Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-12-10
THE CRIMSON
STAINED MYSTERY

CONTINUED FROM PAGE FOURTEEN
(THlS sECTION)
men stepped from behind the screen
of bushes with drawn revolvers.
| One of them wore black mask.
the other Clayton recognized in the
gloom as Tanner.
Hand" curtly ordered the man
of you! Way up!'
Hands up" commanded the man
with the lantern.
Now" went on the lantern bearer,
get out of the car, both of you"
Florence, trembling, stepped to the
ground. The lantern carrier ironi-
cally started forward as If to assist
| her. In doing SO he lowered his re-
volver. And Clayton, with a furious
spring. launched himself upon him.
Down crashed the two men among
| the wayside brambles, the lantern
going out as they fell.
Clayton was uppermost. Swinging
free his right hand as he and his
fallen foe battled there in the ditch.
he brought down his fist with terrific
| force upon his opponents jaw point.
The other collapsed, senseless. Bob
staggered to his feet and stared about
him. The two other men and Flor
ence were nowhere to be seen.
Fifty yards ahead, in the faint star
light, loomed up one of the several
deserted huts that dotted the expanse
of the detour road. 1t was on n little
hillock, dimly outlined against the
skyline.
As Clayton looked he saw. mo-
mentarily silhouetted against the sky.
the two men, bearing the wildly
struggling girl between them, enter
ing the shack
| Regardless of peril, he ran STUN
! tbling forward.
! The two men who had seized Flor
ence lifted her--Over the crazy door
sill into the shack's one room. As
she redoubled her struggling Tanner
Geftly passed n rawhide cord around
her wrists and ankles, strapping her
to broken-down chair.
The rear door of the shack swung
! open and Pierre La Rue stepped into
| the room. As he glanced at Florence
! the Crimson Stain flared luridly in his
eyes.
She shrieked again. As if in reply
to her scream the front door flew
! open and Bob Clayton burst into the
room.
I! He strobe forward to where Flcr-
ence wrlthed at her bonds. Before
he could reach her Tanner and the
masked man hurled themselves upon
/ him from behind, bearing him to the
! ground under sheer weight and su-
per'or. strength.
Pierre La Rue, on Claytons en-
| trance, stepped swiftly back thru the
, doorway by which he had entered
and disappeared into the outer dark
ness.
| AS Tanner, with a "full-Nelson",
held Clayton poweress the. masked
man drew lonR-bladed knife. Flor
ence screamed -madly for help and
closed her eyes tn the butchery she
haH not the courage to witness.
Let him up" commanded a voice
from the rear door.
/ Florence turned. expecting to see
Pierre La Rue standing there. - In
stead the doorway framed the body
OF hunchback-bearded, ragged.
sinister. He was leveling>a pistol at
the battling trio on the floor.
Let him up" snarled the hunch-
back again.
/ Scrambling. they got to their feet.
holding their hands above their heads
and sasping dazedly at the newcomer.
Clayton, released, sprang up. All
three stared dumbly at the stranger.
The hunchback. motioning to Clay
ton with his fre hand, pointed to the
fettered girl.
Cut her loose" he said. ''and get
away from here. l can hold these
carrion TIL you're gone"
Marvcling. Clayton obeyed. While
the Others stood cringing before the
unsterving weapon, he cut loose the
rawhide bonds and helped the fright
ened girl to her feet
I'VE owe you our lives SIR" he he
gan, addressing the hunchback.
We"
Get her to your car and take her
home" interrupted his rescuer.
yes" breathed Florence. as Clay
ton with his free hand, pointed to the
carried her to the car. Take me
home, Bob. You can telephone your
mother that I'm too unnerved to 30
to the dinner. Take me home"
The Shunchback waited without
moving, the two gangsters still held
helpless BY his menacing pistol. un-