Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1917-09-21


mind of my friend at this new element
injected into the Ludington case. He
did not see fit to enlighten me. He
called for me at the bank the next
day.
"A witness Is sometimes handy" he
observed. and as We went spinning
along the boulevard south he briefly
told of his success in locating this
new woman in the case.
THE name of the photographer was
guiding clew," he advised me. He
did not know Idalia,' but he knew a
friend Of hers. an actress. From this
friend l learned the whereabouts Of
the original Of the picture. She is the
inmate Of the reformatory, on a SEN
tence for robbery. We are going
there"
A woman clad in light blue cotton
uniform was called to us, after We had
reached the place in question. She
came into the room where we awaited
her. her eyes roaming everywhere In
an attempt to surmise the motive Of
our visit Promptly Marvel drew the
photograph Miss Ludington had sup
piled him from his pocket.
II have come to ask you a ques-
tion." he said. How long have you
known the man to whom you gave
this photograph"
In an instant the prison restraint, the
forced reserve of discipline, all self
control went to the winds. The wo-
man first attempted to wrest the pic
ture from the hand that held 1t to-
wards her to tear 1t to atoms. Her
eyes glared like q tigers. her face
became distorted, she raved. she
trembled from head to foot, she
poured out curses upon the man a
memory of whom the photograph had
evoked
Listen" she cried. Mark me.
swear 1.-THE day l am freed from
here. be it when it may-I win kill
him!"
You are too Late" observed Marvel
quietly.
II am too later" she repeated, skep-
tically.
Yes, he has been dead for weeks. %
She laughed. this Idalia, this woman
who made men shrink whom she did
not cause to weep.
You came to draw me out. to de-
lude me-" she scoffed. From him! !
see through you. Dead? Do you
think l do not keep track of him
through my friends on the outside. to
be ready to know when, and where,
and how I shall strike when the hour
comes? Go back and tell Abel Wanda
mann that from me-"
A low whistle, SO low that 1t would
have been difficult to trace its source.
proceeded from the lips Of Resilius
Marvel He restored the photograph
to his pocket. He made . motion to
the attendant that his mission was &C
complished. He said to me:
The case is complete"
What he meant l CROPPED vaguely in
my mind to md out He left me to
think out one fact; that the photo
graph was the property Of Abel
Vandamann. not Of dead Royal Lud
ington. Then how had 1t come into
the possession of his daughter!
The great man proved his last state
ment to me the following evening.
was seated In the ONCE Of the United
Bankers Protective association wher
there came . commotion In its ante
room. Then . man was thrust into
the private ONCE by two Officers II
uniform. Marvel followed. and thu
one policeman retired at his words
Il will be responsible for this man
Now then. my friend, sit down and ge
your b. ,ath."
At a glance l knew the prisoner.
was Edward Briggs. He was frowsy
unkempt, savage looking. somewha
the worse for drink, and Of lowering
brow and set pugnacious lips.
Whats all this?" he growled out
you have been arrested for deadl.
assault upon one certain Vandamann.
observed Marvel.
1T would have been more certain
I'd had the show" retorted the fel
low.
| yOu uiLu muCu.
Worse luck. no. The next time!
the man glared across his knotte,
: fist
"On top of your last exploit" re
marked Marvel. 1T may be six month
or a year this time. Unless you hav
left a case of mayhem behind yo
,, down at Vandamann's, l can promis
you a chance to get out Of this mix-u
on conditions"
What conditioner" muttered tn
fellow, an evil eye fixed on both {
us-suspiclous and leery.
las the Fourteenth Man"
What's that" calculated Brfgg
with a start, and then he shrank BAG
within himself, the barrier up. like
man in a trap.
las the Fourteenth Man. you q
course knew Royal Ludington."
Suppose did,"
] What did you take to his hous
the day of his funeral?"
( Briggs bored into the Questioner'
9 face with his shrewd ferret eyes. H
r shook his head. This is some kin
8 of frameup." he declared. Il don
l. say a word till know what's doing.
8 After some persuasion the man tolt
e 1t amounted to this: Scoundrel-hearte
c Abel Vandamann had seen an oppo
e tunity in the sudden death Of one {
l. his victims to press fictitious claim
He had utilized the Fourteenth Ma
7 in his Mot. This had been to hay