Evening star., 1909-05-09
Vengeance of Pi Ro Nu
Continued from page 8


the door, heard several visitors arrive, saw
them give the hailng sign and pass up stairs
At about eleven o'clock the watchman looked
at his watch, lighted his pipe, and walked into
the room opposite, evidently to sleep This
was the time, if any time safe, to invest-
gate the upper floors!
Up one floor he crept softly found all dark,
and listened. From higher up came now the
sounds of laughter. of singing and an occasional
cheer He crept up the next flight the noise
grew louder. He opened a door at the right of
the landing, and found huge hall, once used
for machinery The pounding of feet on the
ceiling told him that the men he had seen en-
ter were Immediately above. He paced the
room, and found it to be hundred feet by
fifty Opposite the long row of shuttered win
dows was another door. This he entered. and
found small room, evidently once used for an
Office, with fireplace mantel, and one window
Step by step he now assembled the next flight
of stairs. the sounds of revelry growing louder
every minute. A glance above showed a
streak of light through the half-opened door
A nearer approach showed another door. cor
responding to that of the Office he had noticed
below. He darted up to the landing, put his
hand to the handle of this door, and it opened
easily Passing in he closed it behind him and
looked about
There was cot bed with pair of blankets
drawn up against the wall. basket of food,
and pitcher of water and many beer bottles on
table A fireplace the other wall CORE
sponded to the one he had seen below Astro
stole to the keyhole of the door leading into the
hall and listened smile came to his lips
Brigham! Brigham" the company was
yelling
From his post Astro could see only the broad
back of Brigham in the light of many candles:
but he could hear perfectly the speech that fol-
lowed
BROTHERS of the Pi Ro Nu,' Brigham be-
gan, far be it from me to try to make
speech to-night-as you know | can't! But III
take my turn in testifying to the utter deprav-
ity of the prisoner
Cries of Hear, heari'' interrupted him, and
after they were stilled Brigham went on.
THE event is now piece of the history of
the Pi Ro Nu; but III briefly state the facts.
Two years ago l was married"
began to sing.
And it was my fond intention to pass my
honeymoon in an automobile. In fact 1t was
begun all right, and I'd have been safe If | had
contented myself with driving only daytimes:
But on my very first evenng-we were married
at noon-I was held up by band of desperados
on the road from Albany to Troy. | should
have been able to take care of all of them with
my fists: but l could never take gun calmly
The result was that was tied up with Mrs. Brig
ham and carried into lonely house She was
put into one room. and | into another. Gentle
men. | ask you to picture my feelings that
night, as l heard scream after scream coming
from the room adjacent for hours unending. 1t
was only because | knew my bride had been
carried safely away to the nearest hotel that
was able to sleep at all So, gentlemen, | de
mand the penalty Of
DEATH" shouted the rest in chorus, after
which there were calls for Doc Hanbury Han
bury was invisible from Astro's peephole; but
his voice rose clearly.
Il also was married, he began, and was also
interrupted by the popular chorus; but under
painful and embarrassing circumstances, he
continued. THE afternoon of the wedding my
fiat was entered and | was garroted by two
masked men. | was tied to chair, and then
one of them painted my face deliberately but
too fancifully with iodine. He painted my
cheeks in circles, gentlemen. and my brow was
picturesque plaid of squares Those of you
who were present at the ceremony possibly re-
marked the grease paint that attempted too
unsuccessfully to cover my shame. had to do
it. You cant explain an absence from your
own wedding except by"
"Death!" came the jovial chorus.
One after another proceeded to testify, each
constantly interrupted by the hilarious mem
bers of the fraternity.
PUT Astro had heard enough. 1t was evident
= that Farralon, the master spirit of the asso-
citation and fiercest of its practical jokers, had
met his just deserts. Just what they would do
with him, Astro could not guess. but that the
bridegroom would need friend not to be
doubted. How was he to be helped? Astro
determined to complete his investigation of the