Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-09

strength as the two neared the edge
o. the roof. AS he felt himself falling
he clutched at his foe, and the two
dropped into space together. With a
frantic effort, Harry reached out and
saved himself by graspinE a projecting
| water leader. The force OF the pull
almost tore him loose. and he swayed
In midair. while Perry Mason. looking
at the hair-raising sight, calmly pulled
, forth his revolver and fired at the
| swinging figure. The shot hurtlcd past.
and the young man began TO descend
hand over hand as fast as he could.
When near the ground the pipe broke,
and he fell beside the dead gunman
and lay stunned. Perry. Mason, peer
ing down and preparing to fire again.
was halted by the appearance of a
couple Of policemen. With his remain
Ing companion he ran to the ladder on
| which Harry had gained to the adj
joining roof and. crossing on it. drew
! II after him. He and his confederate
| then disappeared through skylight,
while Hamilton Stokes tried to ex-
| plain TO the officers the cause OF the
| tumult
Fortunately, Harry was only s.unred.
When he opened his eyes and saw the
dead man beside him. he ahuddcred
at the close call, and, jumping up. ran
to the street.
voice hailed him. and he saw lima
standing in front Of the taxi IN which
he had urged her to hasten homo
had to wait for you, Harry" she
said; so I've been keeping a lookout"
Harry's delight in being able to ehow
TO the girl Of his heart the pearl safe
| and sound was not one iota OF her Joy
in seeing II. Her eyes betrayed her
gratitude, and Harry threw his arms
about her. crushing her to him and
kissed her again and again.
Suddenly she shrank away. On the
running board Of the car appeared the
sinister form of the executione-. BY
mere chance he had been standing on
the sidewalk. and in the dark he
thought he had seen Harry embrace
lima. In vain he had called on the
driver to stop the taxi. and. running
after it. had leaped to the running
board. and now entered the car.
! His stern countenance frightened
lima. He turned to Harry. Did see
you kiss this lady just now?"
! Harry laughed. You must be
L
| lima. glad OF a chance to divert the
attention OF the Sultan's emissary. took
out the pearl and held it before the
executioner.
He examined t carefully. "yes. it is
one OF the seven. but. alas! have
! grave misgivinEs."
! what do you mean" they asked in
| chorus
he Sspn
ther explanation. and waiting till they.
reached IlIna's hoIs.. he walked away
with warning look n :ha young girl.
Perry Mason. meantime. furious at
being outwitted by Harry, had found
refuge in the rooms of Stayne, his
busy brain plotting some scheme TO
get even with lima and TO recover the
pearl which had been taken from
Stokes
With S:ayne was a woman called
Gertie. whom he had known for long
time and TO whom he intrusted certain
details in plans which required fem
mime assistance.
You can talk right out" said Stayne
in his usual surly manner. "Gertie
! Is one OF u.s.
! Well. l will" said Perry. II want
you TO get job as an assistant am
hulance driver"
| "Oh. you do?"
I'll tell YOU the scheme, and then
you'll agree" and he went on to elabo-
rate plot to secure possession OF
lima as the first step toward corral
ling the seven pearls.
| And I'll need woman like you,
Gertie." said the arch conspirator,
turning to her.
Perry grew enthusiastic as he went
on. There's a place called the Pleas
ant Vale Sanatorium not far out of
town, up Westchester way. All right
now you get job as assistant am
bulance driver. see? and after you have
made the acquaintance Of the driver,
you two can grow chummy. What you
want is to get Gertie interested in the
driver, see the point?"
Then what?" interrupted Stayne.
Then this. keep your eyes on the
lookout for commitment case-some
woman about Ilma's age-you make
| 4 date with the driver, or rather. Gertie
| does. and you agree to put friend in
tho drivers place. That's me: all
right. We get the woman going to the
asylum and set her free after we've
taken her part way, get me? And then
you've made an appointment with lima
| to put her on the track Of another
pearl. When she turns up we grab her,
stick her in the ambulance and take
her to the sanatorium-is 1t good?"
You're all right, Perry" said Stayne,
whose eyes lighted up at this chance
| of paying off an old score with lima.
I'm with you. and so is Gertie"
Having left lima at her house, Harry
went on to his own, and, feeling a
little set up as the result Of the sue
cessful elimination Of his scheme.
lima had four pearls; there were three
to be secured yet, but he knew now
that he had won her heart. and the
search for the pearls took secondary
place in his thoughts.
Stayne departed almost at once 20
hunt for job as an assistant ambu-
lance driver. and he was not long in
securing 1t at the very sanatorium
Perry, Mason had mentioned.
The driver was vain chap who
fitted perfectly into the plot. 1t was
an easy matter after the two had be-