Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-10-30
CONTINUED From Yesterday

But, out of the corner Of his eye,
Stanley had noted, the darting motion
1nstinctirely, with his free hand, he
snatched at the vanishing gems. His
strong fingers closed about the thiefs
wrist.
with n wrench. he sought to drag
the intruder through the cnvelopng
curtain folds and Into the library. The
other resisted with desperate force:
hut. under Harold's grasp, the thIers
fingers opened. and the necklace fell
TO the floor
Pick it up, please" he bade Flor
encc. at the same time finging him
self forward and maintaining his grip
OF iron on his unseen opponents wrist
His opponent was tall and strongly
built. His head and face were cnvcl-
oped in nask-hood. through whose
narrow Sits his eyes glittered as evil
~ as snakes.
Out into the hallway recled the two
ftercely struggling men. Harold for
an instant released his iron grip on
the others wrist. and, grasping a hand
full OF the mask hood, tore II away
from his cnemyS head.
To his amaze, lie did not thus re-
veal face. but merely a second and
inner hood-mask. adjusted more close
~ than the first.
In the moment of dazed astonish-
ment while Harold stood marveling at
this phenomenon the masked man took
advantage Of the brief respite to wheel
about and dash at fun speed up the
stairs. Harold, recovering himself, fol-
lowed.
several yards and was as agile as a
cat. Hurry as he would. Harold could
not overtakc him. He was just in
time. at last, to see the man slip into
the laboratory. closing the door with
swift noiselessness behind him.
Harold cleared the intei vcntng dis
lance at bound and seized the lab
oratory's doorknob. But the spring
lock resisted his best efforts.
Steps sounded from within. Some
one was crossing the laboratory to-
ward the door Stanley moved back n
few feet and stood ready to strike
should his foe venture forth.
The laboratory door swung open. DR..
Montrose stood on the threshold. He
was yawning His hair was dishevel-
ed and his eyes were blinking sleepily.
cried Florence as Stanley. without re-
plying. forced his way past the stupe-
ned doctor and into the laboratory.
The laboratory was empty Harold
glowered around the shelf-lined walls
like hunting dog thrown off the scent
~ BURGLAR" repeated DIR. Montrosc,
In establishment. his eyes straying in
furtive dread toward the secret panel
at the far end of the room. "Impossi-
BILE. / have been in here ever since
luncheon. I'm sure l should have
heard"
That window over on the corner
Is oren." stammered the doctor. eff
any one ran in here lie undoubtedly
got out that way and dropped to the
cell roof below. He's gone too far by
now to he caught"
Harold leaned out of the window. No
sign could he CLEAN OF the masked
fugitive. When Florence and Harold
at last Quilted the laboratory Dr. Mon
trose shut the door behind them and
stood for a minute with dropping heat:
and furrowed brow.
An hour later Vanya Tosca. i'm the
living room of her apartment. was en-
pertaining no less notable visitor than
Pierre La Rue himself
The Crimson Stain was glowing lu-
ridly in Perre'S eyes.
He was in a tliabolicalyl had humor
at the world In general. for his hcnch-
mems failure on the previous night TO
steal the necklace. He was the angrier
lin his abnormal criminal vanity
that Stanley should have vcntured to
impersonate so illustrious parsonage
as himself
He had been giving Eanya instruc.
tions for her conduct during the ap-
proa aching visit to Clayton's studio.
and he had intcrspcrsed these with
fierce denunciations of his followers
stupidity.
The Mon.rosc girl knows where