The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1915-02-18

n2ail.ja:tli:.s HI: ifn'd up sueI,,t.
And th:t ! what vni want. :
wos3ld tel s. vc:,... was l. /.
net even indignant. merely curious
That's what" Thompson straigh.
! ened. a touch of braggadocio about his
very figure.
Slowly. ineZorablv the fingers of
Hugo Loubeque reached out and grasp
ed the mans wrists. Slowly. inexora
bly,, he pressed the cold metal of the
automatic iron into the useless palm
Slowly, inexora bly,. that weapon bear
ing hand was lifted. lifted until 1t
pressed against the blueing lips of the
thief. then stopped. Loubeque's voice
was soft. purring. soothing.
open the teeth. my old friend
open them Or TIL knock them out! Put
the gun inside your mouth It's sim
ple-only q second-then a longer trip
than you've ever taken before. Don't
fight-it's useless-you should know
that Surely you won't resist and
make it hard for your master. Just
think-if you dont-I might be called
"a murderer-Evhile-if you follow in
structions-it's- just-suicide'-
With every syllable he rendered the
wrists Of the struggling man more fee
bic, forced the steel muzzle of the gun
more and more harshly against the
tender gums. AS he pronounced his
final judgment. the Judgment he hoped
would prove that of a coroner the
muffled shot beat against the walls of
the room. Thompson writhed. then
Strengthened. Loubeque held tightly
to the wrists until rigor morris grip
ped them about the weapon.
AS Lucille stood in the doorway of
Loubeque's room, her eyes always
keenly suspicious to the slightest trife
when about the NAN. observing that
rs be talked with her his eyes were
fastened upon the gloyed hand. in
stantly it had struck her as strange he
should wear q glove in his room Then
she caught the reflection of his eyes
and saw the mirror flashing in that
palm-the eyes Of the man watching
the curtains leading to his -hedcham-
Der. They swayel Slightly: Then she
made her adieus. for she knew Lou
beQue was not alone.
in: her own room she paced the floor
nervously. What did ii mean: Some
one had entered Loubelrle's room. was
spying upon him. dto the #5tirrnnt:tio1ls
presence had been discovered The
visitor WAS undar s:urEeii Iaslce. But
who could that visitor be?.< What was
his motive:
Thompson-Gibson: Gibson Ihomn
Pon. Her sweetheart an1 tho h,.ile--
thief both might have motives for such
an entry. That it related to TIE stolen
papers she had no Doubt SupnNS., they
We're taken by some other in t at this
last moment? But the man i1..'!:nd the
curtains had little if any chance
against LOubeOue.
1t was not curiosity merely that
made her place her head outside the
window. She heard the mockiny voice
OF Loubeque, but dimly. Still it was
his voice and surcharged with menace.
But how could she gain an entrance
how see what was Transporting?
- IefSht.. StSpl'StL ~ tllC LIE CS-
cape. Two high and wide lodges sep
araated her from the fire escape outside
the spy's suit She dared not look
down, dared not think. dared Go moth
Ing save heave 4 sigh of relief when
she found herself safe cnce more OUT
side the spy's window 1t had been
easy after all. She peeked within the
room, stranging a little expression of
rage and shame as Thompson's threat
came to her ears. Breat hlessly she
watched the men struggling upon the
floor, unable to understand the hurried
retreat OF both from the room. She
opened the window and slipped inside
her bosom heaving unanimously at
this opportunity to search the mans
suit.
The door slapped open just as she
was exploring the drawer of the table.
She felt herself seized by the wrists,
uttered a cry of protest and dismay
ana pleading, only to look into strange,