The Crime of the Trenches: or, Clif Faraday's Last Cartridge — page 28: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

a ee ee —_ ~ TRUE BLUE. ‘To get away and afford him an oppor- tunity to warn the people what we were talking about.”’ Oh! Jdon’t think that.’’ ‘You can never tell, with these tracherous dons. ‘They sell a decent friend for a drink, and as to an American—tlie place is Spanish enough yet to make them wicked and ugly. “Up, Vic!” SU p,3t 1s? Clif groped about and guessed his bearings—it would be a straiglit’climb among a bewildering maze of braces and rafters. He could hear the eagle fluttering far aloft, probably at the extreme top of the steeple. ‘What have you got to hold it with, if we succeed in getting to it??? inquired Clif. : ‘It’s got quite a bit of rope dangling from one foot.”’ ‘*T fancy we can manage then.’’ Clif Faraday’s masterly energies were put in full requisition to accomplish the purpose lying at hand, but his thoughts were all on the gloomy building opposite and its mysterious inmates. It was something to recapture the 1nas- cot of the Uncas, but this sentimental ex- ploit lost force in considering that not for an unnecessary moment must sight be lost of that hoodoo of the navy—the traitor, David Parr. Clif took the initiative. his climbing lead. The old steeple shook warningly the higher they went. The first of a series of narrow windows in its length reached, Clif halted at an ominous creak. ‘“You needn’t come up any higher,’’ he said to Vic. ‘*Tt does seem unsafe.’’ ‘Even for one. Remain here.”? “You'll tackle Old Terror alone?” “T think I had better. What was that?’ It sounded like a shout followiny a re- pressed whistle, but the echoes were vague and misleading in that confined, hollow void. _‘*Some street cry, probably.”’ “Not Warrington ?”’ | Vic followed screech, ¢ ’ “JT told him to fire—gave him my re. volver—if there was occasion for alarm,’? explained Vic. 7 | | Clif resumed the ascent. He started to peer from the window, but the clouds of dust and cobwebs kept him busy till there was a flutter, a shrill and then Clif’s clear, definite call. . oagae “T have him!’ ‘‘Capital!’’? voiced Vic, in relief and satisfaction. ‘‘Tha®will placate Warring- ton—lie deserves the reward for sticking to me so patiently. Clif!’ : ‘fVie!” / The double call was a blended aspira- tion of significant alarm. i A warning, a signal, had rang out un- mnistakably in the neighborhood of the street—— | 3 A pistol shot. oe ‘Warrington!’ cried Vic. ‘Some one nred!’’ added Clif hastily. ‘Get down quick as you can, Vic! I’m hampered and can’t go fast.’’ ‘“You’ve got to! Mercy! Clif Faraday, we’re 1n an awful fix!’’ ‘“What’s that!’ called Clif, fully startled at the emphatic declaration. Vic Rollins had glanced from the win- dow—thie roof thirty feet below met his view. , Avsight that met his gaze caused that vivid ejaculation. : The man who had passed himself and Tom Warrington in the church vestibule ona drunken slouch an hour previous, was in full sight. | With him was a second sinister-looking fellow. : They were bustling about two braces, that, propped against small blocks, prac- tically kept the recently bombarded steeple from crashing out of place. | One had a rope, strong and long. He gave it a loop about the braces, and flung its other end uncoiling over the side of the Structure, so that it must have trailed with ample slack into the street below. Vie Rollins was not so quick a thinker as his comrade, Clif, but he could not fail to read the situation aright. The second of the two fellows ou the roof very much resembled a person he ; *) . * é Pci; MERRY TAKES COMMAND IN No ) - 135 OF TIP TOP ” e , . j- ae ss 4 , , : “ a fies anette 1 a, SS. Le oe! Arr eng 0 a> ~aa. FE a ee ie. ; r - oo iy! OU para AT a" , A re © in + 1a y oe a me A , 1D N an, * SAFE ollie ey Te , tn re A r< Gt . ne Ty ee aes, = 7 +e | oe ned et i cee Ree SAS Sr RIL a) ee? a SG le SM PO ERI EM ERED PRE roy jou hs ee >? Pa : pa ~_ Vl. hrf fa ae RY te ip.) a SES fan i ee .t¥ Lie. Pig ae a oe te oe : f ws - = iv LI a comicbooks.co Pe i ed én Pe * < ° we ie , 7 7 @ m