Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-10-21
faced tho grim eyes of the Execu-


his arms. the willy Turk thrust one
hand into his waistcoat pocket and
| drew forth pearl which lima and
Harry were so vainly seeking.
This done. no removed tho pistol
from the upraiscd arm and backed
away without word.
Perry Mason glanced after tho van
ishinE robher and then into the room
where Harry and lima were interro-
eating the shaking negro.
Tell your story TO the police" Har-
ry was saying. and we Will see tina,
you escape"
Perry Mason shook his fst at tho
speaker. an evil CLEAN lit his eyes
As the negro. rising from his knees
started to go back to his room. the
owner OF the house slipped into the
next room. His plans were formed
1t was Il matter OF life and death for
him to wreak summary vengeance on
the girl who held his secret and on
her companion. lie could settle with
his servant later.
He thrust his head into the doorway
plainly with the intent that he might
be seen. lie then retreatcd. His ruse
worked to perfection. There nc is
cried Harry. and started on run for
the fratricide.
lima followed Perry Mason darted
this way and that. pursued by the
young people. Harry's only desire was
to capture the arch villain and bring
him to justice. Deprived of his pis-
toll, Perry did not attempt to turn. In
the basement OF the house he had
caused TO he built room lined with
concrete. Into this chamber, water
could he admitted to any height. 1t
wos valuable az n testing room for
submarine devices. and had been so
used ny the inventor. This room was
now eT1ty--there was nothing about
it TO cxcitv suspicion. Perry ran into
il with Harry and lima ut his heels.
The door closed behind them and Per-
ry dashed through the opposite side,
slamminS snut the only other means
of cgrcss. They came to sudden halt.
Harry rushed back to try the door
through which they had Just come.
There was no evidence of It's existence.
He stared Al lima. with her quick
intuition. she knew that something was
wrong.
ITS a trap" she cried Harry nohd-
Cd
How can we get out? lima was
genuinely alarmed and as she eXaInin-
ed the solid wall of the room her fear
increased. To Harry 1t became evil
dent that they were caught and a the
mercy Of Perry Mason. in vain the
young man shouted. His cries sound
ed dull and futile. While he was vain
" shouting lima rushed up and seized
his arm.
her companion saw with n horror equal
to her own a large pipe from which
water was beginning to pour
Perry Mason's revenge was n terri
bic one. Locked in the concrete cham
Der. his victims were to be drowned
and no one could save them.
"Oh. why did 1 try to get that miss
ing pcarl?" cried lima, her eyes fixed
with q fascinated stare on the water
spreading along the floor And Harry
had no answer. He could only hope
against hope that some miracle might
save them from the death that was
creeping miscrably upon them.
! Meanwhile. Perry Mason, sure Mt last
that his prisoners could not escape
resolved to make assurance doubly sure
and to get rid Of the negro at the same
time. The EXecutioner, watching from
the security Of friendly hedge. saw
the owner Of the house pile 4 lot of
chairs and other easily moved furniture
in the center OF the library, then drag
In n hydrogen tank and set fire to the
Iilc. Having started the blaze the in
iccndiary crept out and made his way
through the grounds to 4 little copse
some distance off, where in q kind of
Insane fury he watched The conflagra-
/ ton.
| Having made sure that his work had
been well done. he moved forward and
Ilftcd Il small slab set in mound,
end with 4 parting glance prepared TO
Gcscend in an excavation beneath il.
! Once more. however. he was faced by
the EXccutioncr, who having enacted
the role of robber, now surprised Perry
Mason by his generosity. for he held
tout to him the pearl lie had taken-the
murderer was nonplussed; holding out
the gem he turned on II small Hash
! light. and being assured that the pearl
WAS the one he had lost, bestowed an
astonishcd look on the donor. The
expression on the Exccutioncr's face
did not change. He handed back the
pistol with the same inscrutable air
and then pointing to the blazing house.
spoke his first word:
Are they there?"
! The fratricidc nodded.
And there's no help for them" ask
ed the other THEY arc beyond hui
man aid" muttered Perry. Saying
which he turned away. The Exccu-
toner made no attempt to detain him,
but walked toward the house. The mo-
lions Of the inccndiary were not lost
to him. however. lie halted. saw him
return to the slab, lift 1t completely
up. peer about and disappear in the
secret passage.
/ In few minutes the Exccutioncr
followed, u grim smile on his lips. At
the moment he entered the passage the
upper structure of the house was
crumhlinG, and in the concrete cham
her Harry was supporting the faintinE
form OF the girl he loved. Already the
water had risen above their shonl-
,icrs In vain they had used pump IN
stalled in corner Of the room. Their
efforts had served only 10 weary them.
The water poured in stcadlly-cscapc
HERE was none The young man look
ed with despair on Ilma's beautiful
facc-and the water kept rising. How
long would IL he before it overwhelm-
ed them he could only conjecture.
end Episode No. %
Gro be continued next wcck.)
/ The American Cave Man.
The cave man has long been sup