The Washington herald., 1916-12-08

late to intercept them. Jumping into
his own car he gave chase.
For mile the pursuit lasted. Then
as the car ahead skirted the steep
blum that ran above the river, Clay
tons steering wheel became jammed.
Unable to guide his car or to
swerye 1t from the blur edge toward
which It was dashing. he left the
wheel and sprang upward toward q
half-dozen strands of telegraph wire
which Qoosened by o recent Rale)
sagged above the road.
Clayton threw his arms about the
handful Of wires and let his car whiz
on without him. Over the blum 1t
crashed. Just as lthe wires, sagging
still lower under the new weight,
slowly let the man down to the
ground.
The other car rounded q curve
ahead and vanished.
Meantime. as Harold Stanley, in his
role Of hypnosis-victim passed out Of
the laboratory, o man who was hid
ing In the upper hall, tiptoed for
ward and peered into the room. He
was Layton Parrish.
A single glance showed him DIR.
Montrose, lying back lifeless In the
chair. The detective waited to see
no more, but crept downstairs In the
wake Of Harold Stanley.
Harold reached the foot of thu
stairs and was starting across ths
Iront hall. when Florence, hearing
ms step, came out from the library.
He returned no answer to her greet
ing. In alarm at the vasue stare
IN his eyes, she laid her hand on his
and checked his advance.
Harold she exclaimed. what In
II! What Is the matter? You look
$3.50 strange!"
As she spoke she drew him toward
the library. Meekly he suffered him.
self to be led into the room. As the
curtains closed behind then- hs
turned swiftly to Florence, whisper
ing:
Don't be surprised at anything,
A sound OF running feet and of
colliding bodies interrupted him. He
rushed to the window just in time
to see Clayton grapple with the feet
ing Tanner.
With a shout Stanley vaulted over
the low window sill to go to his
friends aid. But. before he had
cleared the window. strong hands
dragged him back into the room,
He whirled about-to confront lay
ton Parrish. In the same instant
Parrish deftly snapped q pair Of
handouts on Stanley's wrists.
Florence cried aloud in dismay.
Stanley angrily demanded Of the de-
tective:
What is the meaning Of this? Take
these things of my hands at once!"
Parrish laughed long and loud.
My young reformerI" he scoffed.
''the time is past for you to force
your orders on me or on anyone else.
And you've written your last roast
on me In the Examiner. The Grim
son Stain Mystery 10 solved at last
Harold Stanley" he continued, in tho
formal diction Of the police. ct ar
rest you for the murder Of DR.. Bur-
ton Montrose!"
Florence screamed.
Hush, dearl" soothed Harold.
your father 10 alive and well. Par
rish, as usual, has made a fool Of
himself. Take these things of my
wrists, Parrish. Take them or, I
say!"
'Bluff1ng won't help you, Stanley"
said Parrish. Your race Ii run. The
Crimson Stain chiefs race Is run.
You're the man. And now we're
going to start for police headquarters.
We"
Hold onI" broke In Harold sharp
ly. Unless you want to face a false
arrest suit don't be in such a hurry.
You say I killed DIR. Montrose. Go
up to his laboratory.
= 4
Parrish stood irresolute for q mo-
ment; then, with a sneer, departed
on his journey to the laboratory. At
the foot of the stairs he encountered
Felix. The servant whispered some
thing to him. Parrish nodded, then
mounted the stairs.
Stanley, in a few tense words, ex-
planned the situation to Florence Sud
denly Harold turned, with an odd
sensation that some one else had
entered the room. Pierre La Rue
stood in the doorway.
Harold darted toward him, forget
full Of his own manacled hands. Pierre
stepped back into the adjacent din
ing-room, slamming the door shut in
Harold's face.
Harold, clawing awkwardly at the
knob, impeded by the Handouts, sue
ceeded at last in getting the, door
open. He strobe into the dining
room, almost stepping on the child,
whom Florence had that morning
brought home. No one else was In
the room.
Did you see a man run through
this room?" Harold asked.
The child shook her head.
Stanley turned back, dumfounded,
to Florence, who had followed him
to the door.
I can't understand It'll" he STAN
mered. You saw him 60 into this
room. Yet the child would surely
have seen him if"
DR.. Montrose came into the library,
accompanied by the discounted Par
rish.
Harold walked up to the detective
without a word, holding out his
wrists. Sulkily Parrish fished a bunch
Of keys out Of his pocket and un-
locked the handouts.
ITO Be Continuedl
COURT PROCEEDINGS.