East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1916-10-23

be without the drug? There is q
safer easier way tc take cart OF her"
A quick, soft footstep sounded II
the hall outside. Tanner at q ges-
ture from Pierre slipped out nto the
hail, and with the air OF Q departing
visitor strolled past Florence Mont
rose and on toward the head OF the
stairs There is paused and ookee
sut Of the window. IN the street oe-
low stood DR. Montrose's black car.
Drawing up to the curb behind it was
a gray roadster. from which Harsld
Stanley was just descending.
Vanya, in obedience to a word Of
La Rue's, glided into Chyton's dress
ing-room. Florence. at the same mo-
ment, tapped at the studio door,
Come in,' called La Rue
She entered, and taking step OF
two into the room. glanced around
her. The door was shut and locked
as she did so. Standing with his back
agt nst it, Pierre La Rue faced her.
smiling slightly. his arms folded.
At sight of him Florence gasped In
unbelieving horror. Again she was
looking into the eyes which for weeks
mad haunted her in nightmares, the
eyes which mad then been suffused by
the Crimson Stain.
Now as she looked she saw La
Rue's eyes gradually redden until
they cleaned like hot Goals
II came to see Mr.. Clayton" she
forced herself to stammer. las he is
not here. | won't wait"
Miss Montrose," he said suavely
as, after the first step, she paused
iiresolute and trembling, YOU and ]
have met once before, ] think, In
your fathers very beautiful old home
at Riverside. On the night when
Jerome Stanley had the misfortune
toto"
TO be murdered by you!" she
flashed back, her dread of the man
overcome for the moment by O gus;
OF loathing, Il saw you with youT
fingers about his throat-with youI
eyes as red as rabid beasts!"
Il thought So" he replied; II was
almost certain Of it. But there was
some slight doubt. You see, all
women-especially in moments Of
fright--are not so observnnt as you
There was a chance you did not SCI
my face long enough that night tC
remember. That is why waited 10.
day to see If you would know me.
saw you did the moment you looked
at me as you came in just now. an
sorry, but you leave me no alterna.
tive"
'0What-what do you mean?" she
faltered, her throat sanded with ter.
ror, her lips dry.
81 mean this, Miss Montrose," h,
returned, speaking very slowly al.
most solemnly. You are the onl,
person in the outer world who ma:
looked into the face Of the man the,
call The Crimson Stain and lived
But II is not safe to let you go fret
with such dangerous knowledge
+"
She screamed aloud in stark horror
as he moved toward her.
Her scream penetrated the heav,
outer door and into the hall. l
reached the ears OF Tanner VIII,
crouched listening at the keyhole. /
reached Harold Stanley, who wa
hurrying along the hallway
Stanley broke into q run as he rec
ognized Florence's voice, and as h,
ran he called out reassuringly to her
Out of the hallway shadows as h,
ran forward a figure launched itsel
upon him.
Tanner, realizing that but for him
self Harold must presently burst int,
the room and confront both Pierr
and Florence, had taken matters int
his own hands
He knew that by daylight ard ii
fair combat Pierre La Eue would b
no physical match for so renowned al
athlete as Stanley. II had been thel
intent TO attack Harold together fron
behind while he should be IN tall
with vanya, and Vanya, II possible
was to have aided them by tvininI
her arms around Stanley MS she Sa'
about Clayton.
Thus handicapped, Harold woul