Show TIiE f fI fi i GAME O I s 's 1 Jj S T W D 1 o m E W rr MOUNTAIN AUTHOR Of Or WHISPERING SMITHs SMITH THE DIVIDE STRATEGY 5 TRA OF GREAT OREA T RAILROAD NOVELIZED FROM THE MOVING PICTURE PLAY OF THE SAME NAME PRODUCED BY THE SIGNAL Fl FILM i M CORPORA CORPORATION TION CO was 1 H r i SYNOPSIS Ii i ii i Little Helen TI Holmes daughter of or General Gen eral Holmes railroad man Is rescued from tram Imminent danger on a scenic railroad railroad railroad rail rail- road b by George Storm a newsboy Grown womanhood Helen makes a spectacular spectacular spec spec- double rescue of Storm now a freight fi fireman man and of her father and his friends inns financier fim and Robert promoter from a threatened threatened threat threat- ened between n a It passenger train and a runaway freight employed employed employed em em- b by C rut and Capelle Capelle- his lawer Jawer law law- ser er interrupted by Helen while stealing steal steal- ln lug ing General Gentral Holmes' Holmes survey plans of th the oft cut line for the Tidewater i fatally wound 1 General Holmes and escape Storm a and n chase ha t the murderers on a light engine and und capture them Spike has hidden the pIa plans n and anti inin to o Inform Stannic where they are art cached THIRD INSTALLMENT I CHAPTER III The death of at Helens Helen's father dis w closed at once the serious weakness of ot his monetary affairs H HI H had hod developed developed de de- his valuable railroad properties properties proper proper- ties without capital of at his own adequate adequate ade ade- quate to finance then them He Ile W 3 the nominal he head d of or great transportation pr projects he had been in truth the brain and energy y of or these but the actual actual actual ac ac- ac- ac control belon belonged ed to eastern bankers bankers bankers bank bank- ers ers who glio ho had supplied l the funds to put them through And ld with General Holmes' Holmes death his his 1113 daughter was brought face to face rae with this fact In Its the library of ol her home the for tor the estate state were already gathered gathered gathered gath- gath ered to discuss its affairs Amos Rhinelander her fathers father's faithful friend indeed friend indeed the sole among the generals general's many associates that now manifested the slightest interest inthe in inthe th the fate tate of his unfortunate daughter daughter- was present that morning With him however as if it to offset the ben benefit fit of or orbs bs his pr presence was his already criminally criminal criminal- I ly compromised n nephew phew Helen who had been n summoned to tl the library w walked down don from her h he e et t. t x Lr room r room to join company company who In apprehension ad himself since the night y V of the tragedy she never lead had looked so pleasing as she now d did d. d Much was in mind and some bi It all ren reflected ct d itself in Iris his face lace A score of or times his un- un p d rec recklessness had led him close to criminal lengths now it had hall c carried d' d him liim from Crom a a. a simple a-simple suggestion of assented to to to robbery robber and to thee murder the murder of General Holmes himself b by Capelles Capelle's lured tools He was as yet too new newin in r n his hb path o of crime to feel reel indifferent to he She fearful consequences Where he lie stood unobserved by the others lie hI took out o of a allet wallet drawn pocket a cuff cuI cut from a shirt rere d' d a scrawl written on it by opine ae nis hiS convict accomplice ad auvis- auvis vis r rin hm that th the stolen survey was hidden under the south southend end of at Little San Pablo bridge r y With Witti som som trivial excuse for tor absenting absent absent- ing ing- himself S left heft the house bouse Ii f. f tl I i rf 1 w 7 w 1 e q M Mr r r f. f n Gave Helen the Meau s She Asked Fo For got in fn his bUI runabout car tad started for Cor the San Pablo bridge He found the document where Sp had hd hid hidden hidden den it Hel Helen n. n in iu the tnt Interval nal conferring with her attorney attorneys and with Amos Rhinelander at hand to soften the f r blow best he be could was wai learning I Lit it by bit the completeness of ll her r fathers father's fa fathera fa- fa athers ather's thera ther's financial ruin through his bill sudden sudden sud sud- den death In matter mattor of ot fact all that j J remained of or his Ilia tree free onsets assets was the rec recently nUY d block of stock now no noan now w an item of merely nominal value value value-tu iu the new off cut line Long after the attorney had gone gon re r re ml ned Its Ils not that the stock Li s 3 wor worthless Helen he he said they said they were again to together gether gether in the library If It the n new ne neline w line Hue la Ia ever what your father hop hoped d f It t would be the investment may ye yet t prove of the value during the little talk had returned and sat examining reports atthe at atthe atthe the other end of the library He lie could overhear Rhinelander's reassuring words to Helen The Copper Range flange and Tidewater will continue operations operations opera opera- Just as fast as money can cnn he be raised his uncle was was- saying saing We can begin the work of or building tho lh off cut where it leaves the main Meantime we will send out new surveying surveying