The Washington herald., 1916-11-23

And. without an instant's hesita-
tion, Florence assured the supposedly
stricken father, that she would come
at once to the Little hospital whose
address he gave her again.
"Here!" ordered La Rue, as fdel
raised one of the whisky glasses to his
lips. Put that down. Afterward
you can guzzle booze. Keep your
head clear, till the works done. You.
too, Tanner" as the tough looked
longingly at the other glass.
Soon afterward the three filed out
Of the room.
Montrose heard La Rue tell a
walter to reserve 1t for him until their
return. The doctor remained where
he was until the three had reached
the outer door Of the dance hall. Then
rising stealthily he slipped into the
private room.
Tanner. behind the two others.
CHANGED to turn and look back as he
reached the halls exit. He saw the
doctor enter the room. Turning, he
hurried back through the fast-filling
hall.
DR.. Montrose, entering the room,
drew his pistol and peered around
him.
A telephone on the table and a
push button in the adjoining wall
were the only items of interest. A
second door led out into a dark hall
beyond.
DR.. Montrose crossed to this door
and opened it.
AS he did so a blow on the base of
the skull stretched him senseless.
His pistol clattered unnoticed to the
floor.
Tanner, with deft fingers, set to
work over the fallen man. Within
thirty seconds he stepped back with
a grunt Of satisfaction and surveyed
his work
When Montrose gradually came to
himself he was strapped, hand and
foot, in a chair and a gag was in his
mouth. Above him bent Tanner.
Evening. Doc!" said the tough
cordially. Sorry to treat you SO
rough, but you'd ought to a. kept
out OF what didn't concern you. And
now" he went on, pulling a roll of
black cloth from under his overcoat,
''as were expecting a visitor, and as
she Is apt to be shy II she sees
strangers, I'm going to take the lib
erty of drapin' you"
As he spoke he unrolled the cloth,
disclosing thin black domino and
hood.
In moment he had enveloped the
helpless doctor in his garment, ad-
tusting the masks eye-slits over the
prisoners agonized. eyes.
Now, them" went on Tanner,
w n
guess I'll celebrate by joining myself
in little sip Of The Stuff That Killed
| Father"
He lifted one Of the two glasses
from the table. Montrose's dazed
eyes cleaned in a murderous hope.
Then hastily Tanner set down the
glass, as the sound of tramping feet
sounded along the dark passage.
The rear door opened. Pierre La
! Rue entered. In his arms he bore the
struggling body Of Florence Mont
] rose.
7 "It worked out beautifully" he
said, nodding to Tanner. "She and
| Clayton came blundering into the
courtyard, and he was saying how
queer 1t was that a hospital shcu.I
be in such a place. Just then Kiel
tapped him over the head, and 1
caught up the young lady. Who have
you got here?" he broke of sharply
as his eye fell on Montrose.
Tanner In two whispered sentences
explained. Florence cried out in hor-
ror. and renewed her useless strug-
giles.
La Rue laughed aloud. But before
he could speak, kiel burst into the
room from the dance hall.
Look out, chief" he painted. Its
all up! Clayton got on his feet again.
1 looked back and saw him. A kid
newsboy was passing and told him
! you had lugged the girl in here. Clay
ton blows a p'ice whistle, and three
/ cops come up, a-running. They're
searching the dance hall outside.
They'll be here any minute. Beat itH
Florence fought madly as she heard
the tough's scared message. But she
could not wrench free from Pierre's
! grasp. DIR. Montrose, too-bound,
gagged and masked-struggled madly
and in vain, as hope seemed to glim-
mer for him again.
La Rue glanced quickly from one
prisoner to the other. Then, loosing
his hold on Florence, he maze for the
door that led to the dance hall,
whence now came a confused babel
| OF shouts and screams.
La Rue sprang through the door
way into the clamorous aance hall to
verify his henchman's words. Kiel
and Tanner followed at his heels.
Florence, released, cast a single
look OF terror at the masked figure in
the chair. Then she CHANGED to catch
sight Of the pistol her father had
dropped. 1t still lay on the floor in q
corner.
As the door few open again she
snatched up the weapon and fred.
Robert Clayton, pushing his way
past La Rue, rushed into the room.
Florence's wild shot stretched him
dead at her feet.
She reeled back, faint with dread
| at what she had done.
La Rue, running in. caught her as
she swayed. He picked up one Of
the whisky glasses and forced its con-
tents through her painting lips.
She shuddered and fell across the
table.
La Rue, after an instant Of indeci-
sion, slid out through the rear door,
leaving DR.. Montrose staring down in
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