.
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
