Putnam patriot., 1914-08-21

men of the underworld, which he held at boise all the while he carefully sur veyed his line of retreat
 At length releasing the curtain. the gang leader hopped lightly out upon the grating and disappeared down the iron staircase. watched from above by P. Sybarite.
 Then the little man ran back through the dining room and down the private hall. abandoning every effort to avoid a noise.
 No need now for caution if his pre- monition wasn't worthless-if the vengeful spirit of Mrs Inche had not stopped short of embroilins son and father. but had gone on to the end.
 What he saw from the threshold of the lighted room was Bayard Shaynon still in death upon the floor one tenn pie shattered by shot fired at close range from revolver that lay with butt close to his right hand, carefully disposed with evident intent to indi- cate case of suicide rather than of murder But even most casual superficial inspection should suffice to convince even one prone to precipitate conclusions that Bayard Shaynon had never died by his own hand
 The rooms had been most thorough ly. If hastily. ransacked. In search. P. Sybarite didn't for an instant doubt, of evidence as to the relations between Shaynon and Mrs. lnche calculated to prove discriminating at an inquest, though the little man entertained even less doubt that lust for loot had like wise been a potent motive to influence November
 He found proof enough of this in the turned out pockets of the murder ed man: in the abstra ction from the bosom of his shirt of pearl studs which P. Svbarite had noticed there within the hour: in the abraded knuckles Of a finger from which conspicuous soil .aire diamond in massive antique set ting was missing; in pigskin bill fold. empty. ripped. turned inside out and thrown upon the floor not far from the corpse
 Not. however. with any notion of concerning himself with the assassin's apprehension and punishment did P. Svbarite waste that moment of nasty survey His eyes were only keen and eager to descry the yellow Western Union message and when he had look ed everywhere else his glance dropped to his feet and found it there. torn and crumpled envelope. with it's en- closure hattened out and apart from It.
 This last he snatehed up, but the ell velope he didn't touch. having been quick to remark the print upon it of dirty thumb. the counterpart of which decorated the face of the message as well
 And a hundred more of 'em proba bly," P. Sybarite surmised as to the number of finger marks left by No 7ember. "enouSh to hang him ten fines over which 1 hope and pray they don't before I finish with him
 He turned back to the hall door. lis iening an instant. gently opened 1t. with his handkerchief wrapped around fhe brass doorknob to guard against rlews calculated to involve himself. whether as imputed principal or casual witness after the fact.
 The public hall was empty. dim with .he light of d single electric bulb and still as the chamber of death that lay behind. Never a shadow moved more silently or more swiftly than r. syba- rite when be had closed the door up The steps to Peter Henny's rooms. Briefly P. Sybarite told his story Well. but the telegFamT Peter in- sisted. "Does it heip-tell you any thtsg. It's maddening-to think Ma rian may be in the power of that blood thirsty Wait. I've had time only to run an eve through this Let me get the sense of 1t
 Peter peering over his shoulder. the two conned the message in silence: