their securities away before starting for the Jail to intercept Bplke when he ahould be released. In parting they agreed to meet again at the hotel. Helen went directly to the vault, which she reached Just In time to make her deposit of the stock certificates In Rhine lander's box; the watchman was clos ing the cage when ahe came out to so to the penitentiary to meet Spike. It waa a long drive, but once there ahe was not kept long in suspense. In the warden's office ahe awaited Koike, who, greatly changed, preaently entered the room. She greeted him with the kindly cheer that had won him over from the company of knaves surrounding Sea grue to her own side of the long-drawn hattle for the cut-off. She told Bplke just why she had come. Unable to ex- preae his feelings in words, ne wereijr put himself at her dl"Poal and left the place of detention in her company. Rhlnelander had found Beagrue in hia rooms. Without waatlng words, the two aet about the bualneas In hand. Seagrue showed the agreement and Ilhlnelander. placing hla handbag on the table, opened it to take out the money. Innlde he found an odd looking package and thought that Helen muat have wrapped the currency up differently after sho had taken It from him. He unrolled a bunch of news pspers astonished at the altuatlon but could find nothing iimldo them that looked like currency. The money was gone. He turned to the telephone. Spike and Helen had reached the rooina at the hotel when Helen heard the ring of the telephone. She anawered the call. Lis tening, dumfounded the did not tell Spike what she heard, but with her face some what blanched and Rhlnelander'a word ringing In her eara. tha hung up tha re ceiver, "(let the stock from the aafety deposit box." he had directed, "and I will use that as temporary security until I can replace the money." In the interval, Rhlnelander waa trying to aatlsfy Seagrue. He tuld hlin he would have ample security there for the pay ment within half an hour. Seagrue only smiled. And while Helen and Spike were hurrying from the hotel, Rhlnelander, worried somewhat by Beagrue's peculiar expreaaion. told him he would give hi personal check for the amount. Seagrue shook his bead. "No, Mr. Rhlnelander," he said alowly, "that won't do. I must have legal tender, and have it today, or our contract doesn't go." Helen, with Bplke a.i her at range escort. u-dihi.i the lank only to find it cloaed as ahe had feared. The watcntuan, despite her appeala, refused them admittance. But a little obstacle such as that waa not a serious deterrent to Bplke. He had defied the law too long to be balked now in the interests of justice and fair play. He had been a malefactor with the law against him; be brushed aside all scruples now In taking the role of a benefactor with the law atill against him. The watchman had hla way. "If the case la aa bad aa you say." Spike mut tered to Helen, "we've got to do some thing." Helen shook her head deaoalrlnaly "It may, mean millions, Aplka," h ex claimed. What can we dor In her dls trees she clasped her,hands. "Do," echoed Bplke. scornfully. "Oo In and open the bos and get vour prop erty there's nothing else to do." "But how?" cried Helen, wid eyed with perplexity. Spike tossed hla head. It waa aet high above a pair of swinging broad shoulders and whenever Spike shook hla head In that way, Helen knew some suggestion was coming. He bent forward and pointed his finger at her to emphasis his word a 'Tou put the stock In tha box. 'didn't you?" She nodded a half frightened assent. "That," he continued tiffly. "waa your -buslnaaa. Now, you want to get It out, don't your' She nodded once more. "That." he declared with much posltlveneee, 'la my bualneas." A ' moment latsr, at the side of the bank, Helen, frightened to death followed Spike through aa unguarded door. H led the way baattly and stealthily to the vault and Helen, with her key, opened Rhlnelander'a box. It waa while they were thu feloniously abstracting their own property that the watchman saw them. He turned In an alarm. At the police station where It registered, the sergeant called out the men and they started on the jump for tha bank. Helen, In the Interval, had taken the securities from tha box and showed them to Spike. Aa they turned to leave, the watchman, re-enforced by the officers, pounced down on them. Helen, desperate over the situation, upbraided the watch man. "I told you, I must get into our box." she exclaimed, angrily. "And you refused to let me. I have taken nothing away, but what I put in it two hours ago and thia man waa only here to help me." A wordy discussion followed. But Helen and Spike were started for the station. where more development had already taken place. The victim of the holdup, in response to the sergeant's message, had arrived, and on having the auspecta. Ward and Adama, paraded with others before him, waa unable to identify Bea grue's relalnera. In fact, he distinctly declared theae were not the men that had eaten all hla free lunch and robbed him. The chief, refusing to he satisfied, con tinued to aak questions. His Instinct con cerning criminals, seemed to tell him that thia pair were crooks, and. If not an swering to one charge, ahould Juatly be held to await another. While thia was going on In the office of the chief, Helen and Spike were ushered, with the com plaining watchman, Into the booking room. Helen demanded tha use of the teirpnone ana In aplte of the serious