The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-07-30

Scoundrel you really are"
She strobe up to the desk and seized the tele-
phone Herman caught her pleadngly.
"You are hastyl' he protested. Think what
you doing Think of the share you going
to have for yourself from that ten thousand
which is just good as in hands nowv'
Il don't want the money! not going to
let you put it over me, and take up with that
little hussy!' stormed Mary. 1--WE are wasting
time talking! Besides, what assurance have I
got that you wouldn't trick out of the money
just you have been playing with before?"
II give you my word" said Herman eagerly.
Mary shook her head. There is only one
thing 1 will do! 1 going to get out of the
whole matter tonight If you want to pay
five thousand dollars for my share, will let the
girl go, and keep still Otherwise shall have the
satisfaction of telling her the facts"
Herman drew back, shaking his head, and
Mary calmly gave the number of their fat to the
exchange operator. 1t was enough. Herman
drew out check-book, and sullenly wrote out
order for five thousand dollars. Mary hung
back the receiver, and Herman breathed easily
once more.
81 will wait here" she said while you have
this cashed. I prefer the money!" Herman sui
lenly departed
Back in the girls fiat, Mona at about this
same time, was relating gleefully to little audi
ence, consisting of Carson, Grant and Winnie
Andrews, the details of Herrmans visit and
Mary's spectacular intrusion. Carson listened to
her story with an unusual gravity
You don't seem as enthusiastic I expected
you to e!' the girl cried suddenly looking up at
him.
Carson shook his head 1T find that man,
Herman, is dangerous characterize kind that
would stop at nothing to himself if he
fancied himself in tight corner. Besides" He
broke off suddenly, and stealing to the hall door
of the fiat suddenly threw it open. crouching
man outside almost preciptated into the room,
and the next moment Carson had fastened his
hands in the others collar and yanked him to his
feet. Mona repressed cry she that the
intruder other than the so-called
theatrical manager" whom Herman had pre-
sented to them earlier in the day. There
other cry of recogniton-this time from Winnie
Andrews.
you villain I" burst out the girl impulsvely,
springing toward him. HE is the scoundre who
posed money-lender, and killed my poor
father" she cried. Carson compressed his lips
grimy, and dragged the the room to
inner bedroom, into which he thrust him. and
locked the door. Without word he sprang to the
telephone and called the Office of the Twentieth
Century Vocal Academy moment later Mary's
voice greeted him over the wire, and he was
planning what had happened In return, the girl
told briefly of her interview with Herman and
its result.
eff you can hold the man for half hour
she finished, sit will give time to finish. Dc
you think you do it?"
1--WE can hold him all night" said Carson
but he mistaken. When he opened the bed
room door he sprang into the with cry
of dismay. The window open, and he
reached it he was just in time to the prisoner
leap from the fire escape to the ground, and dis
appear into the darkness
Carson darted back to the telephone and
again called the number of the Vocal Academy,
but there answer. Frantically he i'm
portuned the central exchange to find what was
wrong.
In the meantime, Mary, awaiting the Profess
sor's return, in Herrmans private Office, was
gagged in one of the most exciting experiences of
her life. 1t was not due to a defective connection
that Carson's second call failed of answer, for
the girl heard the bell, and had taken the
receiver from the hook to reply when she
held rigid with terror. The door had burst open,
figure Herrman'S
pseudo theatrical manager darted toward her
She dropped the receiver and was backing
away from the desk, when her glance fell on
open drawer in which was revolver. Desper-
ately She snatched it, and leveed it toward the
advancing man, just as his arms closed iendishly
about her. She felt herself swaying and then her
fingers pressed the trigger of the weapon, and
she sank to the floor.
1t this shot, echoing duly over the open
wire which greeted Casper Carson, back in the
fiat, as he tried in vain to establish a response
from Herrmans Office. With groan he dashed
toward the door, calling to the others to follow
him.
In the Office of Herman Mary Burnett lay
motionless on the floor, her white face upturned
to the light. The man, bending over her, sprang
back with gasp of mortal terror. In his eyes
was the look of hunted animal at the thought
that the woman at his feet might be dead Crush
ing his hat down on his head he darted out of
the door, leaving the motionless girl behind him.
AS the door banged shut, Mary raised herself
dizzily elbow, and surveyed her surround
ings. She had not been shot-but had collapsed
under the shock of the situation. Now
she caught hold of the desk, and managed to
scramble uncertainty to her feet as the door
opened again, and Professor Herman walked in.
For second the girl thought that he, too, had
learned of the trap, but she mistaken. With
a snarl, Herman tossed bundle of bank-notes
onto the desk.
Mary tucked them into her handbag, and on
a sudden thought drew pad of paper toward
her and scrubbed receipt. The took it with
a sheer. Before he could decipher it's contents,
she walked to the door, and pressed the elevator
button. Two minutes later she the street
and in the of Mona who the first of
Casper Carson's rescue party to spring from the
tax-cab that had paused outside the building.
Mona disengaged herself from the others
brace, and, reaching into her handbag, extended
the bundle of bank-notes to Winnie Andrews.
Il think this money is righteously yours,
dear!"
Upstairs in his Office, Professor Herman had
just finished reading the following receipt:
Thanks for the return of the first five thou
sand dollars you swindled Miss Winnie Andrews
out of! You will be overjoyed to know, too that
the woman upon whom you were calling tonight
is also my accomplice. Call again! We shall all
be waiting for you with open arms-and an
oficer!"
Herman slowly crumpled the paper ia his
hand, and smothered oath. Even oaths would
not do justice to his emotional