River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1914-10-08

W
Lucille Escaping With the Papers.
a second in that direction. her heart
thudding so violently at sight of the
diary and papers there that she was
fearful she would be heard. Along
side the papers, its facets sending out
a million flashes Of reddest blood, lay
the strand of rubies. She marked the
involuntary fexing of the thief's
hands as he tiptoed toward them.
Not a sound disturbed the silence
but something caused her to dart
swift glance at the sleeper. His eyes
were narrowed. but open; lights OF
amused malice in them she had never
suspected could show in mortal eyes,
lights so malignant she shuddered even
as she would have opened her lips to
cry q warning. The butler-thief drew
closer to the prize he had worked SO
hard to gain. His thief's Singers were
outstretched to grasp the necklace.
when, with a crash. the lamp darted
toward him, smashing upon the floor
and leaving utter blackness in its
wake
Upon the heels of his startled alarm
came a chuckling laugh from Lou
beuue. a laugh that matched the evil
that had glowed from his eyes SO
scant before. Came a gurgled oath.
the heavy breathing Of strong men IN
combat
Lucille turned as though to run.
There came a swift vision before her.
one that made her step swiftly within
the wall of mantled darkness. Eyes
met her own eyes, eyes that seemed to
force their way through the dark In
terror and cause her to forget every
thing that had interviewed, eyes that
mirrored a message lsB 1--we aaA fash
and hope to her as a1aa adSsssa iaEseA
from the window Of faa 1ayg8aRttua
house in San Francisco into che eyes
Of her lover, the man whose happiness
could not be insured without those pa
pers so short q space before her.
With the thought she sprang into the
room. She bounded high, clearing the
bodies of the two men and landing
squarely against the table Cropping,
grOping. her hands encountered the
cold rubies. She thrust them swiftly
into her bodice, her left hand contfn-
uing the search. Papers rustled under
her fingers. An iron hand was upon
her shoulder, but she wrenched herself
loose and leaped back.
Along the wall she moved until her
body encountered the swaying door.
Even as Loubeque sprang at her she
slapped the door shut There came a
cry Of pain and rage. the stumble Of
feet backward.
Lucille fled through the night, fed
toward where she had seen the motor
car from which Thompson had come
to this place. 1t was a chance. ne
odds what orders the man had been
given
What commands had he been given?
She stopped a second. She had been
warned to wait for three boots Of the
owl. and but two had been given. I'm
pulse directing her, she lifted her
hands to her mouth First no sound
came second time she made the at
tempt Feeble it was at best. but the
startled silence took it up and hurled
back this offender against restfulness
To her right came the pur Of the
motor From behind sounded a shot
She lunged toward the first sound and
entered the tonneau. A dark figure
leaned from the seat and drew her be-
side him. Lucille elung to the man,
sobbing from nervous reaction even as
the car shot through the night.
The whine of a bullet sounded over
head, another and yet again another.
She dared not look back. The papers
warmed through the flesh against
which they pressed, warmed through
her body and to her very heart itself.
But Hugo LoubeQue knew the method
of her departure, knew what she car
ried with her. And already she knew
Hugo Loubeque was working to over
take her.
Low in the seat beside the driver
crouched Lucille with the precious pa
pers and rubies in the waiting auto
mobile the butler had arranged foy
himself
Suddenly she leaned forward. beat
ing her little fists together. urging the
Mexican chauffeur to accelerate bis
speed. The man smiled down at her.
shaking his head to signify be did not
understand the words. even as he
stepped on the clutch and shot the car
forward like a huge arrow newly re-
leased from the bow. and behind SEINE
where, upon the same road there was
another machine with a determined
man in it, man who had never yet
allowed machine or. man or even the
elements to thwax Bsna.
Then came the duh crunching sound
from before her. Ehs @R sxzarxsa
yiciously, swung In such an abrunt