East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1916-12-11

uenLg no started oab OA AuVb
As he went he glanced about him
for any stray taxicab he could hail.
And, within a few blocks, he found
one.
It was not on the street itself, but
was backed into a sort Of alleyway
court, at the rear Of a ramshackle
apartment house. The courtyard was
dark By the light from one Of the
houses windows Clayton could barely
distinguished the outlines Of the cab.
He entered the alleyway and ad-
vanced toward the vehicle. Then II
was that he noticed there was no
chauffeur on the seat.
Passing around the side Of the taxi,
he made for the dimly seen rear door
way in front Of which It stood. Just
then the door opened, letting out a
dim CLEAN Of light from a hallway
lamp. Three men were coming out
from the house.
Clayton stepped forward toward the
light. But on almost the same in
slant he halted, and slipped hastily
back into an angle Of the wall. For
he had recognized the foremost Of the
three men.
1t was Pierre La Rue.
Behind La Rue was a man in a
black mask And behind the latter
was a tall, slender man, with the
coat, puttees and cap Of chauffeur.
Got your mask ready?" Pierre in
uuired Of the chauffeur.
Yes, sir" respectfully answered
the man, climbing onto the drivers
seat. Right here in my breast
pocket"
wait till you're sure the coast is
clear" ordered La Rue, entering the
cab, followed by the masked man,
then follow US indoors"
The cab door shut. The chauffeur
made a short turn Of his machine
and it started toward the mouth Of
the court. Robert Clayton as it sped
by him darted out Of the wall en-
brasure, caught the edge Of the cabs
top and with one toe gained a foot
hold on the rear axle.
Forgotten was the peril Of his stu
alton. Forgotten even was his pro-
. posed visit to vanya Tosca. Every
thing was forgotten except the fierce
thrill Of the man hunt.
Yes, now that Clayton had found
La Rue, he would stick to him, in the
. hope of solving the mystery or of get
ting the arch-scoundrel in his power.
. Wherefore, fiattening himself upon
the roof of the taxicab, Robert lay
there, tense with eagerness and sus-
pense.
i, After a long twenty minutes the
:. taxicab slowed to a snail pace. Clay
!, ton had kept a general idea of his
I surroundings. And now he knew at
: a glance where he was.
Clayton had known that house all
his life. It was Harold Stanley's
= home. And again the thrill of the
man hunt possessed the young artist.
:, The taxi halted. La Rue and the
masked man stepped out. The latter
! crept toward the house. Pierre turned
! to the chauffeur,
'In five minutes join u.s." he said.
= you know which window. Keep
watch here till then, to make certain
= we weren't followed"
- He vanished into the darkness, in
: the wake of the masked man. The
u chauffeur sat alert and watchful on
= his high seat
= Robert Clayton counted slowly UT
to fifty. Then, knowing the Others
= must by now be out Of earshot, he
gathered his body into a compact
: mass and launched himself upon the
10 unsuspectirg chauffeur.
N 4 4 =
!. In less than three minutes Rober+
Clayton had divested the senseles.
., man of his coat and cap and putteei
), and had clothed himself in them
"a Feeling in the inner pocket Of tn,
: chauffeurs coat he drew out tht
- folded mask and adjusted it to hi
own face.
!. Then, lightly he ran toward tn,
- house, and began slowly to circle it
"a Presently he found the newly openeC
+ window he sought. 1t led into tn,
Stanley library
10 Clayton crawled over the sill anC
Ia luiO NilC Epplus Ouc SHduSQ NiSGlIl'
u light was turned on. BY its glow h
=. saw La Rue and the masked MAJ
kneeling in front of the library safe.
p Robert was not adept in the gentl
"a art of house breaking. As he seram
bled into the room one of his gropinl
feet struck against a chair, upsettini
j. it.
a At the noise La Rue turned AM
swore fiercely. Then he bent ono
: more to his task Of boring a larg
n enough hole in the safe to hold tn
nitroglycerin with which he intendel
IS to open it.
? "All ready" he heard La Rue say
! "Stand back. 1t win explode in thirt,
10 seconds now. Come over here, out o
"a the way"
ia He drew the two others into tn
O farthest extremity Of the long room
NJ As he did so the library door opene
8 again. Harold Stanley sauntered II
p Coming home Unexpectedly early
Stanley had stopped at.the library o
ID his way upstairs for some letters h
u. wanted to read again before going I
in bed.
nr At once he noted the upturned ligh
lr and the appearance Of the safe. Strid
!" ing across TO the safe, he bent over /
n Clayton took an impulsive step fol-
I'd ward. But he was too late
The safe door olashed to the so
in rug. Harold Stanley was sent spraw
rt ing and senseless by the eoncussioi
is He lay in an inert heap on the Zoo
e, close beside tho library table.
With a laugh that drowned Robe
@ Clayton's Mortified gasp, Pierre I
IS. Rue ran forward. At the same Il
.'s slant the telephone on the table b,
D. gan to ring.
Tnstinctively Robert Clayton pickt
Of up the instrument. steadying h
D. shaly tones as best he could, he SAX
lg 'Hellol"
i'd 'Hello" came the reply in Fiorent
.e. Montrose's clear voice. rs that 20