Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-11-04

were flying kite from the point that
jutted into the Hudson. The Execu-
toner's entrance into the bathhouse
was unheralded. but the moment he
opened the door three pistols flashed
upon him. Ho smiled, and. addressing
himself to Perry, ignored the others.
Remember" he said tersely "if any
thing happens to the girl you die"
And having uttered this warning he
closed the door and disappeared. to tho
intense amazement OF the two compan-
| ions OF the aviator.
Never mind him." said Perry to the
others; he's crazy; he doesn't count"
| The others grumbled. but said no
more; they could see the fiance of Miss
Sanderlee depart as his limousine
rolled down the driveway. Also they
could see Harry and lima walk away
| Well hear from the butler soon" said
Stayne; and his words were in Tho
nt.ture Of prophecy The bell rang
aud the burglar FASTENED to listen.
What he heard made him smile. he
waved the others away as they pressed
| him for information.
| shortly thereafter however. he
picked up the phone and called tho
Sanderlee home. The butler received
MS message and FASTENED to find the
owner OF the pearl earrings. Miss
sanderlce was In her room, where she
mad removed the costly ornaments.
"hich seemed to have lost their spell.
with Ilma's accusation hanging over
them. The earrings lay on the dressing
'ao'e as the butler was admitted.
ne bowed profoundly. That annoy.
ing person who was here wishes TO
speak TO you on the telephone" he an.
nounccd.
Miss sanderlee departed, leaving a,
n'alo IN the room. The maid was a
huHy young person, always hattered by
the attentions OF the good-lookinE but
Ter. In her hand she held n vacuum,
cleaner and she swished this UP and
oo"h over portiere as the man ap-
preached.
The canny buffers eves spotted the
earrings, but the maid was watching
MIN out OF the corner OF her eye. How
could ne secure them? A brilliant
thought made him smile. He advanced
TO the maid and put his arm about her
waist at the same time taking the
fcieaner out of her hand. The maid pro-
tested. and in the struggle the butler
managed to bring the nozzle of the
cleaner directly over the pearls. which
disappeared as IL by magic.
/ is this Miss Sanderlee? Well, this
is Harry Drake. You can have those
pearl earrings again for just $4,000
The young woman started to reply,
put atayne was gone; nor could she get
the connection again. She rushed to
her room, surprising the butler kissing
the maid; but she paid slight attention
10 them as she ran to her dressing
table. The earrings were gone.
You have stolen my pearls" cried
the angry girl to the butler and the
maid. i don't know which of you did
IL, but l shall have you both arrested"
She called to second maid and or
dered her to telephone for the police.
While the accused girl stood weeping,
the butler protested he had not set
eyes on the earrings.
And the police search bore out their
claims of innocence. for the pearls
could not be found. There was moth.
Ing for 1t but to release the indignant
butler, who lost no time in rushing to
the phone and calling up Stayne:
Watch the ash can back Of the house,"
were his hasty words.
Both Stayne and his accomplices hur-
ried out of the boat house and might
have reached the house unobserved If
Stayne had not had the folly to wear
n pair of Harry's outing shoes. These
shoes had a peculiar pattern on the
rubber sole and Harry and lima leay-
ing the Sanderlee house and wandering
to the river, could not fail to see the
Impression in the soft sand.
That's my shoeprint as sure as I'm
BORN" cried Harry, wen follow it ana
see where it leads; of caurse, Stayne
must be here. You can be sure there's
something crooked doing" The two
pushed on to the boat house and drop
ping down beside the wall recognized
the voices of Perry Mason and the
burglar.
Half way to the house the accomp-
Ices held a consultation. You'd better
go alone. Mason" said Stayne. Well
wait here till you get the earrings and
then You can join u.s."
The two men started back and Harry
and lima logged the steps of their old
enemy.
BY the time they reached the house
the maid had emptied the contents of
the vacuum cleaner into the can as de-
scribed by the butler and Perry Mason
had no difficulty In extracting the ear
rings from the dust near the top. AS
he turned to escape with his booty he
came face to face with Harry, who sent
him sprawling with swift blow on the
jaw, seized the pearls and started on
the run with lima toward the little
point where the boys who had mar
yelled at tho eXecutioner were still fly
ing their kite in the strong breeze
Perry Mason soon recovered; shaking
7. his fist, he sprinted after the two.
Stayne and his companion, on the look
cut for Perry's return, beheld the
speeding figures Of lima and Harry and
joined in the pursuit.
AS Harry passed the boys with the
kite he seized the string from their
hands and called to lima to take 1t. The
end was fastened about O stout stick
and Harry calculated that the pull of
n, rxtt ~