Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1917-08-22

to the wall, her face CHASTITY beneath
the rouge.
Dropping her beach wrap, Patria un-
covered her pistol.
BE good enough" she said coldly.
ito let me have that costume you are
wearing. give you this chance of es-
cape. but warn you not to waste time.
The police will be here in ten min
utes"
Dumb in despair, Elaine began to
tumble with the fastenlngs of her at
tire.
The door was tried; from the hall
way the voice of the maid became
audible:
Miss Charming do you need me?"
mot in the least" Patria replied.
go away and don't come back for half
an hour"
Patria moved across the room and
picked up the costume out of which
Elaine had just stepped, Spanish
dancers dress.
But it was far from easy to manage
the change and pistol at one and the
same time. On sudden decision Patria
unlocked the door.
"Put that beach cloak over your I'M
derthings," she ordered Elaine, "and
go
Submissively, Elaine picked up the
cloak and went to the door. Patria
crossed to a cheYal glass on the far
side of the room, on the way putting
her pistol on little table in the re-
| cess of the window. A moment later,
while hooking up the dress before the
glass, she saw Elaine fling the door
open and dart toward the table.
Patria moved, but Elaine had moved
too quickly for her. Her hand closed
upon the pistol.
simultaneously a mans hand was
thrust in between the window draper
les, holding a revolver. This last was
discharged with what, in that small
space, seemed deafening defamation.
Without as much as sigh Elaine fell.
She was dead before she lay ut rest.
Thoughtless of danger, Patria
reached the window in time to see
man leave the foot of a ladder whose
topmost rung rested on the window
sill, and scurry off in desperate haste.
AS she turned back she heard sew
eral people hurrying down the corri-
| dor, talking with more. or less ANNA
| ton. The suave accents of Baron HUI
rOki were distinguishabIe.
At her feet the pistol glistened
temptingly; the rays il reflected struck
fire from Patria's brain. Hastily she
| picked it up.
Followed by Fanny Adair and Juan
de Lima, Baron HurOki unceremOniOus-
| ly entered the room.
1.-THE maid said she was afraid you
were in some sort of trouble" he be-
gan, and checked in stupefaction, star
ing down at the body of the dancer.
"Shut that door," Patria brusQuely
| told De Lima.
"What does it mean?" Mrs. Adair
whimpered.
With a hint of contempt Patria
! looked from face to face.
"Meanf" she said. sit means that
Patria Claiming is accounted for at
| last. Somebody had to do it-and you
men bungled every time you tried It.
Now I've done my part; it remains for
you 10 cover this up. I'm going back
to my guests before they miss me-"
She left the three staring, dumb
founded, aghast.
! In the lover hallway she encoun-
tered Parr, lrew him aside, told him
what she had done.
"But why? To what end?" he
stammered.
GAS long as they think me Elaine,
and therefore are sure that Patria is
dead-I am inside their councils" she
explained. 81 shall become intimate
with all their schemes-and disclose
to you all find OUT"
In the dim gray twilight of dawn the
body of Edouard was found at the foot
of the cliffs. 1t was surmised that
blinded by remorse and drink-in the
haste of his flight. he had stumbled
over the brink to his death.
The discovery furnished Baron HUI
roki and his circle with way out of
their dilemma. The story they gave
out was to the effect that Edouard had
shot Elaine in fit of jealous rage, am
then killed himself.
! ENn OF SIXTH EPISODE)
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