The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-12-10


in a specific way at all from the mo-
ment she had spoken OF murder. But
afterward If he went on -- the
crimes that Red Vallon and Karlin
and their confederates would plot,
and that he would know of-what
then?
He halted by the table. and
laughed in a short, harsh way, and
in the dark eyes there burned a
sudden fire. was there really any
question about that, eitherf Had
there ever been? He asked only
one thing in life now, and to that
everything else was subordinate-to
feel his hands upon the throat OF
the man who had murdered David
Ellsworth, and who had fastened
that quit upon him--Billy Kane--to
wiring from that man n confession
that would clear his name. Nothing
else mattered. He could run for II,
discard this role of the Rat, and per-
haps effect his escape, but he would
thereby throw away almost every
hope of bringing the guilty. man to
justice. The other way was to fight.
We'll. he would fight! 1t would be a
good fight And, as the Rat. he
would not have TO fight alone, If
he accepted the chances as they
stood, he must accept the risk in
volved in foil.ng the plots and crimes
OF those who thought him their con-
federate, but against this, the first
step already inaugurated, he had
the craft and cunning of the under
world at his back N the one pur-
pose that meant anything to him
now. 1t would be good fight! II
he failed, he might a. well go out
this way as any other--better this
fa no n as4 ~
projected dcviitry would never know
fruition. He drew in his breath
sharply as in a sort Of strange re-
lief. 1t was settled now, once for
all! He would go on-as the Rat
to the end. And tonight he would
see this Merxler plot through to the
end.
Billy Kane picked up the crum-
pied piece OF paper she had dropped
on the table. studied it for an in
stant, then placed II in his pocket.
1t contained the sCrawled figures OF
a safes combination nothing more.
And now. glancing at his watch and
finding that 1t was already n little
after s O'Clock Billy Kane worked
quickly The mask that had served
him the night before was already in
his pocket, as was his revolver. TO
these he added the electric flash
light that White Jack had procured
for him that morning, and, from
where they dangled in the lock Of
the door, White Jacks bunch OF
skeleton keys. He eXtinguished the
light, then passing out through the
secret door. which he closed care
fully behind him, he made his way
quickly through tho little under
ground passage. gained the shed
through the trapdoor, emerged on
the lane, and there, cautiously, he
reached the street.
He walked rapidly now. but keep
ing always in the shadows, stunning
the direct rays of the street lamps.
He cared nothing for the police; his
danger did not lie in that direction.
Seen anywhere in the city by either
police or plainclothes man he would
be recognized, not as Billy Kane,
but as the Rat-and the authorities,
he was fairly well satisfied. had no
particular or immediate interest in
the Rat. His danger lay tonight in
an unlucky recognition by some
prowler of the underworld, the re-
port Of which might reach the ears
OF Red Nallon and his crowd. Sup
posed to be confined to bed. plead
ing physical inability to take his
place at that unhallowed council
board OF which he was accepted as a
member. it would be very awkward
20 explain his presence on the street
within half an hour after Red Vail
lon and Karin had left his room.
Tomorrow, the day after. It would
be different matter. he could go
and come then as he pleased, but
tonight II multiplied his difficulties
and his dangers Il thousandfold.
And yet, after all, that was the most
simple of the problems that con-
fronted him-with luck, he could
see his way out of that. But for the
rest he was almost like a blind man
cropping his way along in what was
already near 10 an incxtricable maze.
He knew something Of Merxler. both
by sight and hearsay; he knew
where MerXler lived, that there was
will in the safe which he must
secure, that he possessed the combi-
. na-!on of the safe and that after
ward there was the back door of
Jerry'S before ten,' which referred
undoubtedly to the notorious gam
bling hen OF that name, and that in
these fragments, once pleccd to-
gcther, there was murder-tha. was
all he knew. And there was some-
thing grim. and horribly ironlc. and
and omiuous and premunitorv in
the fact that he was supposed to
know all!
The street for the moment In his
immediate vicinity was deserted. and
just well enough within the radius
of street lamp to enable him to
see he drew the package Of money
from an inner pocket that the old
millionaire had conf!ded 70 his keep
ing the night before. He selected
several bills of the smaller denomi-
nations, placed them in his trousers
pocket and returned the package to
the inside pocket. Thank God for
the money! He had enough in the
bank twice over To replace this two
thousand that now belonged TO the
Ellsworth estate but ne could not
get III He was a fugitive from the
law! But tins should Gee him
through-by the time two thousand
was exhausted he must either have
won or lost. He smiled little Bit
terly- Win or lose, the estate at
least would set its two thousand
back! II he won he would nay il
back himself, If he lost-well. his
money in the hank had nro h., L1,. a