Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1916-12-23

ranean sluice under BiancR's house
which WAS very ancient and had been
country home before the advance OF
the encroachng city enmeshed 1t in Its
tentacles. together with the other scat
tered residences Of the street. This
water-duct had long aga become dis
used, and its existence forgotten. BIZ
anca. in the course Of the reconstruc'
tons which she had made, for the pur-
pose of storing stolen goods, had come
upon 1t and followed 1t down to the
river, half mile distant. She had dis
covered also that there still existed a
connection with the city water supply
by means of large pipe in the wall OF
her cellar.
She had fitted a connection between
this pipe and bathroom on the floor
where was her bedroom. Just outside
the bathroom she constructed trap.
door with an iron ladder leading down
to the sluice, in order to furnish herself
with a safe and sure escape in case
Of need.
The switch In the bathroom was
open, leaving the sluice full But a
turn of 1t would at once begin to
empty it into the river beyond.
Blanca waited near the trap door
| for the accomplishment of her servi-
| tors errand
But presently she found the strain
too much for her. She went into her
boudoir and sank down upon a couch.
Bring her down." said one of BIZ
anca's men to the other II guess
madame doesn't want it done in the
bedroom"
Who's going to do the trick?" the
other retorted.
"Ill do 1t II you'll get her. Bring
her along this way, without letting her
suspect, and I'll be behind this cur
tain"
The second man made his way up
stairs. He unlocked Leontines door
I and stood for moment hesitating.
As he stood there an arm slid round
his neck and hand was pressed over
his mouth and nostrlls, his knees gave
under him and he fell unconscious to
the floor.
Ravengar released him and looked
into her purple face. He opened
the door. Leontine, who had heard
the lock unfasten was waiting in the
middle Of the room. Ravengar entered,
seized her hand, and kissed it.
Come with me, LeOntine," he said.
There is not moment to be lost.
VIII you promise to keep composed
and do exactly as / tell your"
She gave swift look at him. and
nodded, Rayengar gave her his arm
and led her out of the room, past the
man on the floor who was already
beginning to recover consciousness.
He led her down the stairs hurried, |
ly. Fortunately nobody was on guard.
In her boudoir Blanca, whose keen
ears heard the sound Of footsteps,
thought it was the men coming to tell
her that the job was done.
Meanwhile the second of the muir
''NlSAS "ullNh DChIlu lhC Gul ldluS. liz
heard Ravengar descending with Leon
tine, but he thought the man was his
confederate.
Ravengar, in his comings and goings
had learned all about the sluiceway.
He stopped with Leontine outside the
bathroom and hastily raised the trap
door which lay beneath a piece of
carpet, apparently one with that which
ran along the passage, but In reality
separate.
go down there" he whispered ut
leads to a slulceway that opens upon
the river. When you reach the bot
tom wait till the sluice empties; then
run as fast as you can till you see
daylight Then you will be free
LeOntine looked at him. "You? she
whispered.
81 shall turn off the water; then l
may follow. But don't wait for me-"
The girl stepped down hurriedly,
felt for and found the upper rungs of
the ladder, and descended Ravengar
closed it, stepped into the bathroom,
and shut off the supply. Then he
just as the second confeder-
ate came from behind the curtain.
His mouth opened In amazement;
then, with an oath, he whipped out
revolver and leveled 1t. Ravengar,
smiling at him, waited. At that in
slant the half-stranged man came
slowly down the stairway. He saw
Ravengar and. shouted. At the cry
Blanca came running out Of her room.
She stared at Ravengar as II she
could not believe her eyes. Then, let
ing them fall for moment, she saw
something which arrested her atten-
ion. 1t was fragment of Leontine's
lress, caught In the trap door. And
Immediately the meaning Of his pres
snce there dawned on her.
She rushed into the bathroom and {
pulled the switch hard. Then she
anne back, breathing hard, but with a ,
orced smile on her face.
well, stopped that game in time"
The said to Ravengar. {
Leontine CROPPED her way to the bot
ON of the ladder and saw, by faint {