The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-06-14
CONTINUED IRON Yesterday


Reaching the door. he threw Il open
himself hccdlcssly cut and down a
high stone stoop 20 the sidewalk
pulled up. hcwildered TO discover
himself the sole living thing visible
in all that night.hushcd stretch be-
tween Fifth ave. and sixth: or the
assassin there was neither sign nor
sound.
Hc felt pcrilously on the verge OF
searS--would gladly have bawied and
howlcd with temper--and gained 1t.
Tic relief from another short-uved
break OF heartfelt profanity
thing halting and incxpert. truth 10
tell.
Above him. on the stoop. the lady
Of tho house appeared. paused TO
peer searchingly east and west.
looked down az the trembling figure
of the small man In his oVcrgrown
police tunic. shaking an impotent
sist IN tho face Of tho city Of New
York. and laughed quietly 20 her
self.
~Come hack" she called In a
ruardcd tone. He's made clean
rptawav. Got 90 hand him that. No
Use trying 10 follow you'd never
catch up in thousand years Come
hack-di you hearF--Snd give me my
gunf'
A trific dashed. T. Sybaritc raked
The street with final reluctant
rsances. then In spirit OF wstlcss
and unqncstioning docillty returned
Tho woman retired 10 the Vcsu.
hulo. where she closed and locked
the door as he passed thru, further
insurlng security by means OF a
chain bolt: then entering the hall
way. closed. locked. and similarly
bolted the inner doors.
sNow. them she addressed the 1T
lie man with brilliant smilc--''now
We can pow-wow. Come into the
dsn---and led tho way toward the
rear OF the house.
Trottlng submiSsiveiy In her wake.
his wrinkied nose and batting eye
lids were eloquent OF the dumb
amaze with which he was review
Ing this incredible affair.
Turning into a dark doorway, the
woman switched light into an cleo
fric dome. Illuminating an Interior
apartfnent transformed. by n Wildly
original taste in eccentric decoration.
into a iounging room OF such dis
trrssfui uniqulty that IL would have
hired unrest in the soul OF a lotus
eater.
Black. red and goid-iustreicss
black OF coke. iurid crimson OF fresh
blood. bright glarsng yellow Of gold
new-minted-wsre the predominant
notes In a color scheme at once
sombre and violent The walls were
huag with scarlet tapestries where
on gold dragons crawled and fought
or strove 10 swallow dead black plan
cts. while on every hand black irnps
Of Ebiis w'rithed and struggled over
golden screens. golden devils Knocked
and moved from panels OF cinaoar.
and horrifio masks of crimson Lac
quer. picked out with gold and black.
leered and snarlesi dumb menacrs
from darkened corners.
In such a room as this the miidest
hammered man. steerng his soul In
the soiace OF mellow tobacco. might
have been pardoned for dreaming
sustfully OF battle. murder and sud-
tsen death. or for contemplating with
sunre cquaulmity the tortured
Equirmings OF some fayorite enemy
upon the rack
ssCoxy little hole" p. Sybarite
couldn't forbear to comment with a
ehudder as he dropped into n chair
IN compliance with the woman's ges-
turc.
Il have my whims.- she said
sHow would you like a drink"
axof at ALL" he indSted hastily
~1've had all ! need for the time
being
THAT'S n mercy" she replied. II
don't much feel like waiting on you
myself. and the servants are all
abed."
offering cigarettes In golden
easket. she selected and lighted one
for herself
/. you have servants in the house.
then7'
do look like a woman who does
her own housework7"
sYou do not" he affirmed. politely.
ssEut can you blame me for wonder.
ing where your servants've been all
thru this racket?'
They sleep on the top floor. be-
hind sound-proof DOORS" his hostess
explained complacently. "and have
orders 10 answer only when ring.
even IL they should happen 20 hear
anything. I've n passion for priva-
cy in my own home-anothcr within,
II you like"
Its nothing 10 me. assure you"
he protested. Winding my own
business is one Of the best little
things ! do"
IF that's SO. why do you walk
uninyited into strange bedrooms at
ali hours. pretending to be "A police
man, with cockand.buil yarn about
q burglar"
ssBut there was a burglari" p.
Gybarite contended brightly. You
saw him yourself"
mo"
"But--but you did see him--later.
on the stairs
Smiling, the woman shook her
head. Il saw no burglar-mercly
a dear friend. In short, IL Il In
terests you to know. 1 saw my hus-
band"
MADAM p. Sybarite sat up with
q shocked expression.
Z oh" said fhe woman lightly
"wc'rc good enough for one another
he and !. lie deserved what he
got when he married me. But that's
not saying I'm content TO see him
duck what's coming TO him for To-
nights deviltry. In fact. ! mean
10 get him before he gets me. Are
you game 20 lend me n hand?"
ME. madam cried r. Sybarite In
alarm. Far be It from me 10 come
between husband and wife,
'Don't be afraid: I'm not asking
you to dabble your innocent hands