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

tanca. Receiving no answer, she con-
eiuded that Stanley had tired Of the
long wait and had gone. Retracing
her own steps, she left the building
and re-entered the taxicab, which she
supposed was the same In which she
had come thitheE.
Giving the chauffeur her home ad-
dress, she stepped into the machine.
Instantly she saw, by the tndistinct
light that Il was occupied by two
dark forms.
Before she could move back one
Of the two men seized her, clapping
q pungentIy smelling handkerchief
over her mouth and nose and forcing
her into a seat At the same time
the taxi set on uptown at top speed,
Uphill at last hbored the taxi,
along the very edge Of a sharply
curving BLUM that edged the river.
Straight below glittered the dark wa
ter in the starlight. A single swerve
of the steady wheel would have sent
the machine through the 1imsy fence
and down the low cliff into the
stream.
Past this the taxi sped, drawing to
q halt a half-mile farther on in
front of q dilapidated house that
stood wen back from the road
among tangled Shrubbery and weed
grown walks.
The two masked men got out and
lifted Florence, between them, from
the taxi.
They entered a large and very dirty
room with their burden and set the
girl down IN a FiGkety chair. Then
one Of the men lighted q kerosene
lamp that hung from the ceiling.
The yellow Night revealed the size
and the dirt OF the almost unfur-
nished room as wen as the CRIME OF
its windows A large and empty
clothes closet stood with door slightly
atar at the end Of the room oppo-
site the hallway door.
One of the two MASKED men stepped
closer, cropping for something in the
breast of his domino.
As though his step were a signal, a
laundering knock resounded at the
front door Of the house, accompanied
by a shout Of:
"Open! In the name of the hwl"
The command was followed by a
kick that sent the rickety old front
door skipping crafty from its hinges
and tumbHng fat, with a bang. into
the dusty entry.
The noise banished the last Of the
drug mists from F1oreDee's r~ef1ving
brain. She sat up dazedly, and
glanced about her.
She was just IN time to see the two
masked men make a dash for the
clothes eloset-the only available
place Of concealment in sight One
of them reached the closet a stride
ahead of the other, jumped inside ant
slammed the door shut behind him
, The second masked figure tuggeC
frantically at the knob to set IN. Blu
/. the man inside was evidently holding
!, the door shut against him in q frenz!
: of self-preservation.
| And at that moment the room file
with policemen.
Florence started up dizzily from he
: chair, pointing to the masked ma
. who still tuggea at the closet door
( knob.
| Take hint" she shrilIed wildly
l the police. Take himl He is tn
; murderer Of Truxton LAMBERT"
At a word from the lieutenant !
! charge the squad Of police hurle
: themselves upon the masked man 3
3 made no resistance
r Bring him oVer here to the light
4 ordered the lieutenant 80! No
v rip eff that mask and let's get a lt
Q at him"
! Sooner than the werd wa spok'
a half-dozen hands had torn aw;
4 the hooded mask and the envelopiI
d domino. The mysterious man sto'
n revealed to the wondering eyes Of I
Q captors.
5 He was Harold Stanley.
9 How did you get hereY~ cried Etc
q enee in the same breath.
70 1t was F1oFeness query that Sta
hey answered
How did / get hereF he repeat,
d why I came here IN the taxi wi
o you-along with the man who dru
n ged you. Il was the surest way
p get him and any OF the rest OF
gang who might be waiting here
10 you"
ID This don't make sense to me-"
ot in the lieutenant, stiil with more n
q tinge OF suspicion
a moi" returned Stanley. well,
le viii presently. 1 vas at Robert Cla
toms studio waiting for Miss Mo.
to rose. She was to meat me the
Z Two masked men came in throU