The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1917-09-28
eleventh EPISODE
Loves Sacrifice.

Although the villain Bentley man.
aged to get away, he had failed to OBJ
tain the paper which meant so much to
him; moreover, his attempt to rob the
district attorneys office seemed fair to
turn the whole weight of the police
department against him If he could be
traced.
It was under these favorable cir.
cumstances that Peter Hale was well
coined back as q friend to the Brew
ster house, where Hubert Brewster
made much of him and never ceased
airing his opinion of the man who had
tried to kill him.
This was ell very encouraging to
Peter, who now thought he might have
q chance with Philippa. AS for the
girl who had been nearly won by the
social pirate, she shuddered at her mar
row escape, but even with the evidence
Of his rascality before her, she seemed
at times unable to believe he was as
bad as Peter and her father painted
him.
Bentley himself had kept in hiding
he realized that before very long he
would be sought by the police; for he
figured that Peter or some Of his
friends had a clue to the night visit to
steal the accusing confession.
He determined to punish Hale If it
could be done-and he planned a
scheme which was clever and certain
to work as far as he could see. The
plot was simple-he instructed one Of
his men to start fight near the Brew
ster house with lot Of rufians who
were to beat him unmercifufly-the
stool pigeon was thereupOn to dash
for the Brewster home as though try
ing to escape, and once inside, to relate
sad tale of persecution by Bentley
and to give that ,gentleman's address
to his hearers.
Bentley felt sure that Peter and Mr..
Brewster, once having learned his
whereabouts, would pay him visit,
and it was on this visit that he was
counting to make the most of his re-
venge.
The plan worked perfectly up to q
certain point-lndeed, Bentley was SO
sure of it's success that In talking to
his Confederates in his hiding place he
made all his preparations for the re-
ceptiOn of his visitors. There was q
decanter on the table, and into this
decanter Bentley, with malicious
grin, poured u white powder.
"When they take a drink" he said
they'll be in our power, and they'll bt
sure to take drink"
His confdant slapped him on thu
back.
"Just imagine Hale lying there
asleep waiting for me-" said Bentley
I'D like to see him try any more o.
his nonsense"
But in making his plans Bentley hat
forgotten one thing-or rather on
persOn-and that person was tn
Masked Stranger. That individual
during this interesting conversation
was hiding behind the window on til
FIRE escape. He not only heard ever
word, but smiled in anticipation OF
plan Of his own.
| Neither Bentley nor his confedel
ates had the slightest inkling Of hi
presence, nor did they hear him sli
into the room as they went out. hi
actions then were quick and decisive
He moved to the closet as though h
knew what be sought would be there
and, taking therefrom another decar
; ter substituted it for the one on tn
table and got away without being seel
Once on the street, he lost no tim
in teleph0ning to Annessley, who wa
now becoming intensely interested
! Bentley. What the young reporte
heard pleased him greatly, but he ma
no sooner put down the telephone tina
he was called by Peter, who informe
him that he was on his way to cate
Bentley, and related to him just no
he had come into possession of b
address.
await a minute, Peter" said Al
nessley. "Come here before you
there. I've some news for yc'l."
When Peter arrived MIR. Annessl'
was bubbling over with excitement.
The two talked at length and final
Annessley said, gaily, "All right, we
work it this way and think we'll
sure to catch our bird"
The first move in the adventure VI
q visit to the statlonhouse-there A
nessley told the sergeant he thong
he was on the track Of Bentley Of
/, borrowed from him four detectives
Il case Of trouble.