East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1917-02-19

~ AAlLaGA AGiC nc tA0AA
fed. In the meantime, Tanner, you
and Morrison slip downstairs and see
that the cellar trapdoor Is working.
The rest of you clear out"
Vanya Tosca. leaving the meeting
place, went home. At her apartment
she found Clayton awaiting her. But
his call was brief. For, a few min
utes later, Vanya was called to the
door to speak to a disheveled looking
cripple-the protege she had intro
duced into the Crimson Stain gang.
The cripple had not been at the
meeting. And in a few words she
told him what had happened. Then
she dismissed him and returned TO
Clayton.
Bob. however, coming TO the living
Toom door. had had a f1eeting glimpse
of Vanya's departed caller. And he
had recognized the cripple as the man
In the motor boat. Hence. as Vanya
came back, with apologies for her
brief absence, Bob CURLY look his
own leave. -4e had much to do today.
Harold Stanley, a little later. left
tn Montrose house. where he had
dropped in for a brief good morn
ing" on his way downtown, and
started toward an address on the.
upper East Side. whittier an anony-
o note. received hal morning,
summoned him to hear secret news
about the Crimson Stain Mystery
As he neared the street To which
the anonymous letter had directed
him he CHANGED to notice a man
lettering along the sidewalk a half
block ahead.
Harold felt the hot thrill of the
nan hunt surge through him. For
he recognized the profile Of Pierre La
Ruei
His quick walk changed to a run.
And he bore down upon his enemy.
The sound OF running footsteps on
the pavement made La Rue turn his
head. He caught sight OF Stanley.
With a look Of terror far too meIo-
dramatic to be genuine Pierre took
to his heels, running with a speed
that was remarkable in so heavy a
man..
Around a corner he dashed. Stanley
in close pursuit. In the excitement Of
the chase Harold did not suspect the
trick nor realize that he himself "a
the hunted and not the hunter
AS Stanley rounded the corner he
just in time to see La Rue dis
appear into the areaway Of an Did
appeal into the hallway of an old
fashioned apartment house.
Stanley with . sprint leaped int
the hall and found himself a bare ten
feet behind the man he was chasing.
La Rue had reached the end of the
hallway and was Juggling frantically
the door that led out into the
yard.
The door was locked. He could not
IL open. stanley saw ne had the
trapped In a corner. He launched
himself bodily at La Rue { o seize and
overpOwer him.
Harold was not more than three
PAGES away from Pierre as he sprang
at the covering man. But
at Harold's first step h basement
suddenly gave way beneath
his. feet.
The supposedly solid floor sank un-
him, exposing a widely gaping
trap doorway leading to the cellar
Even as he fell he realized how
had been tricked. And ne cursed
his own rash mpetuosity FOR falling
to his enemy's simple ruse.
He struck the concrete hoor fun
Luckily no bones were broken
and his tough young body withstood
The shock. As quickly as a cat ne
to his feet.
But before he had fairly risen two
men leaped down upon him from
Nut of the surrounding darkness.
One Of them sprang nimbly upon
Iarold's back. pinioning his arms
rhe other with some blunt instru-
nent struck him above the temple.
collapsed to the grouno
again senseless.
When he recovered consciousness
he was In an iIl-furnished room.
trapped to a chair. In front Of him
Tanner and Morrison.
WELL" he snarled. Now that
got me. go ahead with the tor
ure OF the killing, or whatever IL IS.
Il YOU eNpect me. TO whine for mercy
mistaken Only ours whine.
Ours like yourselves.
Tanner. growing with rage. smote
he helpless mani across the mouth
hts open hand. Harold. reused
% fresh fury by the blow. strained
nadly once more to break the bonds
held him back from resenting
he cowardly blow.
Hold M" ordered Pierre Ia Rue,
Ia Tanner drew back his arm 20
again. Don't waste time In
,unching him. The law is going TO
ave us the trouble OF doing that"
Brushing aside his two sco~linE
.,enchinen. Ia Rue came forward and
TODD looking down at the fettered
nan In the chair.
II am not going 10 XIII YOU. Mr..
iianley." said Ia Rue. with the same
courtesy. I'm planning
omething better for you. And when
/ comes 20 killing you-why. the
aw il going to do that. You r
to die in the electric chair.
ny friend"
Stanley laughed derisively.
why waste time in talking ION
he said. disgustedly. Are
gu an idiot as well a a crook7"
Ia Rue made no reply. He leaned
with a sudden snake-lfke
and peered down into STAN
ey's appraised eyes. He held Ear-
Ids glance by the terribly compsn-
ne power OF his own.
For an Instant stanley's gaze
eemed TO wavor 20 try to elude
he resiStless gaze tina was 50 /
.trangely fixed on them. Then. ap-
arently, his viii power proved un-
quail TO the strain. He made no
attempt to look away. but
AZ staring DULY up into the others