The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1914-10-18

! the rear of his man all the while. but
for this caution he would have witnessed
little pantomime that would have put
him wholly upon his guard. turning
countess. He was quick enough TO
place a finger on his lips and motion his
head toward a taxicab. Olga hadn't the
| least idea who was coming around the
| corner, but she hailed the cab and was
off in it before Jim swung around the
corner.
| Jones, who had followed the countess
for s9pething over an t hour ana ba R na,.
dered. The countess knew the man.
That was evidence enough for the as
tute butler. But what meant the panto-
| mime and the subsequent hurry? He
soon learned. The man Gregg Went MS
way, and then Jim turned the corner.
Jones cast a wistful glance at the van
ishing cab of the Russian. and decided
to shadow the shadower-in other words,
/ follow the reporter, to see that nothlns
| serious befell him.
eral times during his tits with the
| Black Hundred he had gone outside the
| boundary Of caution-and paid for 1t.
| He did As very thing today. and but for
Jones he might have Jared extremely
Braine swore that this time Norton
should suffer. He would wiring the
| truth out of the reporter, the truth as
far as he knew 1T. Braine was positive
| that Norton knew one or the other OF
two things: Hargreaves whereabouts
| and whether or not the mysterious box
] contained the million.
I The lurer finally paused at a door,
opened 1t with a key. and swung 1t be.
to spring the latch. Naturally Jim was
nightly pleased when he found the
door could be opened. When Jones, not
far behind. saw him open the door. ne
started to call out a warning. but
/ thought the better of it. If Norton was
! walking into a trap it was far better
, that he, Jones, should remain outside of
| it. If Jim did not appear after a GER
tain length of time, he would start an
Investigation on his own account
than he was set upon and overpow.
cred. They had in this house what
was known as 1.-The punishment room. .
Here traitors paid the reckoning and
| were never more heard of. Into this
room Jim was unceremonously drop:
ped when Braine found that he could
get no Information from the resolute
! reporter.
The room did not look sinister. but
: for all that it possessed the faculty OF
growing smaller and smaller slowly OF
swiftly, as the man above at the lever
willed. When Jim was apprised OF this
fact he ran madly about in search OF
some mode of escape. knowing full
we'll in his heart that he should not
find one
Presently the machinery began tc
/ work, and Norton's tongue grew drJ
with terror. They had him this time
there was not the least doubt OF IT
And they had led him there by the
nose into the bargain.
Twenty minutes passed. and Jones
concluded it was time for him to act
He went forward to try the door, but
this time it was locked. Jones, how
ever. was not without resource. The
house next door was vacant: and NJ
found a way into this. finally reach
ing the roof. From this he jumped tc
, the other roof, found the scuttle open
and crept down the stairs, flight after
fight, till the whir Of a motor arrested
him.
Conspirators are often overeager. too
So intent were the rascals upon the
business at hand that they did not no
tice the door open slowly. 1t did moi
take the butler more than moment t(
realize that his friend and ally was neal
certain death. With an oath he sprans
into the room. gave Braine push which
sent him down to join the victim. and
pitched into the other two. 1t was a
battle royal while it lasted. Jones
knocked down one of them, Yelled to
Norton. and kicked the rope, he saw
was attached to a ring in the wall
And up this rope Norton swarmed after
he had disposed of Braine. The tide oil
battle then swung about in favor of the
butler. and shortly the fake reporter
and his companion were made to joir
their chief
Jones stopped the machinery. He
could not bring himself to let his enc
dies die so horribly. Later he knew he
would regret this sentiment.
When the police came. summoned hy
some outsider who had heard the racket
Of the conflict, there was no one to be
found in the pit. Nor was there any
visible sign Of an exit.
There was one. however, built against
such an hour and known only to the
chiefs of the Black Hundred.
And still the golden-tinted bank notes
reposed TRANQUILITY in their hiding place
CTo Be Continued Next Sunday