River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1914-10-15


Keep the hand in the pocket.
Thompson. Keep it there or | shall be
obliged to shoot and muss the place"
The butler-thief's upper lip curled
back from his teeth, giving him the ex-
preston of an angry monGrel dog.
And you thought to play with me-.
I.0ubeuue murmured woRderingly.
more to himself than to his captive.
.sThe man who knows me better than
any one else thought to catch Loubeque
sleeping. You dared come near me
after the second affair If but had
the time | should strange you with
these hands. They itch fer the fe4
of your throat once more. 1 have
little favor to ask YOU
The thief growIed something tnar-
ticulate, and his eyes glittered veR-
omousIy as he fastened them upon the
toes Of his boots.
Now. Thompson, just step to the
telephone and call mp the desk down
stairs" He made a significant little
gesture with the revolver in his hand,
and the man hurriedly took down the
receiver. his face pasty yellow.
"Say there is hotel sneak thief Ia
Mr. Loubeque's apartment waiting to
be arrested. Mr.. Loubeque has no
time to make charges now, bat viii
return shortly or meet the procession
downstairs"
The receiver dropped gathering from
the thief's hand. Loubeque waved the
automatic quietly toward it and, as the
pitiful eyes Of his former servant met
bis own. they read no pity there-nOth
ing save g cold, vindietiYs intent. Tire
trembling hand took up the receiver
once more and, word FOR word. tRaRS-
mitted the message as It fell like ley
particles from the spy's lips. Then
Thompson whirled toward him.
Turn me over, will you! Well, listen
to what's coming to you whe2 you DO
it. / know thing or two
"You know too mHch," s1ai1ed the
spy cooIly. That is exactly the reason
am disposing off,
"And / know about her" The thiefs
hand waved toward the corridor.
Maybe I can't tell thing or two
about you and her. What's she doing
here-what's the reason she got on the
Empress and stuck to you ever since
The revolver slapped against the OPP
posite wall as Loubeque hurled It at
the mans head. following 1t with his
flying body. his frame crashing the
man to the floor, his fingers cropping
for the vile mouth that spluttered on.
81 amt saying as what you and me
know-I'm saying as what l can tell
and what it'll look like. What
Loubeque turned hts head suddenly,
his ears fairly peaked with the eager
ness of his listening. The rattle OF the
elevator outside reached his ears. He
sprang to his feet, dragging the butler
after him.
eve must get ous." be bpeathed
hoarsely. "We muss away before they
come. I'll-Ill kill sssEeye1Na SgVs1aFg@
Swiftly the pair &aatsA tsHaaAA sGse
hurriedly twisted the knob 10 Lalci2le's
door. 1t flung open. With a gasptog
sob of relief he dragged Thompson
after him and slapped the door shut.
maintaining his hold meantime.
"And that is what you would say
would tell?' His voice was not harsh.
not even indignant. merely curious.
That's whaty Thompson straight
ened. touch of braggadocio about his
very figure.
Slowly, inexorably. the fingers Of
Hugo Loubeque reached out and grasp
| ed the mans wrists. Slowly. inewora
| bly,, he pressed the cold metal Of the
automatic iron into the useless palm.
| Slowly. inexorably. that weapon bear
ing hand was lifted lifted until It
pressed against the bluefng lips Of the
| thief, then stopped. Loubeque's vaice
was soft. purring. soething.
"Open the teeth, nay cid friend
| open them or I'll knock them out! Put
the gun inside your mouth. It's SIM
ple-only a second-then a longer trip
| than you've ever taken before. Don't
fght-it's useless-you should know
| that Surely you WON'T resist and
make it hard for your master Just
think-if you DON'T might be called
"a murderer-while-H you follow In
| structions-it 's-just-
With every syllable he rendered the
wrists of the struggling man more fee
BILE, forced the steel muzzle Of the gun
more and more karshly against the
tender gums. AS he pronounced his
final judgment. the Judgment he hoped
would prove that of coroner, the
muffled shot beat against the walls Of
the room. Thompson writhed. then
Strengthened. Loubeque held tightly
| to the wrists until rigor norris grip
| ped them about the weapon
| AS Lucille stood in the doorway ct
Loubeque's room, her eyes always
keenly suspicious to the slightest triAe
when about the ,man. observing that
| rs he talked with her his eyes were
fastened upon the gloved hand. ia
| Stantly it had struck her as strange he
shor1d VICAR glove IN his roOro Thea