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

the night he heard somebody try
softly to open the door leading into
the suite from the hallway outside.
Harold remembered he had bolted 1t,
not wishing TO be disturbed by any
chance visitor before Florence's ar
rival. He turned to cross the room
and open the door, on the chance that
the newcomer was Florence. Then he
changed his purpose before he had
takena step.
For, although he could not see the
entire sidewalk beneath him, yet he
had an uninterrupted view of the
street itself from curb to curb. He
had been staring down at it for sew
eral minutes. And no taxicab had
driven up.
Nor, he reflected, would Florence
have tried to open the door without
first knocking. And, an ordinary Wis
itor, even failing to knock at once,
would have done so on finding the
door fastened shut. But there was
no knock; and the soft pressure on
the knob was not repeated.
Harold, still hidden in the curtain
masked embrasure of the window
stood, p~erplexed, at this queer pro-
cedure. He was about to step out OF
his impromptu hiding place and 90
out into the hall to investigate when
the same muffled sound was re-
peated. This time not from the door,
but from the skylight above the
studio room.
Even as he looked, one Of the two
succeeded in prying loose the sky
lights catch. Gradually and with al
most no noise, the catch was pushed
back and the skylight itself was
lifted.
Then, by the light from the room
itself, Harold had a clearer view Of
the two intruders. He stared in dull
amaze. For, both Of them vert
shrouded in long black domino-cloak'
and both wore masks.
Noiselessly, the two shrouded fig.
ures lowered themselves Over thu
skylight-edge and dropped lightly
down into the room. One OF then
stood. there, crouched as If for
spring. The other sped through thu
adjoining rooms Of the suite; pres
entity returning to his companion.
mo one here" he whispered, Stan
ley must have gotten tired Of waiting
and gone"
And il the Montrose girl come
here" asked the first.
"She won't. That is arranged.
am going to wait for her downstairs
Be listening. And when l whistl
!, Join me down there without keeping
me waiting. 1t must be t%Ouch-and
go. And the old deserted house i
a full hours run from here"
He pushed back the bolt, glide
out of the room and closed the doc
behind him.
As he did so, Harold Stanley spranI
forward from his hiding place an
launched himself bodily upon the MAI
/ Even as he switched off the ligh
the man in the domino had q fleetin.
glimpse of his charging a%ssailant, an
/ wheeled to meet him.
Blindly, ~murderously they tough
| in the enveloping darkness, Overturn
} ing tables and chairs in their coursI
Once Harold felt the razor-edge c
: a knife-blade Craze his cheek. An
he knew he was fighting with a
armed and desperate man. Seekin
to seize the knife arm, he run in.
, His foot slipped on the polishe
floor, caught in the mesheS of q dis
T arranged rug, and he threw out h
arms wildly in an effort TO recov'
} his balance. Before he could regal
his footing a blow on the ia.
, stretched him at full length. His Il
, bounded f~erocicusly upon the daze
! and Frustrated Stanley.
: Two minutes later the shFill s0uT
! Of q whistle from far below echo'
7 through the room. The masked ma
, in the black domino ran out Of Il
! suite and downstairs, Ikea dog at
masters call. Within ten seconds
was at his masked companions sit
in the darkened lower doorway OF L
!, building.
' A taxi halted in front Of the doC
Florence Montrose got out al
crossed to the doorway. A mimi
!, after she entered the building a M
y stepped out Of the vestibule and
3 to the taxi.
: 1.-THE lady sent me out to say s
: won't want you any more" he &c
- the chauffeur. Here's a five 81
for you. Forget the change"
+ The taxi chugged Off. At once
! second taxicab took its place at I
II curb.
Florence Montrose, climbing
n C~layton's studio, knocked for adm