The Elk Mountain pilot., 1917-10-11

1
she cried.
Sebastian flushed and moved threat
eningly toward her. with my
money!" he sneered.
"a thousand dollars" cried Leon
tine again.
Romnnoff smiled. sit seems to be
going up in value. think I'll keep it"
he announced, pocketing the paper.
He was nearing the door when, with
an oath, Sebastian whipped out re-
volver from the desk beside him and
| leveled 1t.
you'll hand that over or you'll new
/ er leave this room alive!" he shouted.
Romanoff, taken aback, could only
stare into the muzzle of the weapon.
He saw that Sebastian was desperate.
He put his hand into his pocket and
drew out the confession.
Suddenly the revolver was dashed
from Sebastian's hand. Sebastian went
reeling back across the room, as If
he- had received stunning blow in
the face. Yet there was nobody in
the room except himself. Leontine, and
Romanoff.
Next instant, as Sebastian recovered
himself, he was picked up and hurled
to the ground. He lay there as If
stunned.
And Leontine, gazing in terror at
her husband, saw, at Il height of near
ly six feet from the ground. pair of
eyes fixed on the PROSTATE man. 1t
was the mysterious defender who had
chnmpioned her.
Romanoff, with an exclamation of
terror, turned and bolted from the
room. he hurried into the street and
leaned against the wall of the house,
trembling.
He held the precious paper in his
hand. He tried to replace 1t in his
pocket. but his hands shook
Suddenly his hand dropped MS If the
wrist We're broken. The invisible an
tasonist was upon him. and Romanoff
fought in his grasp, feeling n sensation
of power opposing him.
1t was weird struggle in the sunny
street. A policeman, across the road,
looked in amazement at man repro
ducing all the features of battle for
life-alone.
At last, Ieaping back, Romano1 man.
aged to wrench his arm free and de-
livered n blow with all his Strength at
the invisible antagonist.
1t was eflicacious, for all at once
Romanoff felt that he was free. He
thrust the paper into his pocket.
Romanoff hurried away. glancing
back furtively in the fear that the in
visible presence was pursuing him.
Once aboard n street car. he felt
safe from pursuit. lie gradually re-
covered his nerve, until, by the time
he reached his destination, he felt
ready to laugh ut the episode.
He jumped from the car and made
his way to private residence on the
side street near by. The blinds were
drawn, and there was nothing to indi-
cate that this was other than n respec-
table private house whose occupants
were away.
AS matter of fact, however, the
house was connected with the one ad-
joining and was one of the most cele-
brated gambling establishments in the
city,
The adjacent house was occupied
by Blanca, the most notorious won-
an of the underworld that the city had
known.
Romanoff tapped ut the door of the
gaming establishment, flung word
to the woolly-headed attendant, and
entered through the grilled door. He
made his way along IA passage and en-
tered the room in which, even at that
hour, the gamblers were assembled.
Blanca ran the place night and day.
Romanoff cast glance about him.
The players. intent upon their game,
took no notice Of him. But Romanoff
saw one man whose presence filled
him with Consideration.
1t was Ravengar. unknown to Rom
nnoff by name. but the man with whom
he had fought for the confession in
Whites Village, the man to escape
whom he had made his desperate leap
from the high bridge.
Romanofr stirred at him in momen-
tary terror. What was he doing here7
He stood and watched the players
for few moments, and then made his
way quietly from the room. Entering
passage, he pushed back curtain,
disclosing paneled wall. Romanoff
touched spring and one of the panels
slid back. forming little doorway in
to an anteroom of the next house. He
closed the door behind him and passed
on into n larger room, where woman
was seated upon divan covered with
Persian drnperies, listening to the re-
marks of two men who were talking
to her in low and eager tones.
AS Romanoff entered the men
sprang to their feet quickly; then,
| recognizing him, they nodded, Binncn
1 L.;