sur sur- vering parties on to try to relocate the pass through the Superstition Superstition Super Super- range All ma may come well yet et little girl He patted her hand rose and left loft her at a distance studied the outline outline of at the slender figure and the striking silhouette of oC Helens Helen's head and neck as she stood looI looking ing out on the rain beaten landscape He TIe walked over to where she remained oblivious to his presence an and von von- a few carefully chosen words of ot sympathy Nothing so despicable so pusillanimous as this had ever er market marked his career but he had groomed himself himself him him- self seU for anything I am In a position Helen he went wenton on perhaps a better position than any among your our fathers father's friends to take up his work where he left it off orr His murderers are in Jail I jail I will undertake to see to their punishment Ills His newline newline new newline line can be made a valuable property I am willing and able to provide the means means means' to put it through But I am alone as you OU know I care for no one other than you you you-I've Ive I've told you ou that Let me take your troubles Be m my wife I have told lold you she said looking looking look look- ing down but speaking speaking quick and firmly firmly firm firm- ly that I cant can't listen to you ou on that subject Could you OU possibly expect meto me meto meto to do so at a moment like this this this-my my father father- her voice faltered scarce faltered scarce scarcely ly scarce burled buried She put her henna ef o q her er face and walked awa away his humiliation hu hUt mation with a a resolve to conquer her obstinacy yet Et he followed her with his gaze up the stairs Then he sauntered over to the the the- table at dt which she had been conferring with his uncle There lay the bundle of ot stock certificates He felt so completely master of at the situation situation situa tion that he made a ages gesture gee ture as if tr to tear the batch in in two Rhinelander coming into the library at that moment from irom his room saw the movement lie He took the toe securities Impatiently impatiently im Im- impatiently patiently from hand You treat these as if tr they were waste pa pa- per They are not On the contrary If I have ha my wy way that off cut is going to be built he declared emphatically call Leaving Lea him Rhinelander went upstairs upstairs up up- stairs stair to find H Helen len Put these certificates certificates eel away my dear he said with seriousness Although they dont don't stand for much now now now- he paused paused- some day I 1 may call ou on you for tor them laughing a little to himself had turned when his uncle uncle walked away to light a a cigarette As he did this a servant approached him hearing bearing a a shabby looking marked marked note It bore no address address' opened the envelope and read Somebody will have to help me out of here or Ill I'll squeal No more mOIe at present from froll SPIKE It was a blunt shock But knew from what Capelle his lawyer had told him that this man meant always what he said He pondered his dilemma for tor a time decided what must be done a asked kerl a a servant for his hat and alid coat and hastening out headed his car ca car fur for ur Cedar Grove where Spike and Hd Hyde lay Incarcerated Arranging Arranging Arranging Ar Ar- ranging by telephone as soon scow as he reached the little tle town for Cor a meeting with Capelle apelle inquired his way war to the prison The jailer hailer had brought Spike his noonday meal a a dish of ot stew a loaf loat of oC sOggy bread and a tin Un of coffee coffee- and Spike was was settling himself on his Iron cot when with the jailer Jaller entered his cell Greetings passed b between tween and Spike as they met aud and the two exchanged a t few w bluffing remarks calculated calculated cal cuI to mislead the listening cial But BUl Spikes Spike's roving eyes riveted themselves gradually lIy on the bunch of or jangling keys carried by the jailer In n his hs hand When the jailer looked his way the bullet head bead of Spike was down and his eyes were fixed on au the loaf of or heavy bread from frow which he was tearing great chunks to eat A thought had bad come Callie into his head hea and if it gould uld be successfully acted on on It offered of- of a faint taint hope hap of escape Watching Watch lug ing ng his opportunity he managed after aCter dome ome effort to make n understand understand understand under under- stand wl what a he punted anted v- v i. i e. e that he should occupy for tor a while the jailers jailer's attention Iu In the meantime while Spikes Spike's iron jaw was grinding at a chunk of the cr crust st he wa wag tearing out oaf the center of the loaf loar of bread breall with his its hand and kneading the dough thus filched within hi his paw palm made a good and without mutt wu tr ankle tl engaged the Jailers Jailer's Interest It was then that Spike leaning back managed managed man man- aged undetected to pass the dough around the key that opened the lock of ot his own cell In an instant he had the tIle coveted impression A bell warne warned the jailer that the visitors visitor's time was up In parting the confederates shook hands As they did so so Spike slipped the dough unobserved unobserved served into