The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1910-02-12
Ri N @ s


the tip an I'm here L sell It. They're gon'-t search
the under thr roof-with the heavy door
800" lie said slowly and with the word ht
Strengthened and line Of white teeth showed through
his beard His right hand shot up suddenly and he
had me lined with the revolver, which, as knew, hs
had been lingering from the first.
Hold on I snapped quick without moving.
got two pals outside. If I'm not bacl In fifteen min.
ucs berell be a squad OF cops here the run
"Hc stood n and glnrcd eye into eye.
II the supreme test Of the long chance I'd takcu
saw the muscles Of his fingers tighten the re-
vover grip and the blood leapcd in my throat. But
had Judged him rightly, The very word police sent
shvcrs through him, connected, / judged 1t was,
very unplensanlly with his past My story
likely and there another way.
'So-or he said again. when he had reached his dc.
csion Stand up he snarlcd 1 obeyed. He stepped
over TO me and searched me swiftly 7 was unarmcds
Turn nr-round- he ordered, and IL you make
move-your friends will wait many fifteen minutes
my back was toward the desk He returned TO his
own side pulled drawer and the next instant the
click of a telegraph key sounded. Hc in German
Morse code
"'open-safe-1O-two rigbt-i3-thrcc lcft-17-
one rlght-9-red-hox-m Observation-Disclosures fer
ry-mmediately'
Just to side of me stood lacquered screen and
straight to my left opened the long hall leading to the
swimming tank. AS ltc closed his message and tapped
for answer / grabbed the screen tossed it over NV
shoulder and dnrted for the passage. The move was
a complete surprise since he sat between and the
entrance to the wing by which had come II lie
looked for any it was for one toward him, The
screen crashed upon him, the desk and the lamp and
by the time he jumped up with a yell L was In the
hall.
"rhen 7 heard him laugh You foolg lie yelled.
There Is way out
It reached the door opening from the hall at the
right and boltcd through into the big gymnasium
black as a pocket and hummlng with the drum Of the
rain on the roof. l had gained my position In the
darkness before he appeared in the doorway could
sec him bloed against the faint glow in the hall He
laughed again.
".Worse and worse. 1 shall have to shoot yox
now You arc trapped my friend. with that he
stepped inside pulled the door after him and locked
It, He meant to find me by sound He was too wary
to strike match since that would blind him aud
give me a chance to rush With his wonderful quick.
ness on trigger and his trained to woodcrnft
have no doubt he looked for pleasant and amusing
hunt He stood moment, then moved cautiously
little way and stopped, listening.
meanwhile / very comfortable On entering
after Il few seconds of cropping 1 had caught the
of the line of travelling rings that hung the
length of the and had moved to the middle,
where hung at rest with leg crooked through one
and through another. I had thrown off my
oyercoat disguise and flying light For several
minutes the Baron waited patiently for sound.
then he began to circle the room. walking with great
Apparently, sober thought the situation did
not strike him as being simple he had thought
and l heard him slip off his shoes After that 1 had
my troubles In keeping track OF him.
The rain doomed and ratified above, with a rising
note under the gusts, and covered any creak of the
ring ropes ut their fastenDgs the roof beam. The
darkness In the gymnasium was impenetrable, even
TO practised eyes aud began to be conscious tue
oppression and confusion one feels In such condi.
tion. l left my position and travelled back toward
the door taking to let each ring fan easily TINT
might not clnk with its neghbor At the last RUG
came TO knee rest
II caught shuttle of the Baron's feet at my
left and again, moment later toward the centre of
The ROOM That was what had waited for. / re-
traced my course once more, pauslng at each ring
AT the middle Of the line 1 hung low Near me- So
ear that / could almost feel it OH my check was
regular. suppressed breathing
Hanging by one hand. with the other 1 dipped a
little pocket pencil into corner. 1t had no sooner
struck the floor with sharp rap when a red stre1k
OF flame split the backncSs below and side OF
Inc roaring report rang through the gymnasium.
The Hash showed me vaguely the crouchng form OF
the Baron, and the next instant dropped landing
iull weight upon his neck and shoulders. catching his
wrist and wrenchng 1t behind him
'IIc fought Aercely, but he was 10 match for me at
damned 1t into his back until he gave In. Then led
nm back to his study He looked the wild beast lie
was as he took In my correct attire with raging eye
Dut gave him no time for comments. / lashed and
gagged him and walked the way had come
Half un hour later forced the door Of the room
under the roof at Bue's, opened the safe and found
INC red box IL contained OF the Burgeon Jewels
The necklace intact. y week afterward two distinct
,lnsSes of people began to wonder, what had he.
come of the Baron Ernst Won Null and the other what
lad become of Dutch Brne. 1 couldn't help either of
hem. for never knew l have heard however OF a
desperate garotter and thief who has operated in Be
In and evaded the police for years. 1 have an Idea
hat the Baron went home in spite Of the pressure that
ent him here"
But what about Brug? Didn't he take the alarm
t the telegraph mcssaGe:" asked Laxton
HE might have, II he had received It." sad the
master. II cut In on the private wire from an nd.
dining roof and grounded it when left to make my
all"