Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1916-12-16

was a woman of determination. She
glanced at the little crook and made
swift decision. She turned to one
of her attendants.
Louie. glnncing at her, saw a slight
movement Of her lips and fingers
| Criminal as he was and versed In the
ways of crime, he knew what that sigr
meant. 1t was the death sign. Bi
anca was taking no chances on the
threshold of her marriage.
Louie, staring at the man, saw him
nod In answer to Bianca's signal. Bi
anca turned to Louie once more.
Did you mean what you said2" she
demanded, about sending Senior Ma
varre to jail if he marries meT"
YES" snapped Louie.
The two men came forward and took
Louie by the arms He went with
them quietly into the next room. One
of them released his prisoner to open
the secret panel. Instantly Louie
struck the other in the face, Telling
him to the ground Free for the mo-
ment, Louie drew a revolver and
fred at the second man point blank.
The party in the inner room rushed
in to see one Of the two men strug-
Cling to his feet and the second with
Ing in his own blood. Louie had es,
capped through the open panel.
He found himself in Bianca's bou-
doir He dashed for the door. But
Sebastian was quicker Before he
could turn the handle he was upon him.
Louie was not a brave man, but had
seen the sign, and fear rendered him
desperate, He dashed his fists into
Sebastan's face knocking him to the
floor. lie bounded toward the win
dow and flung it open. AS Sebastian
regained his feet the party, entering
saw Louie spring to the window sill.
Blanca, standing at the doorway,
placed her fingers upon little knob,
apparently an electric bell. Instantly
u huge shutter of steel snapped down
into place before the window, blocking
LOuie's escape. Another inch or two,
and Louie would have been decapi-
tated.
Get him now commanded Blanca
in crisp tones of command.
Louie leaped for the nearest man
and, with strength which he had nol
known he possessed, swung him be-
fore him as II shield against the half
circle of reyOlverS covering him. He
edged toward the door again, the man
struggling helplessly in Louie'S grip.
They fell to the floor together, claw
ing at each other like wild beasts.
None Of the others Jared to shoot, so
violent were their movements.
Biancn calmly watched tie perform
anCe. The men were working their
way toward the center of the floor,
where was the trap door which had
shot RaVengar into the cellar below.
Blanca pressed another button, and
The door disclosed Il yawning cavity in
the middle of the floor.
The watchers held their breath as
the two men, still engaged in their
furious struggle, neared the cavity.
Louie was nearer, and ii seemed in
credible that he could escape. But
he, maddened by the double fear
that held him, scWled to have hun
dred eyes and senses. With an adroit
leap he bounded from the very edge |
Of the cavity aud pushed his companion |
down.
He rose with one eye blackened, |
bleeding and dsheveled. He was COW
cred by a circle Of reviewers. Escape |
now seemed impossible. All waited |
for BanCa's signal to fire.
And the little crook, fairly cornered
stood defiant in the middle of the room,
beside the open door, which would at
any instant become the roof Of his bur.
Ial vault There was only one chance
n million Of Louie's escape.
But the one chance arrived. For, as
Louie stood there, his eyes shifting
from face to face, he became aware
IF an extraordinary phenomenon which
nobody else perceived. A hand, and
nothing but hand, marble-white, man.
size, was approaching the switch which
the electric lights In the
room. And Louie, watching It out Of
he corner of his eye, was coolly cal
'ulating whether 1t would snap the but
on before Blanca dropped her hand.
He saw Blanca straighten herself
The hand wavered. An then, before 1t
ell, the lights went out with click
hat sounded like pistol shot.
The pistol shots themselves followed
he sudden plunging Of the room into
darkness. Louie heard them crack
lround him, heard the hiss of the bull
cts, and then he made with almost
loiseless, catlike steps for the secret
Danel.
A moment later Blanca had found
he switch, and the lights went on
gain. Louie was not In the room.
ITO the panel" she shouted furi-
usly.
Louie, gaining the adjacent house,
ad slipped behind the curtains that |
ing beside the doorway. CrOuching |
here, he saw the chase go past him. i
One man had not followed the others /
n thpir fruitIpgG chase throuOh tho