Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-04-09
through the Wall
BY
CLEVELAND MOFFETT
cepyrtsht. 1899. By D. A,pieton . Co.

tAAC 0OSIOA AOAOCA 6AoVSAyS WAA4AS
Coquenil, with breathless interest,
with a morbid fascination. watched
the beating Of this red column. It was
like the beating Of red blood.
"And this"
AS the picture changed there was q
CULVER in the pulsating column. hes
itation with a quick futtering at the
bottom of the stroke; then the red
line shot up full nine inches. NJ. Paul
glanced at the sheet aud saw a perfect
reproduction Of private room No. 6 In
the Ansonia. And slowly as they look
ed two holes appeared in the wall.
Then dim shape took form upon the
foor more and more distinctly until
the dissolvfng lens brought mans
body into clear view, body stretched
face downward in dark red pool that
grew and widened. slowly staining
and wetting the polished wood.
"Groener." said the magistrate, do
you recognize this room?"
mo" But the column was pulsing
wildly.
You are lying, Groener." accused
the. Judge. "There!" He signaled the
lantern operator. and there leaped
forth on the sheet the head Of Mar
tinez. the murdered, mutilated head,
with shattered eye and painted cheeks
and the greenish death pallor showing
underneath. CHASTITY. leering cadaver
photographed at the morgue.
WHO is it?' demanded the judge.
II don't know" declared the ac-
cused.
Again the picture changed.
"Who is this?"
"Queen Victoria"
/ Here suddenly, at the view of Eng
lands peaceful sovereign. Groener
seemed thrown into frightful agita-
ton. Up and down in mad excite
ment leaped the red column as if the
frightened heart were trying to burst
the tube with its squirting red jet.
The doctor put his mouth close to Co
quenil's ear and whispered. Its the
shock showing now. the shock that he
held back after the body"
There! Do you know these faces?''
AS he spoke there appeared the fake
photograph that Coquenil had found
in Brussels-Alice at the age of twelve
with the smooth young widow.
Look at the girl in this false pic
ture which you had cunningly made
in Brusselsv' cried the judge. "Who
is she? There is the reason for your
killing Martinez"
Now the prisoners pulse was run
ming wild. faster and faster.
o,,tiC 70 fplrf11 - h "a xTonf
on; Martinez held your secret. How
had Martinez come upon it? The
whole aim of this investigation has
been to get the secret. and we have got
It! Groener. you have written this
secret for US IN words Of terror. We
know what Martinez knew when you
took his life; we know the story OF
the medal that he wore."
81 know nothing about this man or
his medal" flung back the prisoner.
"No? Then you will be glad to hear
the story. 1t was a medal of solid
gold awarded Martinez by the city of
Paris for conspicuous bravery ins saw
ing lives at the terrible charity ba-
zaar fire. Have you forgotten the de-
tails of the charity bazaar fre?"
81 am not interested in the subject"
answered the accused.
''Ah. but you are, or you ought to be.
Hundreds burned to death-think of
that! Cowarlly men trampling wo-
men and children! Duchesses burned
to death! Rich women burned to
death! Think of it, Groener. and
he stgnaled the operator. land look at
ns'
As he spoke the awful tragedy be-
gan in one of those extraordinary NOV
ing pictures that the French make
after a catastrophe. Here before them
leaped redder flames than ever crac-
kled through the real charity bazaar;
here were women and children perish
ing in more savage torture than the
actual victims endured; here were hor-
rors piled on horrors. Coquenil had
seen this picture in one Of the boule-
ward theaters, and straightway after
the precious nine second clew Of the
word test he had sent Papa Tgnol Oh
for It posthaste. If the mere words
"charity bazaar had struck this man
dumb with fear. what would the thing
itself do-the revolving. CHASTITY thing:
Then suddenly the tension snapped;
the prisoner sprang to his feet. and,
tearing his arm from the leather
sleeve, he faced his tormentors des-
perately.
.No, no. mo-" he shrieked. "You