The Washington herald., 1916-12-22
The Crimson Stain Mystery
osssasAs. ma sv Consolidated Fin oorDo.zor
Nsyeaised BY ALBERT PAYsoN TERHUNE.
Fren. the consoIidated Motion Picture Triumph.

La Rue u 90 wonderful and so TIL
believable that you'd never take NY
unsupported word for it" -
What do You mean by saying you
can make DR.. Montrose tell me?' I"
asked Harold In bewilderment. 81
don't understand"
I'm that drawer" returned Felix,
"is DIR. Montrose,s diary. In that the
whole story Of Pierre La Rue II told
You can read It for yourself"
Felix pulled open the drawer. A
glance told him the diary was gone
But q second glance revealed to him
a loaded revolver lying within easy
reach Of his hand.
On the instant Felix's paralysis Of
fear departed. Now he was the equal
yes. and more than the equal-of
the brutal giant whose f1nger-marks
ssiH burned into the flesh Of his
throat. His fingers closed on the
handle Of the revolver.
Weir" Rid Harold peremptorfly;
where is the daryl Show It to me-"
Put up your handsl" snaried Fe-
liz, the light Of insanity blazing from
his shtfty eyes.
Harold saw he had to do with .
dangerous maniac. He saw. too, that
one touch Of the madman's trigger
finger was more powerful than every
muscle In his own mighty body. So
bs did the only thing possible.
Put your hands up!" reiterated
Felix. hts finger tightening On the
trigger.
Up went Harold stanley's handS
d. III
sharp, barking voice, step back Sol
Now asainI And againI"
- Harold obsyed- Felix. At every
step. followed him up with the msn-
acing revolver.
At his third backward step Harold
found himself passing through the
panel opening Felix, close in front
OF him slammed shut the panel,
leaving Stanley q prisoner In the
darkness Of the secret passaseway.
The moment the panel closed be-
tween him and Felix Harold threw
himself against the thick wood Of the
panel to force his way out.
But Felix's voice came to him, muf-
fed by the wood:
IF you touch that panel again I'll
empty this pistol through it,"
Stanley desisted. But the crash Of
his single attack on the panel had
rIlng through the whole house.
Some one has fallen, up In the
laboratory" cried Florence. Per
haps daddy has faintedl"
She ran upstairs, followed by Clay
ton Felix heard them coming. For
an instant he hesitated, a savage
sneer on his lips. the revolver poised.
Then his nerve deserted him and
he skunk out Of the laboratory Just
In time to avoid them as they ran In.
"whyI" exclaimed Florence. no
one is here. I was sure heard"
A thump from behind q PANEL In
thS wall interrupted her. She and
Clayton stared At each other.
what was thatr~ asked Bob.
= It's Harold Stanley" came the
muMsd answer. This PANEL Is q sid
Ing door. Pun It asids and lst mo
oat"
NarvsttnG. Clayton obsyed ths odd
command A. the pansl slid opsn
Stanley stepped out into ths room
Z Why. H.ro,di" s.spsd ts1or'noe.
Hs inssrruptsd hSr With N appeal
tng gesture, thsn whispered q few
swim sentences b the astonished
Cayton's ear
Than, sSCiayton nodded assent and
ran from the room, Stanley turned
to the drnfoundsd girl
-Bwsstheart," |" he said Il can't tan
you anything now-except that the
criHs has coma"
4 Without stopping to answer any Of
FIoretce's eager questions- he sped
down the stairs and out Of the house.
The cripple who had been initiated
into the Crimson Stain gang at
Vanya Tosca's recommendation stood
alone In the big meeting room Of
Tanners upper East Side apart
ment. He had received the usual
secret summons. And he was wait
ing He had not long to wait. For
presently Pierre La Rue came In
With him was the man who always
at these meetings wore a black mask
Ito conceal his identity even from
his confederates.
An instant later Tanner himself
entered the room. accompanied by
Vanya Tosca and Morrison.
La Rue glanced around at his as
sembled henchmen. Then stepping
forward he began to speak.
''I called this meeting" he said,
to"
Never mind what you called Il
for" cut in Tanner. Just for a
change. it's we and not you who are
sotng to do the talking. You listen
to what I've got to say!"
Pierre La Rue's dark face con-
tracted In anger as this sign Of open
rebellion. The Crimson Stain began
to smolder hotly in the fathomless
depths Of his eyes
Whats that?" he snarled "Mu-
tiny, eh? /"
''Mutiny, II you like" retorted
Tanner, his gnawing need for the
drug overcoming momentarily his
awe Of La Rue. "Mutfny or any
thing else you choose to call it."
We've found out who you really
are. chief. And unless you give Us
our share Of the drug right along,
whenever we need Il, we're going to
tip the cops to the news about you"
: La Rue's rage nomentarily changed
to dread. But In an instant he was
himself again. His long, powerful
fingers fexed as for grip. He edged
a step nearer to Tanner, and the
Crimson Stain blazed luridly.
You're Harold Stanley. That's who
you arsl"