The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1914-03-08

door. and assuming look of horror.
Torchc, thrown off his guard by the
ruse, allowed Poe TO give strange
little whistle, almost unnoticed;
whistle curiously like that which had
issued from the lips of the single man
sitting at the Tar end of the box next
to the Blondclls at the Cbatelet
At that instant, while Torche s gaze
was still fixed on the closet door,
pink nose and two CLASSY eyes pcepcd
out from beneath the left leg of the
performers 5 tapping trousers, and Poe
dropped one of the bright red cherries
from the bag bc had purchased, within
q foot or two OF the animal.
With a swift swoop the sleek rat
pounced upon the cherry, clutchcd it
between ITS teetn, and, like flash,
darted up the trousers leg again.
Christopher Poe stood with cynical
smile deeply groovcd in his hard
checks.
With cultural snarl Torcbe sprang
to action, clutched the knife in a leap,
and dashed on Poe, only to find a
eyes, and the cool voice OF Poe de-
! msnding:
"Giye me the Royal Ruby!r
81 Sa majestic diabolique lie Diablel y
| bisscd Torche, backing from the gun,
the whites of his eyes rolling, and his
hands quivering up like the rays Of
heat from n stove, with steady mo-
! tiou, '' on have the secret. You saw
| me in the box tunight!''
| His agonystraincd fingers, still
clutchmg the knife, had quivered up
above his head, and with sudden
| twist be Jerked the whole force OF his
body behind the blade, aud crushed it
down upon his adversary. Before Poe
could pull the trigger a large woman
leaped on him from behind with a
J suarl, and bowled him 10 the floor, the
knife hurting into the closet from
which the woman had burst forth uu.
noticed.
In the struggle that followed. the
French pair fought like savagcs, Poe S
revolver was kicked from his hand
and Torche suddenly leapcd after it.
| giving Poe the chance 10 twist from
beneath the woman with a wrestling
trick and dash through the door TO the
head OF the stairs. where Torche- had
stopped 10 pick up The revolver.
Before Poe could grasp Torche the
woman hurled herself upon MIN again
and in the turmoil that followed the
STOPPING Torche lost his balance. and
hurtled down the rickety flight of
steps; near the bottom the body
Poe trembed at the sound Of an agon.
| izing scream. a the man slipped
through the opening between the bal
Usirades. and dropped with kicking
clatter 10 the main floor. four stories
below. The woman stiffened up. and
released her hold on Poe, "a she lis,
tened in awful silence, the muscles in
her face stretched tense with horror.
In that instant Poe recognized her
as an Apache. dyed in criminality
whom he had encountered before
She returned TO the fight like q
lioness. but Poe managed 10 overcome
her and bind her ankles and wrist,
skillfully with the cord torn from hei
dressing gown
He left her struggling or the door
| SILL moaning. lie diable Poe. anc
snatching az the cord with her teeth.
She wrigglcd through tthe DOORWAY
into the room. and struggled towar,
ono corner, kissing vile oaths at To,
meantime who stood with bis arm
folded. watching her direction intcntly
Finding ihst she was surely cdgin:
toward a rickety desk in tho corner
/, Poe anticipated her effort. stepped Z,
the crazy piece Of furniture. and pickcC
Imp several articles. ono after another
!. ,he woman watching MIN with greedy
eatlike eyes.