charge lodged agaluat her something in her bright eyea or her demeanor satisfied the sergeant ahe waa no criminal and he handed her the phone from his dek. She railed Rhlnelander up at Seagrue'a rooms. When the bell rang. Seagrue told Rhlnelander to anawer It, and from Helen at the atatlon the latter learned of the plight ahe and Spike were In. No explanation that Helen and Spike could make moved the deak sergeant In any degree. He had directed the officers to take the two to separata cells when a commotion was heard in the hallway and Rhlnelander dashed Into the room. In the twinkling of an eye the aspect of everything changed. In Rhlnelander, the conscientious watchman recognised the president of hia own safe deposit com pany, and when the great transporta tion magnate rushed up to Helen to ax tend hla sympathy and nodded, aa an old acquaintance, to Sptke, the humble watch dog of the aafe deposit vault gasped. He waited Just a minute, and In an auspicious lull In the conversation between Rhlnelander and Helen, Spike standlpg at attention, the watchman puahed Into the group to aak whether he had made a mistake. , "No ml take at alt." anld Rhlnelander heartily and reaanurlnaly. and to the watchman' great relief. "Tou did ex actly right. You didn't know these peop'e. They had no huelneaa In there. Rut thy were there not only to get my aecurltlea I out of a box, but to get me out of a Ikx!" The watchman Mured. "So" Rhlne lander turned to the sergeant In explan ation "there's really nobody to blame, sergeant, except that your men and you have a box of cigars coming from some body and It might a well be me any body else." The sergeant scratched hia head. "This I the queerest mlx-up 1 ever struck," he muttered, perplexed. At Rhlnelander'a auggestlon he sent for the chief. The moment the latter srpeared everything was made right. The chief knew Rh'nelsnder well, snd without hesitation ordered the pr'aoneis released. Anit a he returned to hl office, after .Rhlnelander hsd thanked him. the latter, with Helen n Hplke, started away. Wlth'n hla own room the chief had knotted 1'inhlem. 11 had been try ing In every way to extract some dam aging adm,Mion from Ward and Adams, h.t unable to do no. had reluctantly diamlaaed the pair, satisfied that If Jus tire had her due the two would be be ilnd the bars. Just outside the police station Helen and Rhlnelander Bplke listening were conferring as to what ahould be done In the awkward emergency faring" them. How could they now aave their prop erty from Beagrue's eager clutches? They moved away together slowly. Just ss Ward and Adams, having got the real handbag from the srgeant, walked out of the station. The two men encoun tered the halting and perplexed trio, Rhlnelander'a roving eye fell on the bag as Wsrd passed him. He cried out and pointed. ard and Adams turned ner vously. "Stop, tnlef !" yelled Ilhlnelander, making for them Seagrue's men recognised their victim. Away they daahed. Helen and the two men after them at top speed. Across a city street a block away the hind end of a long freight train waa rapidly pull ing. Ward and Adama headed for It, and, outdistancing their pursuers, sprang for and gained the nearest boxcar. It drew away with them aa itelen, Rhlne lander and Splk ran up too lat. Pulling themselves Into the empty box car. Ward and Adama were well pleased with their escape. But they wer not yet don with their pursuer. Farther down the line, at a Santa Fa crossing, a Tidewater passenger train had slowed, and for thia Helen, Rhlne lander and Spike made. But the excre ment and a peed were telling on Rhine lander, who was not In the class sn1 training of his companion. H weak ened. Spike stopped to help him along. In that brief Interval Helen mad the aide of a coach aa the Tidewater pas senger train picked up apeed. Her com panions could not overtake her, but Rhlnelander haatlty chartered a pausing automobile and away h went with Sp k after the two trains. It was a triangular race, but tha passenger train, en a paral lel track, gained rapidly on th freight Helen had already climbed to the coach roof, and, with both tralna running, ahe watched the gap lessening between the passenger and the freight that bore tha two thieves on th adjoining track. A ah found her own train rapidly over hauling th other, ah made up her mind what to do. The moment her coach pulled abreast of the laat box car In the long drag ah jumped from the top of the coach to tha top of the freight car, landed safely, regained her feet and looked over the aide of th train for the men ah waa after. Within th box car where they had taken refuge. Ward and Adama were try ing to open Rhlnelander'a bag. They had succeeded In negotiating the lock when, to their 'conaternatlon, Helen, through the open aldedoor, swung down ' and In on them from the roof. The thieves Jumped to their feet. But be fore Adams wss up, Helen had knocked him over again, and aa Ward Jumped at her, ahe managed to shoot out her foot at the handbag. By a fortunate chance she kicked It cleanly out of the car. Free ing herself from Ward'a Hutches with an energetic blow, ahe sprang to th door herself and Jumped after the bag from the fast-moving car to the ground. Aa soon aa she could regsin her feet sh ran back to search for her hard-won prise. Adama, when Helen puahed him over, had atruck his head against an Iron bar and he lay on the car floor uncwsclous. Ward turned to him tha minute