The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1916-11-15
THE HOUSE OF THREE DEUCES
An Adventure of
Grant, Police Reporter
By Robert Welles Ritchie
by Inaal
StorY by Redfield Inaa

put something in his mouth. The reporter
strolled on to tho house. and sure enough
the bean was gone
Tommy Grant turned at once and fol-
lowed the dark young man. who was now
in very much of a hurry, for he never
once looked back After a brisk walk Of
several blocks he turned into a disreputa-
BILE tenement. The trail was ended.
The reporter made careful note of the
building and turned back. all but running
Very shortly he had reached the murder
house, and there before the door was
disgruntied Cadogan with the roll OF oil
cloth under his arm. talking to the officer
Hey, chief" called Grant. hurrying up
i believe I've got your mani"
What's that2' exclaimed the chief of
detectives, turning
Briefly Grant told him OF the bean trail
and ended by urging that the reserves be
called out at once and tho tenement sur
rounded before the man could make his
escape. At first Cadogan was inclined to
scout the theory that Grant presented but
he knew the reporter from of old and
after a moments hesitation he turned
and they hurried TO the nearest telephone
Thence they Went with all speed to the
tenement.
They watched inconspicuously from
across the street until an auto patrol
wagon fun Of policemen sped up. In an
instant all was orderly confusion. Cado-
gan gave few crisp orders. the instant
~ gathering crowd Of tenement dwellers
was hustled back, and the bluecoats scat
tered to surround the building
What's the guy look like2' Cadogan
demanded, feeling for his revolver
Regular gunman," began Grant: then
hastily. Here, I know him by sight: I'll
go after him" and before the chief or de-
tectives could stop him he had darted into
the building and up tho stairs.
Several open doors and curious. peering
faces at the second floor showed that this
was not tho place, so Grant mounted the
second flight. Here he paused undecided
He was about to try the floor room by
room, when a scream from behind door
near the hall window decided him lie
rushed to the door and tried it; then step
ped out Of the window onto the fire es-
cape. A moment later he had pulled up
another window. through which came a
second scream.
Inside the dirty little room a young wo-
man was struggling in the arms of the
man with the evil face
At the same moment the man saw Grant.
He dashed the girl aside with an oath and
sprang. snarling at the reporter.
For a minute or two there was a furious
fight on the ricketty landing: then. with
a preliminary cracking. the whole thing
gave way Grant clutched at and caught
the iron ladder as he fell. and a moment
lata- +hA-A uae q hideoua veil a~d -ink-
ening crash and tnud below.
Tho ladder its basic support gone,
swung sidewise like a pendulum, but il
held. Grant watched his chance. kicked
in d window beside him. and scrambled
inside to the amazement and horror of
an old man in bed. But the reporter did
not stop for explanations. He tore open
the door and ran through the hall to the
room where the girl was. As he was try
ing to force the door Cadogan came
pounding upstairs. and together they
burst it in, to the accompaniment Of an
other scream. But when they entered
the girl had tainted
Threa-quarters of an hour later Grant
was telling the story to Mansfield the
city editor.
'The girl is Tia Da Cappo, regular little
beauty" he said. yep, got her picture.
She'd been to ses Tonic Palerni. tie mu-
dered man. A gunnan cal ed Lupo, .-e
Wolf. had been trying to get her Whi'e
she was talking TO Tonic. Lupo cane in
(this was at the House # Three peUcesJ:
attacked Tonic and killed him ia
grabbed some beans and PIT them il
her pocket to make a trail while LOO
was doing the trunk act. Then Luyo
dragged her of, terrified almost to death.
and kept her locked up while he went outs
to establish an abb. He came back.
found the beans. and destroyed the trail.
I saw him and-tbat's about all. We got
there just in time"
"And Lupo2' asked the editor.
'Lupos dead. The fall killed him.
And Grant yanked the cover off his type
writer.