Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-10-07
The threshold between tho library and

the threshold between tho library nne
tho dining-room.
Young woman. stand stllv II,
covered her with y revolver and march
ed her to tho desk In the next room
Now explain yourself"
lima surveyed him. at loss wha
excuse to give.
TITS too bad to have pretty cir
!ike you arrested" said Perry Mason
reheetively, regarding her with tn,
ego OF desire. "Come, I'll make a har,
gain with you. "You are FREQ IT,
"Oh. thank you" cried tho relieved
lima. backing away.
Mason advanced. I'm afraid VOL
don't quite understand" he said. Let.
seal tho little bargain with kiss
What do you say?''
For answer, lima struck him in the
face-a smashing blow that set his
mead reelfng. A blind anger seized
him. He picked UP the heavy flre-tongs
and struck ut her.
From the other room came the but.
Ter. He rushed between them and
pushed lima out OF danger.
Phone for the police" demanded
Mason. This woman is thief
cnuHht her" The butler moved 10
the phone.
Terrified. lima called on him to walt
III you dare telephone" shc said,
her eyes flashing, II will proclaim YOU
the murderer you are-I know your
story-all OF it."
Perry Mason recoiled. Then he call
cd to the negro: Seize her! Wen
settle this account in our own way"
And at the worry moment that lima
thought shc would be froe she found
herself held fast by the strong arms
Of the negro. Perry Mason then locked
the doors and motioned the butler to
bring his prisoner into the center of
the room, He pushed the desk TO one
side and revealed. set in the floor, an
iron ring.
Now for the first time lima noticed
the strange arrangement of this room.
Its ceiling was of glass, set into win
dows that opened upon the sky About
Its sides were ranged huge tanks
labeled hydrogen"
MT. Mason produced a silk bundle
and brand new rope
He even smiled as he spoke to lima.
you say you know all; very well. 1
VIII show you moro than you dream Of.
for Will treat you In the same way l
treat my other enemies. You shall learn
all my secrets, but you will never be
able TO tell ono of them"
"Massa! Massa" cried the negro.
mot her. tool"
Poor fool!" called tho anrgy man,
do you want to go to the electric chair
with me?
The executioner. having passed the
warming to lima. now had disappeared.
Was it'll he who called UP Harry and who
had made an unavaillns search for
lima and the missing key? At any rate,
that young man received a message
that the girl of his heart was alone in
the Mason house.
He turned to Stayne with a white
face. I'm going to save her." he cried.
wait for u.s." And he dashed out to
the nearest auto stand.
Harry gave his directions tersoly: he
offered large bonus to the chauffeur.
and they sped over the road that led
past the Mason home. breaking all
speed laws.
But Harry was TO know the Bitterness
OF delay--a tire burst. It required some
time to fix 1T. and all the while he was
con1uring up the most terrible fate for
lima.
Perry MaRon's actions held Ilma's at
tention much as the motions of a snake
rasctnate helpless bird, She could
not frst conceive what ne was plan
ming. He attached tube leading from
the bundle of sill, to ono of the tanks.
ana lima saw the silk begin to swell,
20 assume large proportions and to take
tue FORM or balloon which. fastened
10 the ring In the moor by small cord
tugged as 1t filled and rose toward the
glass roof.
Deliberately the inventor fastened
the large rope around the young wo-
mans waist and as she gazed. terror
stricken. the tube was attached to an
other tank and, soon filing out, tugEed
at the small cord like an animated
thing.
Perry Mason surveyed his work with
evident pride
i am fastening you to the balloon.
young woman" he said calmly, land
"hen 1t Is fully inflated shall cut the
eoro ana set II free. Meanwhile, I shall
pour a little acid on the rope that
holdH you and by the time the balloon
mas reached the ocean, IL the present
wind holds. the acid Will have eaten
through the ropa and you will he
aropped among tho fishes"
AS realization OF this fiendish re-
Fenge dawned in all it's horror on the
mind of the helpless lima. she felt her
SER taintlng. Nor did she revive until
she felt the cold night wind on her
race. She was moving forward at a
rapid pace, dangling from the end OF
inc rope; below was the green earth:
ABOVE. the moonlit Sky. She screamed
and heard an answering call
Harry Drake. his auto rushing toward
the Mason house. looked UP and recog-
nlzed lima. He was almost too dazed
20 think. He could do nothing. He
stopped the car and yelled, hut the bal
loon sped on and lima. whirline round
ana round. disappeared toward the
ocean.
Harry Drake sank into the tonneau.
"eipieas' unnerved unable TO wove.
(To Be Continued Next weck)