The Washington herald., 1916-12-22
half the distance that separted them

halt the distance that Separted them
I-CLl a.A-o:,. .-,,. 49, ... .---.- --..,.---l
had been heard and answered.
Bob Clayton rushed into the room.
The hallway outside seemed full of
policemen. They poured in through
the doorway and straight at the five
trapped Crimson Stain members.
Pierre La Rue, with a shout, met
the charge of the bluecoats. with
the Black Mask at his side, he burst
through the Gordon of advancing DO
hcemen and gained the doorway.
At the street door La Rue turned
north and the Black Mask south.
Stanley was close behind La Rue.
Clayton pursued the Black Mask.
The masked man fed across the
street and plunged into a tenement
area. Clayton, at his heels, chased
him down the basement hall to a
night OF stairs, then up flight after
flight.
At last the fugitive gained the roof.
Clayton was STEADILY gaining on
him The masked man spranR at
the edge Of the roof and gathered
himself for leap across the airshaft
top to the next house.
He was a second too slow; CLAYTON
seized him from behind and threw
him with terrific force to the Rray-
sled surface Of the roof.
As he fell the man's head struck
tne edge OF the coping, knocking him
ssnseless and displacing the mask ho
wore
Thus Clayton, fastening q pair of
nandcums on the helpless wrists
looked up to see the unconscious
mans unmarked face,
The prisoner was Layton PARRISH
Harold Stanley meantime all but
sasped La Rue's arm as Pierre
vaulted into one of the two autopno-
pues that stood at the curb. a door N,
TWO to the north of Tanners anart-
ment.
With one fist La Rue struck Hs
old rui on the jaw as Stanley leaped
@ @apon tne running board of the car.
starter. 00AA-
Harold. losing his balance, tumbl.d
backward. Before he could regain
ms ieet La Rue was speeding north
"aro out OF reach. Without a sec
onds delay Stanley boarded the sec-
ouo car ana gave chase.
The cars mounted a steeplv wind.
ing stretch Of road that curved aho,,+
tne summit Of a steep embanknent
suddenly Harold saw the nrst cas-.
coming to a tarring halt.
A barrier was stretched acroa. Oh.
tnoroughfare just ahead, bearing TIA
sign, Road Closed" s~
La Rue leaped to the ground and
ran at headlong speed along tbe ne--
Aous brink Of the cliff. stanl.v
sprane nom his own car and fol.
lowed. ioa-
Presently La Rue glanced bach ~
see whether or not his foe was r.,no
ing on him. 1t was a pertlousiy rash
thing to do at q monent 49, =.
o nave been heeding closely his
nootnoao on the crumbling chff-brink
De stepped on q fat stone that
eurned sideways under his weight
IA Rue threw up both hands Ia a.
Wild effort TO regain Ills balance But
ne was too late.
For an instant he swayed abov.
me brink. cfawtng At space, his faca
nldeous In its distortion Of terror.
Then he pitched headlong into space
Carefuiy Stanley made his way
Gown the embsnkment until he stocS
az the dde Of the injured man. Lean,
ing over the victim, he nottced WITH ,
q shock OF surprise how utterly the
approach Of death had chanxed L..
Rus's face.
Pierre looked up At Harold and
srntled faintly.
This is the end" he said, tn n
voice not at all like his own. a /
Feehly he raised his hand. and
pulled away the beard and bushy
eyebrows and wig. And now IL vas
no longer the sinister Pierre In Rus
on whom Harold gazed In much be-
wfldered awe.
1t was DIR. Montrose.
you knewr whispered the doctor.
7 guessed" stammered Harold.
am Pierre La Rue" went on the
faint voice. "At least was. When
tne drug turned me, at times, into a
devil. But Pierre La Rue Is dead.
As presently shall diet"
No" protested Harold. mol
LVei Live to atone"
Il am dying" answered the doctor
smiling. And I am glad. II is the
only atonenent can make. Be rood
70 my little girl. And-don't let her
know. Don't let her knowl Let her
remember me as
A rattle in his throat cut short his
half-inaudible words. He sank back
and lay very still.
God forgive himl" he prayed, his
voice choking with grief.
home to the great Riverdale house
that he had loved. It was Harold
stanley who brought home the man
gled remains Of the man whose secret
he vowed to keep.
To Florence he told the one Lie hs
was ever to tell her-a lie that the re-
cording angel surely forgave, He
told her that he had seen her father
struck down by an automobile. He
added the news that Pierre La Rue
had been drowned trying to escape
from the police.
Pierre La Rue's memory Is still
warm, In police circles And what
became Of him Is still baffiing mys-
terry there. His body was never
found.
Harold Stanley alone knows the
truth. And he will never tell Il.
Least Of all to the beautiful little wife
who adores him and who Is SO happy
In the fond memory that her father
~aa a eraaf ond ooo5 r,.-