The Washington herald., 1916-10-01

tneyo come there to finish me and
to kidnap Miss Montrose. They were
to bring her here to the old deserted
house on the Durland turnpike road.
know the place. One Of them went
downstairs to wait for her. I
tackled the other. He had a knife.
So let him think he knocked me
out Then as he bent over me I
got the grip I wanted. You'll find
him there, still, trussed up and safe;
unless some Of his friends have come
for him. phoned your police station.
telling you what was up and"
1T was you who phoned, all
right" admitted the lieutenant; 'I
knew your voice. That's why we act
ed so quick on your tip. We wern't
a minute behind the taxi in get
ting here But how?
Then I put on the other chap's
mask and domino" finished Stanley,
ito play the game out. That's all.
The man you want is IN"
But what in blue blazes did this
young lady mean by saying just now
that the man in the mask was .Trux-
ton Lamberts murderer" insisted
the lieutenant Robert Clayton has
Jo0k DS5A
He was arrested wrongly" broke
in Florence Il know. For saw the
murder committed"
You? You did?" sputtered the
lieutenant
"Mr. Stanley has asked me to be on
the lookout for the man saw muir
dering his father" replied Florence.
And I saw his accomplice an hour
later in the street. I tracked him to
an apartment house. I followed in
doors to see what apartment he would
go to. Then some one seized me and
threw something over my head and
carried me into a room or a closet
that was dark"
In Vanya Tosca's fat?" exclaimed
the astounded Stanley. You were
there? But"
Il managed to work the cloth OF .
Of my head and face" continued
Florence. Il was tied too fast 10
move much. But wriggled to a lit
tie spot of light 1t was a keyhole.
I saw Mr.. Clayton come into a room
just ahead and hide behind a curtain
Then I saw woman come into
the room with Truxton Lambert. Tho
woman went away. presently, leaving
him alone. tried to cry out. But
there was gag in my mouth. All at
once Bob Clayton came houndering
out into the room from behind the
curtain. And a manor a woman
in a black mask and domino was
with him, cLnging to Bob's throat
from behind, and strangling him!
Just as your father was strangied.
Harold! Oh, it was horrible! hor-
rible!"
THE Crimson stain!" exclaimed
Stanley.
She shuddered convulsively; then
forced herself to go on:
Bob seemed to be getting weaker
and weaker. He managed to pull out
revolver from his pocket, but he
couldn't get the strength or eyesight
to use it Mr.. Lambert jumped up
and grabbed a chair. He held it as II
he were trying to hit the masked
man. Just then Bob collapsed in q
heap on the floor-unconscious. Mr..
Lambert rushed at the masked man.
But the man dodged to one side and
caught up Bob's fallen revolver and
fired. 1 saw Mr.. Lambert drop dead.
The masked man tore Bob's collar
and tie loose and thrust the butt of
the revolver into his hand. Then he
disappeared. And IL think must
have tainted. For"
That can wait!" interrupted the
lieutenant, rousins himself to sense
of his present duty. The rest of
your story can wait, Miss Montrose.
You say there's a man in a mask and
a domino hiding in that closet?"
''Truxton Lambert's murderer.
Yes"
Have him out, boys!" commanded
the lieutenant
A figure swathed in domino and
mask stood bowling on the threshold.
Gentlemen" announced the masked
man airily, Il beg to present myself
as the killer Of Truxton Lambert.
won't insult your intelligence by de-
Dying it. But-at the risk Of seem
ing rude, I wish to say it will take
cleverer men than any OF you to cap
ture me-"
With lightning quick gesture the
man hurled among them a round
glass object he had held hidden in
one hand.
AAAS SAA4S OOAAlO S&plOuc1 WIN u IOTCe
that shook the whole ramshaclle
building and shivered every window
pane in 1t. 1t made the men reel
drunkenly. 1t filled the room with an
tmpenetrable cloud OF sitting and
stinging smoke.
Through the smoke-reek the police
and Harold CROPPED blindly for their
prey; only to seize one another by
mistake.
"The door!" yelled Stanley as a.
black figure dsrted past him in the
haze.
Following his cry. the police stumb-
led out into the yard. They were
just in time to see the masked men
leap into the waiting taxi and whirl
cityward.
The lieutenant and several Of his
men sprang into the big red depart
mental car which had brought them
to the house. and gave chase
Swiftly they overhauled the lum-
bering taxicab. AS they reached the
road that edged the cliff, they were
almost upon their prey The lieu
tenant fired his revolver in the air.
At the shot, the taxi veered sharply,
'1ost the road" and plunged over the
cliff edge into the dark water.
All search along the shore failed to
reveal trace OF its chauffeur or its