The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1917-04-12

speaking. Leontine hesltated for a
moment. Then she went bravely for
ward. She felt that she was safer in
the hands of the three than in those Of
Sebastian.
One man preceded her, the others
ranged themselves on either side Of
her as they went down the wide stair
way. AS they passed along the pas
sage outside Sebastian's room, the door
opened, and Leontlne saw him stand
ing there, watching her, a look Of sat
isfactlon upon his face.
And suddenly she saw the figure Of
her dead lover again. He was stand
ing at the top of the stairs, gazing d.
rectly at her. At the same instant her
captors and Sebastian saw the ghost,
also, and they staggered back, leaving
Leontine for the moment alone.
Jerry Carson's hand was appraised,
as If to warn the party to proceed no
farther.
One of Leontine's captors had re-
volver in his coat pocket. He placed
his hand to the trigger and fred
through the cloth at the ghost.
The figure of Jerry staggered and
then fell down the stairs. 1t tumbled
over the balustrade and disappeared.
Instantly the three, together with Sc
bastian, hurried in pursuit.
But when they reached the bottom
Of the stairs there was no sign of
Jerry.
Leontine had not moved from where
she was at the top of the stairs. They
returned and led her, not urgently,
down into the hall, and into the au-
tomobile that waited outside in an
alley.
A few moments earlier a speeding
auto had been held up by two police
men. The discussion waxed warm.
The offender was about to be taken to
the station when a figure came run
ming out of Sebastian's house.
Somebody wants help in there!" 1t
cried to the policemen. II heard a
shot fired. Better go and see" And
he pointed toward the rear entrance.
Dropping their captive, the police
men leaped into the auto and drove to
the rear entrance around the corner
of the block, just in time to see the
auto with the men and Leontine
emerging.
The police yelled to the driver to
stop. The auto sped faster. A wild
chase followed through the suburban
streets and toward the river. along
the edge Of the high cliff.
For a few moments the fugitives
seemed to gain; then the police auto
leaped forward and began to overhaul
them.
"Stop or I firel" yelled one of the
policemen, standing up in his seat.
A bullet from the fleeing auto an
swered him. The chauffeur screamed,
and his hand dropped from the wheel.
The policeman fred In answer, but the
car swerved and the bullet went wild.
Leontine, gazing back in terror, saw
the police auto swerve toward the
fallen to the bottom of the car. One
of the policemen tried to catch the
wheel. But it was too late. The car
was rushing on toward the precipice.
1t toppled over, the front wheels churn-
ing up the chalky edge of the cliff,
hung there a moment, and suddenly
went plunging downward into the
depths below.
Leontine sank shuddering back in
her seat, while the auto drove back,
by devious ways, toward Bianca's
house.
BE gentler with her! !"
The men who were leading Leontlne
into Bianca's boudoir, somewhat rough
ly, released their captive and took off
their masks.
Its all right for you to say that,
Madam Blanca" sneered the man
whom she had addressed. "But that's
what you said about your last pigeon
that guy Ravengar-and where is he
todayT
Fright here, friends" came Raven
CARS crisp tones from chair beside
the fireplace.
All turned In terror at the sound
and saw him seated in the chair.
With an oath the man who had
spoken to Blanca leaped back. On
Bianca's face were two expressions
terror at Ravengar's powers, Joy that
he had returned.
"Take her to the room upstairs and
lock her up for the present" she said,
When she was left alone with Raw
engar she looked at him in wonder.