Charlevoix county herald., 1919-01-17


"Now!" parked Dual.
We three hurled ourselves against
it. the shopkeeper showed before us
and adding his weight to ours.
For a second a surprised resist ance
met us. and then the door yielded.
We plunged into a room brilliant
with the soft light Of modern cleo,
tries; the same room which Miss
Foote has described.
saw its equipment of office fix
lures in the first glance of entry. and
then my eyes flashed to the occupants
of that strange underground place OF
business.
In a way 1t was. strangely in keep
ing with the business transacted, that
1t was done underground, away from
the light of day.
A smothered oath struck my ears,
and / whirled.
Halfway between large, desk in
the center of the room. and the door,
at a place where our inward rush had
hurled him, man with reddish-brown
hair and ,mustache, and fun red~lips,
was glazing upon rs.
l threw down my hand. holding
the automatic, and waved him back
ward from our front.
MY eyes followed his movements.
Dimly,- as we entered. i had heard
a woman scream As my man re-
treated before the menace Sof my
weapon saw two women.
One was Greek Annie. She was
sitting in chair and staring with un-
believing eyes full into my own.
Back of her was Reich, who had
leaped to his feet.
From him my eyes turned to man
- tall, thin - with hair brushed back
from his forehead, and narrows'deep-
set eyes.
He sat at the desk ITSELF. or.had
been sitting. Now he had half risen
and was leaning forward, his hands
gripping the edge Of the desks top. as
he viewed our unexpected arrival.
In the brilliant light his eyes glowed
and glistenedVwith what seemed sort
of catlike sheen. to, me7--a sort or
greenish yellow, az though they might
be slightly phosphOrescentint the dark.
But it was the second woman who
made me fairly gasp l have never
seen anything like her,
l may as well describe her as q gors
geous rose in vase OF gold. Even In
that moment it was the thought which
came to me.
She was dark---One Of those clear
skinned brunettes one sometimes finds
with skins like pale. wax Her hair
was black, and into its dusky masses
were thrust ON each side in front of
the ears the fresh flowers Of two
crimson peonies.
Her eyes were dark, and darkened
underneath until they looked like
pools of midnight blackness. Her skin,
as l have said, wasowaxen; but her
cheeks and lips. were q rouged until
they made whirls and red slit OF
crimson in the mask of white.
She lay back in a great padded chair
OF crimson, and she had not moved at
our entrance save to turn her eyes;
yet every line Of her supple body was
tense.
And she was dressed in gold Her
entire dress, which fitted her like the
sheath of flower. was OF some gold
en- fabric. which glinted and flashed
with a thousand tiny points Of brill
lance under the lights.
She was like great exotic flower.
set to the calyx in a golden tube,
All these things l saw in flash,
while the red-lipped, brown-haired'
man retreated from me.
There came the sound OF a fall
caught feeting glimpse Of the shop
keeper lifted and flung to the floor
between the door and the desk where
the cat-eyed man was leaning.
The man Of the tongs had hurled
him into a huddled, sgroveling heap.
Now he calmly drewsa huge weapon
from his clothing and added its threat
to my support.
l looked for Duval. He, was stand
ing just inside of the door, which was
closed once more.
He had drawn himself up to his full
six feet of height and was calmly re-
turning the stare Of the man, at the
desk.
The lights sparkled and shone from
the facets of the huge ruby he was
wearing in his turban. and 1t glowed
like living flame OF menace above
the other menace of his eyes.
'Who-who the devil are you"
spoke the man at the desk.
Call me Nemesis" came his an.
swer In tones deep, full, vibrant, which
seemed to carry . hint OF immutable
truth.
Nemesis" stammered the other.
For one moment he seemed unable,
to gather his wits fully before our sud.
den apparition..
"Nemisis." Duel repeated, and it
seemed to me that now he played for
time-sought to add to the others
startled surprise
The sum total Of the misdeeds
man commits.s The thing, he creates
for hlmself--by which ne is pursued.