The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-03-24

han through which he passed. with feet
IaiiinS nolselessly on the heavy Wilton
carpet was in Egyptian darkness.
Instead Of Immediately opening the
door TO admit his caller Bovd Deered
with extreme caution through a small
aperture bored through one Of the wal
nut panels
Al. it is Jimmie Coleman" he muir
INJURED.
Then he opened the door, crouching
somewhat as ne did so: and then. with
hghtning-!ike movement of his long
muscular arm, he rudely jerked the
central Office man well into the gloomy
han, and Instantly closed the door. It's
duh bang was mingled with the mu-
hical ciattef OF breaking glass. as d
gIoDe on me hall chandelier was sud
denly Shivered to fragments and fell
in shower of splinters to the Garnet.
while Coleman heard the threatening
song of a bullet within an inch of his
ear.
Good Cod" he exclaimed. as he re-
gained his equilibrium. What was
that. Felix
Boyd replied with an odd little laugh.
retaining his hold on his friends arm
and leading him through the dark hall
token OF affection, Jimmie" said
he, with dry significance. 1t was about
what l expected. It's dangerous Ia be
alive about here of late"
Was it bullet?"
Exactly
The devil you say!"
Nor was it alone. dear fellow. There
were others close behind il. had tho
target remained visible"
YOURSELF"
: Precisely"
But l heard no renort of . mo-,
lpon."
An air-pistol Jimmie" was the 70
ply. "a deadly toy. too. bv the wav
and disagreeable to contemplate from
a certain standpoint. It's not the drst
time I've been up against it. Take a
chair Jimmie VIII you have a cigar
or pipe? You'll find both OH the man
Coleman glanced sharnIv about tho
library. while Felix Boyd closed tho
door by which thoy had entered Tho
attractive room was brightly lighted. A
coal fire burned in the open CRATE. An
ar OF quetudc and comfort pervaded
the room, Yet Coleman quickly noticed
that at each Of the two windows hing
uoupie IaNcr of heavy curtains. over
the ordinary shades and draperieS.
What's the occasion for those 70
liX? he abruptly demanded. Arc Won
playing the reclusc here or what rho Z
devils up that YOU are lying So low
We not laid eyes Oh you for more than /
q week"
y hence
may possibly find me lying even lower /
Jimmie. if not permanently laid out - /
SAID Boyd with a light laugh
coleman regarded him more sbarn- /
~ IN Boyd's keen, gray eyes there /
was a feverish glitter. and they an
peared sunken, as if from protracted !
WdtchIuihess. His features. too. were /
unusually thin and drawn, and notice /
ANY pale Yet ne had lost none of that 1
subtle magnetism and quiet nerve force 1
Whlch invariably characterized him
WHAT'S the meaning of this. FeIix2' /
coleman Sravely asked, as he took q
chair- You're looking a bit off color
why are you thus shut in, and where's
your family
I've sent them ak,-ax- Scr , -, 9,
Sent them away?''
And discharged the servants"
Why SO, FeliX?''
100 warm here for them" said Mr.
Boyd. tersely- I will take no chances
OF DINERS. l have been keeping bach
eio OF, nan Tor more than a week"
FRAY explain, dear fellow"
Boyd reached for his pine. puffed tho
dylng embers to renewed life. ,ben
passed Coleman an open sheet of napeT
Whlch ne took from his desk The CEN
lrai oifice man gazed curiouslv at if If
contained no writing, no ordinary com
IlunIcatlon. II bore only pen-and-iDLx
nf
decidedly threatening significance Ii
was that of serpent's head. with tho
Nenomous fangS angrily 'protruded
What's this?" demanded Coleman
quickly glancing up. Some of vour
own work ?"
Not at all, Jimmie. received it bv
mail ten days ago"
From whom"
Il was left to guess from whom II
came. Not a difficuIt matter r. =,
way" ~ 'i'e
From the Big Finger"
Precisely" nodded Boyd. through a !
ven OF pipe smoke From Mr.. Magnus
Scanlon." Us !
Very hkely"' growIed Coleman
Felix" -
Boyd laughed grimly. and dropned e
INTO an easy chair near the open CRATE.
have you forgotten my comment L
when lay in the Bellevue hospital. !
some months ago, Jimmie. upon the y
escape OF Scanlon just after we so sue =
cesSfnily rounded up his entire sane9.' -
said he. 4 then told you. dear fellow
as the immortal bard puts it. that We /
had scotched the snake. not kill deir u
I recall your remark v
There are some reptiles so tenacious y
OF life, added Boyd. that dismember- :
!nent will not kiln them. Leave but the II
$500 eNAtt eAASS "a SltStNttN grow an n
tire new body. Scanlon. the Big Fin g
ger, is one of these well-nigh indie II
structible reptiles"
II believe you" laughed Coleman n
And we'll YOU may. Jimmie
You are quite sure that this came ''
rom ScanlOn?''
Absolutely sure" reioined Ro,d
With a grim headshake.
II then was two months subsequent
o the eventful night on which. as a G
'esult of the convict code and Of Felix e
3oyd's remarkably bold and clever q
work., Scanlon's entire gang of crooks 1
lad been cornered by the police. and III
rrested in their secret Headquarters
his wholesale capture had promised
0 end forever the long series of GRIM hi
nal operations which. designed and di- al
ected with extraordinary craft and is
Oldness by the chief of the gang a H
lzn of much acumen and rare execu- DC
i've ability. had for several years been IT
most serious menace to the great ia
nancial interests below the dead-line. a
,1s.f- - e