Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1914-12-28

Today Z1dora tried It on the green
parrot, but the whirling lights simply !
tumbled the bird Off his perch. She
picked him up and revived him and
soon forgot all about him in the re-
newed interest in the spotted collar.
Idly she initiated the marks with the
stub of pencil And then, as
If the whole world had suddenly light
ed up, Zudora at last understood how
Bienreith had come to his death.
When the trial began 1t looked very
bad for John Storm. The alteration
with the decedent in court was review !
ed. the dueling challenge, their pre-
vious enmity. the twelve unaccOunta-
BILE hours. In the balcony Hassam Ali
and the man Burns watched the pro-
lceedings with something more than
normal interest When the jury final
every one conceded that John Storm
was lost man; nothing could save
him from the chair.
Suddenly up the aisle toward the
judges desk came veiled woman.
'Stopw she cried. at was Ill"
Then she tainted. The judge, the
attorneys, the reporters. the spectators,
all rose in their amaZement wo-
man! After the tableau came confu-
sion and chaos. The judge signed to
the jury to return TO their chairs.
Storm, despite the deputy sheriffs,
pushed his way to the woman's side
and swiftly raised the veil.
"ZudOra?" He turned resolutely to
the judge. Your honor. there is some
mistake This young woman has had
nothing to do wit. the death of Bien-
relth 1t is utterly impossible"
THAT remains to be seen, Mr.. Storm.
Return to the docket If you pleaser
but she is innOcentp'
Deputies" called the judge sternly.
He was sorry for Storm, but duty was
duty none the less.
The court was eventually cleared.
Storm was taken back to his cell Has
sam Ali and Burns went away togeth-
er Immediately Zudora sought the
Office of the district attorney. whom
she found haranguing with the counsel
for the defense.
"If | can convince you two gentle
men, will that be sufficient?" she asked.
1T will" affirmed the district at
torney. But why can't you give US
the mans name nowp he asked.
ITO tell his name now would spoil
everything. declared Zudora. 81 have
no evidence at this moment that would
hold in law, but I'll guarantee to place
1t in your hands before midnight You
two will come secretly to my house,
and will secrete you behind some cur
tains. and there you will hear the evi-
dence from the mans own lips"
Very WE'LL" said the district attor-
ney. But | warn you that any kind
OF oriental mummery will not pass as
evidence"
do you see this pencilT' she asked.
exhibiting stub.
"Yes
"lt is the one. II is green. indelible,
not common. everyday pencil The
criminal held this stub In his hand
while strangling Bienreith. Why none
of us shall know unless he can be made
to tell
AT . o'clock a man entered the mys-
tic room. He looked puzzled
You wished TO see me?" he said to
Zudora
Yes. Please sit down. Mr.. Burns.
Above. unbeknown to either the
deep lined face OF NISSAN All appear
ed. In his hand be held a revolver
with Maxim silencer AS has been
said. the mystic room possessed doz-
en- secret exits. From his UPPER one
1t was Hassam Ali's habit to take stock
of his victims before meeting them
personally. He waited.
Zudora began to ask aimless ques-
tions Burns eyed her restlessly Sud
denly she sprang the trap She held
up the pencil.
This is yours. ] saw you writing
with 1t. 1t fell to the floor, where I
found It 1t is the same pencil that
marked the collar of Bienreith In his
death struggles"
Burns jumped to his feet. Zudora
did likewise. throwing on the power