palm and succeeded succeeded succeeded suc suc- In conveying to him by signs an n intimation of ot what he had hud given him Capelle who wino had arrived on Sea Sea- grues grue's peremptory summons at the ap ap- appointed pointed place some distance from the Jail awaited there with a agrin agrin grin rn Some expedition youve you've embarked cm cm- barked on was In no mood for Joking One you OU shoved me Into he retorted retort retort- ed He curtly told his con confederate red crate erate what had occurred Then he drew from Irom his overcoat pocket Spikes Spike's handful of dough showed it to Capelle Capelle Capelle Ca Ca- pelle and explained what it was Have Havea a key ker made tonight from this impression impression sion son meet me here tomorrow with ft it The following afternoon was was again at the jail this jail this time ostensibly ostensibly os os- os- os to visit Hyde Passing Spikes Spike's cell a dust coat hanging somewhat somewhat somewhat some some- what ostentatiously from his arm Sea Sea- grue paused to greet him In doing this to took occasion to lay his fingers fingers fin fin- fingers gers on ono one of the bars of the cell door as he said good morning the new key from his hand inside the barred do door r. r Spikes Spike's foot toot at once covered covered covered cov cov- ered it Moving loving on Sed ruc let fall faIl from his arm one of ot the two dust coats which he was In III reality carrying Spike dropping like a cat on his knee whipped the fallen garment swiftly in between the bars and while and the jailer remained with Hyde Spike made a rapid change of oC clothing Slipping into the dust coat he lie found Cound in one of the pockets a cap and a pair of oC goggles thoughtfully stowed And watching his life chance chanco for the corridor to to be empty ho cautiously unlocked his cell door peered out anI and swung Qs s 9 hy ff a s k ka a Y G Gave ve Her a i Note Not to the Agent at Signal Station the door noiselessly open Hardly a moment after the jailer and had left Hydes Hyde's cell Spike walked boldly Up tip 1 the corridor his corridor his avenue of escape was open I In Helens Helen's homo home two days pra practically U- U cally dally completed the rapid tragedy of ot other her changed circumstances s Her m maid id wll whom m sho she to toM d sue ado c could uld no r keep h had il g gent gene ne In and tears tears and the coun country cohn- cohn try seat as well as the town house h se had gl given gln n over OVel with furn furnishings hi to creditors Vans stood backed up in the tl front driveways s 's and the library itself scene of her cruelest misfortunes tunes was being dismantled b by ing m it m the morning that Rh Rhine Rhine- ne Il t her thero for the last time timeto timeto time timeto to discuss her future Yo You are are stubborn he tic insisted taking her hand tenderly I like independence in in- dependence dependence anybody anybody does s. s It is h. gritty it it is s American American and its it's its all allright allright allright right in its place But under such c cir circumstances pir- pir r as these you should c come e with m me as I want you OU to to imy home home- You will ba a welcome me daughter dau iter to my wife and to ine nee me You know we Ye are arc unhappily childless Y Your ur father r w would uld have hav wished this wy guy wife has asked it t of or you as I I do now Why persist pei in n refusing us Helen did JId not ver ato at once though her gratefulness shone from her eyes Im not merely Uncle Amos she he at length nor nor ungrateful I have thought overy everything thing over oYer or so long and care care- fully tully But Hut 1 I ca cant can't l help feeling that I must for tor a while anyway remain independent 1 intend to earn my myown myown myown own living Rhine lander er felt he could say no more They discussed other things for 01 a ti time and she then confided to him her hel plans for COl making a start Nothing 1 in all the tho rapid eV events of ot the tho fortnight had seemed to him more than this resolve that his hla old friends friend's daughter had bad so so resolutely taken He looked 10 almost weary and troubled us as he took from his pocketbook pocketbook pocketbook pocket- pocket book a C card and on it wrote the message message mes meg sage Helen kad had asked him to write I Arthur Gaylord Superintendent C. C R R. R T T T.-R. T. R. R R R. R Dear Gay The bearer Miss Helen Holmes wants Work Anything An you youcan youcan youcan can do will be appreciated R R. Though her resolution I hind had been taken it seemed to require all of ot lichens Helens courage to make the actual start on the path she had chosen She reached the superintendents superintendent's office at Beaman next nest day after wandering allover allover all allover over the yards to Lo find it almost frightened fright fright- frightened ened out of oC her undertaking J Gaylord the superintendent met mether het her with a consideration that dispelled dispelled dispelled dis dis- her fears In a few words he lie spoke feelingly of ot her father and after aHer asking what she would like to try gave her a note to the agent at Signal Signal Sig Sig- Signal nal station assigning her for dencal den clini clinical cal work due to the off cutoff construction construction tion Uon already under way war there George |