East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1916-11-13

e1citedly, as she turned to face the
great detective. u have great news
for you. A clew that may solve the
whole Crimson Stain mystery. 1t
is about the murder Of TruxtOn Lam
bert. l saw him killed. Never mind
how. I'll explain that to you later.
I've been trying to get Harold STAN
ley on the telephone to let him know
about it. But / can't find him. So
l am telling you instead. l saw
Truxton Lambert killed. His muir
derer was"
"Wait!" brokei In Parrish, n%ervously,
as a faint sound from the hall outside
reminded him Of Felix's appearance
on the landing. Wait here a minute,
please. I'll be right back"
Vainly Florence Montrose awaited
the return of the man who had so
oddly left her in the midst Of her rev.
elation. For five minutes she stood
there, wondering at Parrish's nom
appearance. Then she stepped out
into the hall.
Parrish was not there. Her pretty
brows contracted in bewilderment.
AS she was starting to make further
Investigation the telephone at her
elbow began to ring.
Florence picked up the instrument,
"Is that you. F1orence?" came Har-
old SANKEY'S voice in answer to her
query. I'm down at Bob Clayton's
studio. Bob has Just been arrested
for Truxton Lambert's murder.
went with him when he was taken to
the station. I've come back here to
look around. I wanted to see if ]
could solve the puzzle Of a note
he"
bob arrested?" repeated the girl
incredulous and Mortified. ARRESTED
for the Lambert murder? Why, he il
innocent! AS innocent as you are
AS innocent as / ami"
'NOf course he is" rejoined Stanley
"and you're a brick to be so loyal il
your belief of him. But he"
ut isn't just 'belief'!' she corrected
vehemently. ITS knowledge.
know Bob didn't kill Truxton Lam.
bert. I know 1t, because I know whit
did kill him."
You know" echoed Stanley il
high excitement. I'm come up Their,
and"
NO." she interposed. "T1l COM
down there"
but it's late, and"
Hello" she called. Have the!
cut us off"
There was no reply. Again an'
again she called. But the connection
was hopelessly broken. A hand II
the darkness just outside of the cur
tains had reached out swiftly to tn
telephone wires and had severed then
with a pair of nippers.
It took her some little time t.
change into the clothes she selected
And it took much longer to get hol
Of a taxicab at that time of nigh
and in so remote a district. Nor wa
the ride downtown a short one. Muc
could have happened in the hour be
fore Florence reached the Clayto
studio. Indeed much did happen.
In reply to a hurried summons, 81
persons awaited Pierre La Rue o
the latter's arrival at the big roor
at the rear of Tanners ol~d-fashione
upper East Side apartment. PierT
entered the room and nodded care
lessly in response to the almost rev
erent salutations Of his henchmen.
! Singing out two members Of tn
listening group, La Rue drew ther
aside, speaking rapidly and incisivel
to them. Then, he led them to a cur
board, whence he produced tw
: shapeless black dominoes and mask
| AS he spoke, his curt directions
[ the Crimson Stain surged luridl
into his eyes. His whole face an
) body seemed transformed. His tW
3 followers took the dominoes an
: masks, folded them carefully undo
. their coats, and hurried out.
v Harold Stanley was heartily tire
of his long and lonely vigil at Cha,
toms studio.
l So, tuning at the delay and worr!
}. ing at thought Of the girls lone
I journey, he strobe over to the windo
to watch for the arrival of her tax
o cab. The glare OF the studio electr
= lights on the pane prevented hi
from seeing plainly into the sire
!, below. So he switched off all but Of
z dim-shaded light and returned to h
& post at the window, drawing shut b
hind him the fiimsy oriental ham,
= ings that divided the shallow windo
seat from the rest of the room.
n Thus, while everything in the st
y do was plainly visible to him, he hir
h self was shut off from the sight
anybody within the half-lit room.
, As he stood there looking out in
on Stain Mystery will appear in I