The Elk Mountain pilot., 1918-07-04


~ his vigil was rewarded.
"They are making great prepara
tions for big time, boss" said the de-
tective. II learn they are going to
crown some woman Queen OF tie On.
derworld.'
"Such being the case, we must be.pres-
ent at the coronation" said Kelly. And
the Sphinx, with several gendarmes.
was watching from every place the
men could hide themselves along the
street that led to Cafe Chat Noir. just
as soon as dusk fell and the under
world began to start upon its nightly
pilgrimage Of crime and debauchery.
In the sewers that formed q net
work underground, there we're other
gendarmes ready to pouncc upon the
unwary at Kelly's prearranged signal.
Men and women singly, In couples
and in groups, came down the street,
singing and chattering in utter disre-
gard of the amount Of disturbance they
created.
AS the evening wore along the crowd
within and without Cafe Chat Noir
grew more numerous and accordingly
more boisterous.
1t was near the midnight hour, when
Kelly's sentinels passed the sign along
that something unusual was on the
way. Down the street dashed a cab
at reckless speed and halted abruptly
at the entrance Of the Chat Noir.
Kelly's quick eyes saw a slight he-
ure descend from the cab. The form
was dressed jauntily In high b,ots and
tights, that encnsed q limb so shapely
that Kelly wns certain that the new or.
rival was not man. Over the shoul-
ders of the figure swung a cape that
was caught in front by dainty white
hands-and across the top Of the face
a mask Of purple silk.
1.-THE Queen Of the Underworld"
Kelly exclaimed under his breath. "Ws
out halting to speak to anyone. the
figure in the long cloak and purple
mask entered the cafe.
Immediately the clatter and tumult
was hushed. For an instant perfect
silence reigned within the cafe, and
then a great shout, as though the dense
throng Of Apaches were acclaiming in
one voice, turned the cafe into a bed
lam Of rejoicing.
"Hail Queen, Of the Underworld"
they shouted.
Suddenly at the main entrance.
Sphinx Kelly appeared backed by .
group Of fellow detectives and gem
darmes.
Hands up! Everybodyw was his
loud-shouted command.
The sound Of his voice had not pene-
trated far into the jangle of noise, but
on the instant the lights went out and
Cafe Chat Noir was 10 dark that the
keenest eyes could only discern the
outline Of scurrying forms.
There was creaking noise a., at
the back Of the cafe, door swung
open and In rushing. struggling
strsAna the Apaches began to pour
through In speedy exit from the cafe.
Kelly knew full well that this was
what the crowd would do. He urged
his men along in pursuit.
The Apaches knew the dark pas.
sages almost a. well A. they knew the
streets far above their heads. Along
the sides Of the sewers ran planked or
concrete runways over which work.
men passed in keeping the sewer sys-
TEN Of the great city in perfect order.
There were cross sections Of these
streets" where sewer led into sewer.
in a. perfect labyrinth Of grimy and
1lippery passages.
Kelly ran with his best speed to get
q close to the fleeing Apaches as he
possibly could. He caught sight Of q
floaked figure running like a wild
deer.
He was sure he could not be mis-
taken N his "man." He kept the fes-
ing figure in sight, and began. finar-
ly, to, ,overtake the person he believed
he hid seen descend from the cab Mt
the door of the Chat Noir. One Of
the gendarmes, Just ahead Of the
Sphinx. made squirt as II to capture
the cloaked figure. but a shout from
Kelly made him alter his purpose.
Kelly wanted this person for his own
captive. and putting on still more
speed, soon arrived within arms length
of the fleeing form. In another In
stant he had caught the flowing cape,
and pinned the figure helpless in his
strong arms.
Holding tight to his charge. Kelly
shouted orders to his men. Most Of
the Apaches had escaped capture, but
there were enough within sight of
Kelly to put up a strong fight, in their
attempt to rescue the cloaked figure.
After a short but tremendously ac-
tive period Of fighting and scuf1ing,
tie gendarmes captured most Of the
Apaches, while others fed, leaving
Kelly in possession of his prey. Or
dering his men to proceed to jail with
their own prisoners. Kelly started to
make his way from the sewer with the