Helen waa gone. "Wake up'" he shouted. We've got to get out of here." "What's up?" demanded Adama, grog glly. "We're left, man. S.ake yourself an I get out of here before you get pinched." Waiting their chance when their train slowed down In passing the next station the two men Jumped out of th boxcar. Down the Una Ward saw th bridge they had passed when Helen sprang from the car. "That girl can't be very far off yet," he muttered. "She may be hunting for the bag. If we get there quick enough, we can get hold of It ourselves." llalen, tunning as fast ss she could, s -arched the right-of-way keenly. Help waa nearer to her than she was aware of. But she had eyea for nothing beyond her search and, finally, hardly a stone's throw from the bridge Itself, she saw the bag lying on the gravel. r N The Metropolitan Uan & Storage Co. MAIN OFFICE! Raymond Furniture Co. 1513-15 Howard Street ... SERVICE ... ! Auto V.n Equipment WITH Security and Safety "! ,lMS .DwUgiMU24 KsutthiJ usis tni Ftiri Th nearest station was to tha north. Helen began to retract her steps, think ing to telephone or to get somehow In touch with Rhlnelandev from there. Hastening on. ahe heard 'er name called, snd. looking up, was astonished to see . Spike waving hla ha-id at her from th" bridge Just ahead II and Rhl:iclndei-, following the train In the machine, hnd seen her spring fiom the boxcar. She started to run forward to Join Sulke. Hut Ward anil Adama had come up. Peeing Helen approsih, they hid, and when she passed them, they seined snd overpoweied her ami d retired th ba liom her hands. - Not without stout resistance on her part. She fought the two with hlowa and screama, and Bplke, hearing the com motion ran to where he could slip over the side of the brldgo and drop to the tracks. Shouting loudly as h scrambled to his feet, he ran to where Ward an 1 Adams were rUhllng Helen, who livl "gain got her handa on th bag. Rut when Pplke rraihed th feen th encoun ter waa short. Ward, the more .powerful of 8eagru'. men. engaged him furiously, anil, as a Holier, would have put him out, had nt plk clenched and slammed the big fel low heavily to the ground. He Jumped U Adams before Ward rou'd coma ba k ml the two crooks, acting th gams lo t. tock to their heel. Spike turned to see what damage had been done to Helen. She had the bag safely In hand and they started together to joint Rhlnelander. H waa waiting for them eager-eyed. Helen waveu the bag before bin eyes and Rhlnelander, more elated at the victory than at the mera recovery of hla money, clasped hla nervy little protogre In his srms in a fervor of ccngratuletlon. ' The bag was now committed to Splk for safekeeping, and Rhlnelander headed the car for the city In an effort to reach Seagrue quarter quickly with th pay ment. Burning the tlrea all the way Inn town, he pulled up with a jerk befois Seagrue' apartment and tha three alighting from the car, hastened up to his rooms. Seagrue, expecting th return of Ward and Adsms with their loot, caught hl breath whan he faced Rhlnelander and hla escort at the door. Rhlnelander he could account for. Helen, he was not at a great loaa to account fori but to aee the erantng neck, aquare Jaw, straight nose and cold-gray eye of Spike in the twi light of the hallway was too much for van Seagrue'a polae. When they pushed their way In upon him. he made hardly any attempt to resist. "I I wasn't look ing for you," he stammered. Rhlnelander- laughed. "Net I under atand. However. It's all right. A couple of your men, Seagrue, ha? this bag In hand"-he held up the leather grip for Seagrue'a Inspection "to bring to you." Rhlnelander'a eyes were sparkling with the test of victory. "They were detained. Seagrue," he went on, enjoying to the full the consternation of the breathless rascal before him. "In fact, the two met with little accident." He nodded toward Helen aa the little accident, herself. "The police are looking for the pair now," explained Rhlnelander, Jestingly. 'Kut we thought It only neighborly to brlnx the bag In, ourselves. Especially since you seem to consider that our title to the Superstition mine rests on your receiving the actual cash today for the second pay ment." While speaking. Rhlnelander had gone to the table, thrown the bag open and, was toaslng the packages of currency out. "There's your money, Seagrue ,oto. Count it, 8agru. and glva me a receipt." (To Be Continued-; Uncle Foa-y'a Philosophy. The oyster Is sort of a piscatorial nut. You cannot reform tha world by yelling A 'motion to adjourn can alwaya get an enthusiastic second. SnclM lemonade IS composed vi auu, thing said In a sweet wsy. ' u.tn mn haa wheela In his head the spokea atl.k out of hla mouth. You have oftrn heard of a mere baga telle, but did vo'i ever Boon one? Every achool boy who Is entirely nor mal bellevea that the devil wrote the arithmetic. . A damn naa no langinie vama, ana y many a three-cornered old fellow think hla son-in-law ia not worth one. The average old maid la unable to de termine whether a bachelor or a rat U the lowest firm of animal life. -621 residents of Nebraska registered at Hotel As tor during the past year. Single Room, without bath, ij-oo to j-oo Double S-oo to foo Single Room, with bath, f-oo to i&oo Double S4-00 to SV-o Parlor, Bedroom and bath, jjio-oo W 14.00 TIMES SQUARE At Broadway, 44th to 41th Streets th canter of New York social and business acttvrtie. In do proximity t all railway tarminala. t
