The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1917-08-17
tened home. He determined to get out

whose love he had been unable to win. !
He ordered his valet to pack and ,
then wrote a note to Philippa, without !
stopping to think that she might not !
be interested in his movements.
This note he dispatched by hand |
and went about strengthening his af- !
fairs preparatory to his journey.
Over Philippa the note cast gloom. !
Any girl-even an engaged 0ne-likeS :
to know that man is running away
because lie cannot bear to remain with
in the charm of her influence with
out showing his love for her. Philippa
was tiattered. She showed the letter
to the solicitOus Bridgey and her
tiance at once saw in it an opportunity.
TO anyone else the situation would
have proved amusing. Bentley could
not resist the habit of a lifetime. He
wanted to get rid Of Hale and, though
his former attempts had failed, he I'M
agned he could now make Peter the
instrument of his own destruction.
He conferred with his lieutenant and
the two mapped out scheme of opera
tons. Later Bentley appeared be-
fore Peters window, as though bent
on some secret errand. Peter, idly
gazing out, saw him and at once jumped
to the conclusion that his rival was
concocting some new deviltry. He
determined to see what it was and,
hastily putting on his hat, slipped
down to the pavement and Sauntered
after him. He did not see Bentley's
aide creeping behind him. Thus it
was that when Bentley entered an open
doorway Peter was throttled by the
aide before he could defend himself.
The two men, having reduced Hale
to insensibility, carried him upstairs
and fastened him on a stool under a
gas jet.
To the legs of the stool were at
tached two fine wires, and the door
was so built that it could be locked
from the outside and the key turned
from the inside.
Bentley's scheme was simple. He
would leave Peter on the stool, fasten
a stout cord round his neck, attach
| the cord to a hook in the ceiling and
then, leaving the room, pull the wires,
jerk out the stool and leave Peter to
: hang.
There would be every indication
that the young man had committed
suicide. The door would be locked
from the inside and the letter Peter
had written would serve as a motive
and an explanation of the deed.
Bentley's scheme worked perfectly
up to a certain point. He had shut
the door and was kneeling to pull out
the wires when his lieutenant gave
him a terrific blow on the skull.
Bentley, stunned. staggered up and
pulling his gun, shot at the man who
had turned on him. The shot wen
crashing through the door as his arm
was struck up.
Bentley fought himself free, anc
then with a loud cry uttered the
electrifying words, "The Stranger" ant
fled.
1 And while the Masked Stranger
who had thus again entered Peter
life, burst open the door and went t.
the aid of the helpless man, cuttini
down the cord and restoring him t
consciousness, he discovered that tn
shot from Bentley's revolver hat
pierced the victims breast,
Tenderly helping him downstairs, h
hailed cab and got him home, wher
an examination showed an operation
was imperative.
= Bentleys lieutenant explained late
to his master how he had been trippe
by the Stranger, gagged and left help
l less. Mr.. Bentley had patience. "Thi
! has got to STOP" he said. "Pll &c
i after this chap and settle him TO
once and all. Who is he anyway
But just now there's more importan
|, work to 90. | understand that the
i are going to operate on Hale this eve
/ ming at 1880. Your job will be
J, get to the basement Of the house ain
e cut the electric light wires. Can 20
n do it?"
Can I do 1t? Watch me-" al
@ swered the angry man.
"No bungling," cautioned Bridge.
d Remember, know plenty about you
r. "You don't need to remind me,
It scowled the lieutenant. I'm game
d And he shufled out, his SLOUGH hi
4, pulled low over his eyes.
Peter had passed restless afte
n noon and evening. Everything We
r made ready for the operation and /
le expressed little interest in it. TIL
lie white-robed doctors and nurses wei
1t silently waiting for the arrival of II
Oh surgeon.
The operation proceeded with tt
le skill and rapidity that characterii
ID modern methods when at a critical m
~ ment the lights flickered, faded OF
ls and left the room in total darkness
There was start Of horror.
&c "a candle, quick!" said the surgeo
ed in q tense voice. "This is fatal"
1t But before the order could be obeyt
a. the lights again went up and with
ct sigh Of relief the operation was su
r. cessfully completed.
gs If the interested men and wom'
1t working over Peter could have look
he into the basement for that feeting m
ment they would have seen bull