The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1915-08-07

| NOh uliuCFSbdhu, Sdlu, lttllIll
my handy Colt in my back pocket t
make sure ii was there
Forget what | have said-all-al
that have told you tonight, sir" h,
said. Il have not explained the Who'll,
truth. You are in peril-in deadl,
PERIL"
How" / exclaimed breathlessly
surprised at his extraordinary chang,
of manner and his evident apprehen
sion lest something should befall me.
Wait, and you shall see." he wills
pered. But first tell me, signore, that
you Will forgive me for the part have
played in this dastardly affair. |, like
yourself, fell innocently into the hands
of your enemies"
My enemies! Who are they?"
They are unknown, and for the
present must remain so. But if you
doubt your peril, watch" and taking
the rusty fire-tOngs from the crate he
carefully placed them on end in front
OF the deep old armchair in which |
had sat, and then allowed them to fall
| against the edge of the seat, springing
| quickly back as he did so.
In an instant bright blue flash shot
through the place, and the irons fell
aside, fused and twisted out of all
recognition.
stood aghast, utterly unable for the
! moment to sufficiently realize how
n1rrnuiU I hoA
Look! See here, behind!" cried the
Italian. directing my attention to the
back legs of the chair, where, on bend
ing with the lamp, l saw, to my sur
prise. that two wires were connected,
and ran along the floor and out of the
window, while concealed beneath the
ragged carpet, in front of the chair,
was thin plate of steel, wherein my
feet had rested.
Those who had so ingeniously en-
ticed me to that gloomy house of death
had connected up the overhead electric
light main with that innocent looking
chair, and from some unseen point had
been able to switch on a current of
'OlloBC W MIL DltD.
/ stood stock-still, not daring to
move lest | might come into contact
with some hidden wire, the slightest
touch of which must bring instant
death upon me.
Your enemies prepared this ter
rible trap for you," declared the man
who was once my trusted servant. |
When | entered into the affair was
not aware that it was to be fatal. They |
gave me, no inkling of their dastardly |
intention. But there is no time to adj |
NIT OF explanations now, signore," he |
added breathlessly, in a low desperate |
voice. Say that you will not PREJUDICE |
me-" he pleaded earnestly.
Il will not PREJUDICE you until I've
heard your explanation" | said. Il
certainly owe my life to you tonight"
Then quick! Fly from this house
this instant. If you are stopped. then
use your revolver. Don't hesitate. In
moment they will be here upon you"
But who are they, Olinto? You
must tell me-" / cried in desperation.
"Dio! Go! Co." he cried, pushing
me violently towards the door. Fly.
or we shall both die-both of US! Run
downstairs. / must make feint of
dashing after YOU"
| turned, and seeing his desperate
eagerness, precipitately fed, while he
ran down behind me, uttering fierce
lmprecations in Italian, as though |
had escar ed him.
A man in the narrow dark passage
attempted to trip me up as | ran, but
tired point blank at him, and gaining
the door unlocked it, and an instant
alter found myself out in the street
1t was the narrowest escape from
ieath that had ever had in all nv life
surely the strangest and most re-
adventure. What, | won
Tered, did it mean?
Next morning l searched I'D and
Town Oxford street for the Restaurant
slllano, but could not find il. I asked
postmen and policemen:
examined the London directory at
ne bar OF the Oxford Music hall and ,
made every inquiry possible. But all ,
vas to no purpose. No one knew of ,
UGH a place. There were restaurants !
y plenty in Oxford street, from the ,
'rascati down to the humble coffee.
mop, but nobody had ever heard of {
he "Milano" :
l drove over to Lambeth and wan. .
cred through the maze of mean \
treets OFF the York road, yet for the !
re of me | could not decide into which
ouse | had been taken. There were y
dozen which seemed to me that thew O
night be the identical house from
hitch had so narrowly escaped with +
ly life. =
Gradually it became impressed upon r
lie that my ex-servant had somehow I,
aimed knowledge that was in Lon &