The Washington herald., 1916-12-07

Auo SIlppl0 ndQ not Dceu dt tuo
meeting. And in a few words she
told him what had happened. Then
she dismissed him and returned to
Clayton.
Bob, however, coming to the living
room door, had had a fieeting glimpse
OF Vanya's departed caller. And he
had recognized the cripple as the man
in the motor boat. Hence, as Vanya
came back. with apologies for her
, brief absence, Bob curtly took his
own leave. He had much to do today.
Harold Stanley, q little later, left
the Montrose house, where he had
dropped in for a brief good morn
ing" on his way downtown, and
started toward an address on the
upper East Side, whittier an anony-
nous note, received that morning,
summoned him to hear secret news
about the Crimson Stain Mystery"
As he neared the street to which
the anonymous letter had directed
him he CHANGED to notice q man
lettering along the sidewalk a half
block ahead.
Harold felt the hot thrill of the
man hunt surge through him. For
he recognized the profile Of Pierre La
Rue!
His quick walk changed to a run.
And he bore down upon his enemy.
The sound of running footsteps on
the pavement made La Rue turn his
head. He caught sight of Stanley.
With a look Of terror far too melo-
dramatic to be genuine Pierre took
to his heels, running with q speed
m 1lro - l. L
man.
Around a corner he dashed. Stanley
in close pursuit. In the excitement of
the chase Harold did not suspect the
trick nor realize that he himself was
the hunted and not the hunter.
As Stanley rounded the corner he
was just in time to see La Rue dis
appear into the areaway Of an old
appear into the hallway Of an old
fashioned apartment house.
Stanley with a sprint leaped into
the hall and found himself q bare ten
feet behind the man he was chasing.
La Rue had reached the end Of the
hallway and was tugging frantically
at the door that led out into the
back yard.
The door was locked. He could not
tear it open. Stanley saw he had the
man trapped in a corner. He launched
himself bodily at La Rue to seize and
overpower him.
Harold was not moro than three
PAGES away from Pierre as he sprang
forward at the covering man. But
at Harold's first step the basement
flooring suddenly gave way beneath
his feet.
The supposedly solid floor sank un-
der him, exposing a widely gaping
trap doorway leading to the cellar
below.
Even as he fell he realized how
he had been tricked. And he cursed
his own rash lmpetuosity for falling
victim to his enemy's simple ruse.
He struck the concrete floor fun
force. Luckily no bones were broken
and his tough young body withstood
the shock. AS quickly as q cat he
scrambled to his feet.
But before he had fairly risen two
men leaped down upon him from
out Of the surrounding darkness.
One of them sprang nimbly upon
Harold's back, pinioning his arms.
The other with some blunt instru-
ment struck him above the temple.
Stanley collapsed to the ground
again senseless.
When he recovered consciousness
he was in an ill-furnished room,
strapped to chair. In front Of him
stood Tanner and Morrison.
"Well!" he snarled. Now that
you've got me, go ahead with the tor
ture Of the killing. or whatever 1t is.
If you expect me to whine for mercy
you're mistaken. Only ours whine.
Ours like yourselves"
Tanner, growing with rage. smote
the helpless man across the mouth
with his open hand. Harold, reused
to fresh fury by the blow. strained
madly once more to break the bonds
that held him back from resenting
the cowardly blow.
Hold oni" ordered Pierre La Rue,
as Tanner drew back his arm to
strike again. Don't waste time in
punching him. The law is going to
save us the trouble Of doing that"
Brushing aside his two scowling
henchmen, La Rue came forward and
stood looking down at the fettered
man in the chair.
Il am not going to kill you, Mr..
Stanley" said La Rue, with the same
ironical courtesy. I'm planning
something better for you. And when
it comes to killing you-why. the
law is going to do that. You are
going to die in the electric chair,
my friend"
Stanley laughed derisively.
why waste time in talking nom
sense?" he said. disgustedly. Are
you an idiot as well a. a crook?"
La Rue made no reply. He leaned
forward with a sudden snake-like
motion and peered down into Stan
ley's appraised eyes. He held Har-
old's g.lnce by the terribly compell-
ing power Of his osvn.
For an instant Stanley's gaze
seemed to wavcr TO try to elude
the resistless gaze tha was so
strangely fixed on them. Then, ap-
parently, his will power proved un-
equal to the strain. He made no
further attempt to look away. but
sat staring DULY up into the others
flaming eyes,