The Sentinel=record., 1916-12-10
THE CRIMSON STAIN MYSTERY

You will none of you get more of the drug from me-" he declared with an iron frmnass that impressed even Pierre La Rue. Not one more treat ment shall any of you have. You. least of all. That is the truth, upon my oath"
 You would not dare" began La Rue, uneasily, but Montrose went on
 You have lurked about here at all hours like evil spirits; coming for the acCursed treatment that is so needful to you and such a blight on society at large. The end has come. l refuse to give you more treatments. Kill me if you will. You have heard my decision. And that decision shall never be changed. l swear 1t. Now gol"
 Pierre's face, as he listened. grew livid The dread of losing the drug that made him the master-crook of the century, was too much for his self-control.
 His eyes fiaring suddenly with the Crimson Stain, he whipped out a knife. With wild beast snarl. he leaped at the doctor.
 Montrose, with an agility remark able in man of his age. sprang back ward from the aperture, slammiug shut the secret panel behind him.
 The whizzing knife blade drove deen into the wood of the panel and stuck there. La Rue hurled himself against the closed portal like a rabid wolf. But the stout wood resisted his fu- riuus charge. Then through the panel Monuose heard him yell:
 "foull rob Us of the drug that is life itself to us?" Very good! Then we shall rob you of the daughter who is more than life to you. She shall die within twenty-four hours. And no power can save her.
 His retreatng footsteps died away. Montrose stood eyes ablaze with righteous indignation, listening to the receding steps.
 His ears rang with La Rue's threat against Florence. But it only stirred the father to f1ercer wrath. At last, lifting one hand solemnly heaven ward, he said aloud:
 'I make solemn VOW that the Crimson Stain shall be wiped out, and that its vile power shall be once and IOTeNeF annlnllated!
 His own words seemed to galvanize him to strange activity.
 Going to a desk he drew forth a pistol and thrust it into his pocket. From a cupboard he produced a broad -brirnmed soft hat which he damned down well over his eyes, and a great coat which concealed the lines of his figure.
 Then, opening the secret panel again, he crawled through it, closed it behind him and hurried along the passageway in Pierre La Rue's wake.
 Several times in the next half hour the doctor caught sight of La Rue, though he could never quite catch up with him.
 Yet by his own knowledge of the mans habits he was able to trail Pierre to Tanners apartment.
 There, crouching in ali alleyway below the open windows of the ground-foor flat, he heard the mutter of voices. and from time to time he was able to get the drift of a sentence or two.
 Night had fallen before Montrose left his post. And then he desested ii only to follow Pierre La Rue, Who emerged from the house, accompanied by Tanner and Kiel.
 The three hailed a taxicab. pr. Montrose was lucky enough to en- counter another taxi returning to Its distant stand from leaving a passen- ger somewhere in the neighborhood of Tanners apartment.
 He boarded it and gave chase. Just 0 hd An.N hnf fl,aA the man whom Montrose was trailing drew up in front of Alisar's dance hall. La Rue and Tanner and Kiel got out and went into the place. A moment or so later Montrose stealth fly followed
 He was just in time to see the three pass into private room at one end of the hall. The doctor made his way to a table that stood close to the door of this room. His hat pulled low over his brow, he sat down. ordered a drink (which he did not taste) and waited He could hear nothing in the private room.
 But presently a waiter went thither. apparently in response to 8 touch of the bell. In the second the door was open Montrose could see the three men grouped at the table.
 The waiter departed Soon he re- turned, carrying two glasses Of whisky on a tray He tried the door. It was locked. Setting down the tray on the corner of the doctors table. the waiter knocked at the door.
 While the walters back was turned Montrose. with a lightning gesture. emptied his tiny flask of hydrcvanic acid into the two half-flled whisky glasses.
 He was barely in time, for the wait or at once picked up the tray as Tan ner opened the door to him, and car ried 1t into the private room.
 The doctor would have felt less tri- umph had he known of a telephone converse tion La Rue had just held in that room.
 Calling up the Montrose House he had asked anxiously if the doctor were at home.
 Clayton, who was calling on Flor ence, replied that Dr. Montrose was out. To which. La Rue had an- swered:
 Pm sorry. I'm the father of that boy the doctors daughter ran over The poor little feller seems to be hurt internally"
 "Really?" exclaimed Bob. "Oh, T."
 "1ve had him taken to little hos pital at 999 East BIankth street': went on La Rue. "but he keeps crying to see the pretty lady who was so nice