Idaho labor herald. (Boise, Idaho) 1913-1914, 1914-12-03

HOoH Aue nettlnS gave signify. She
tore her hands opening the space until
she could get her shoulders through.
Slowly, round and round. she worked
the opening. Ii was finally wide
enough She looked up. The captain
nodded briefly. then disappeared.
In moment he reappeared, slowly
dangling heavy rope from which he
bad made a looped chair. Lucille
edged her way slowly through the
opening She stood upon the heavy
sill outside. hanging to the netting with
one hand the while she reached for. the
rope with the other The second time
her fingers closed about it, Swiftly
she tucked 1t about her skirts, then
drew taut. Her feet swung clear OF
the ledge. Then she felt herself being
slowly lifted. lifted in little spasmodic
jerks
Her finger tips brushed the roof.
Another pull and she had firm hold
and was drawing herself over. Power
ful hands closed about her wrists. when
from below came shout that told she
had been discovered
With an oath the captain yanked her
to the roof. jerked her there so violent
~ she toppled and fell against him,
Strengthened and caught his arm to
support herself.
From beneath them came sounds of
pursuit. hurrying footsteps upon stairs.
loud voices. Lucille seemed to have
all the initiative now. She grasped
the mans arm and hurried him to-
ward the closest chimney just as a sky
light door flung open where they had
stood
He drew revolver and held it stead
lily pointing toward the place. A chip
of plaster cracked at their feet. Luz
ellie looked down at a hattened lead
bullet Yet there had been no shot
fired. She stared incredulously at the
man.
"A silencer- Maxim silencer." he
whispered
She nodded understanding. Together
they crept in the shadow of the Chin
ney toward the thin brick dividing
wall the sanded roof scratching their
hands terribly. Again that fiutter of
chips. The captain turned and fairly
hurled shot from his revolver at the
figures so cautiously approaching. A
cry Of pain followed the report and in
the confusion. the pair made q short
rush.
The pursuit grew bold now. Rose the
voice Of Loubeque. cold. steady, terri
ble
Don't waste shots. Get the man
with lead. Catch the girl"
The captains grip frightened reas-
suringly on her wrist.
If they get me-" he said quietly,
stake the gun and make them work"
In the excitement he became separ-
ated from Lucille. She looked about,
then uttered a cry of warning. He
took step backward. then instructive
ly lifted his elbow as though to avert
a bullet. The movement overbalanced
him and he disappeared over the edge.
a cropping. tumbling thing.
From every direction came the pur-
suit Lucille suddenly noticed there
was no attempt made to close in upon
her. but that she was being driven in a
certain direction. A bullet dashed a
spray of sand into her face, and she
darted aside-darted into a yawning
blackness.
When she opened her eyes she was
to find that there had been
no fall worth mentioning, that she had
merely been driven toward a trap door
and caught as she toppled down. Lou
beque was watching her, a curiously
twisted smile playing about the corners
of his mouth.
you have too many friends. Lucille"
he said
YES" he murmured, after a mo-
ment's silence, you are altogether too
too slippery, too nerve racking a pris-
oner think. while the search for
the packet is going on it would save
wear and tear on our constitutions to
move you to my ranch-my ranch in
Mexico. A beautiful spot" he smiled.
Il trust you will enjoy it as much as
l have"
Lucille looked at him steadily. In
the eyes of both glowed an indomita-
bic purpose. a hard resolve, a mutual
Loubeque smiled once
more. this time grimly.
aoHOFS nave Dee0 100 even TILL now.
| fancy the ranch will settle the rub
Der satlsfactorily-at any rate. satisfac-
torily to me-"
AS Thompson, the butler-thief, swift
ly descended to the ground door and
out into the court and knelt over the
body Of the man who had fallen from
the roof top. his hands futtered over
the man like tiny. white birds
the pockets he went, riding
them completely and replacing those
things which would be of no value to
him. He stopped as he unwrapped the
note Lucille had written on the scrap
Of paper and bound about the ruby.
Incredulity, avarice and puzzled de-
light fought for mastery upon his face,
In his eyes. Secreting the ruby I'm his
pocket. he carefully lifted his burden
and carried 1t to the basement OF the
house Then he took one last, loving
look at his find and started In search