Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-05-10
The Black Menace

BY ARTHUR B. REEVE

Of a surprise attack; one that would
take the place off guard.
While. I made arrangements to &C.
cure the fast cars. three of which he
decided would be sufficient, Craig over
the telephone took care of the-legal
details OF the raid.
On his own evidence he was able
to make sure that he would have war
rants out for John Doe and Jane
Doe" Asshe revealed to me that part
OF his plans l wondered whom he
meant. Was it the polished Monsieur
Jacques and the sylph-like Madam
Rene? Or was it the Black Menace
and Rreshkaya-or some, third par
ties?
Once having set the machinery in
motion, kennedy was impatient to be
OF, for every moment now meant
that something might happen TO an.
ticipate us.
Everything Ready.
Accordingly it was with great relief
that l saw that between us we had
completed carefully and secretly, all
the initial preparations for the raid
on the Mystery Mansion.
:. There's no use," Craig observed,
unless we can pull the thing off
with q fair prospect of success. Now
1t o will call up Speed and Glare.
and have them meet US in half an
hour at Columbus Circle, l think we
have done all that can be done until
we get out, there. Only be careful
to- say nothing about what we are
doing. I've come to believe that this
Black Menace has his spies every
where"
Half an hour later we emerged
from the subway at Columbus Circle,
and there we found the three motor
cars waiting for us, as 1 had arrang-
ed. A few moments later there ar
rived some private detectives from a
downtown bureau, and by the mex
train came Speed and Glare. highly
excited BY the cryptic invitation that
l had given them over the telephone.
Kennedy now outlined his plan,
which, briefly, was that we should
leave Immediately in the three cars.
OF n ] was to take charge. Speed,
low totally recovered from his drug
ging and reconciled with Clare, was
placed in charge of another, and 1
wa relieved to see that he was less
headstrong and quite ready to take
orders ,from Kennedy. Craig himself
three he placed four of the private
detectives from the bureau.
II think. Miss Claremont.". he de-
cided finally, that you had bette.
come along with me in. my car
Speed smiled rather sheepishly but
did not raise any protest.
|, Thus we ret gu and soon were
over the bridge and out along the
road which we had travelled 50 many
Kennedy revealed to The operatives
where We were bound. SO careful was
he to guard the secret from~a posi-
BILE telephone1 warning.
The Plan Of Attack. i.
Outside the village Of Heaton Hill
We halted ndNthere we separated. as
part Of the plan of attack which
Kennedy. had worked out for US;
my idea" he outlined, lis that we
shall approach this house from three
directions at once--from The front
road in each way, and from d, back
road that passes some quarter OF a
nile behind it. You will each pro-
coed to a bend in the road just out
of sight of the place and wait. The
signal for us all to close in will be. a
daylight rocket which I will fire.
since It will take me q little longer
70 get into position on the back road.
Then our parties cal converge on the
and there will be no chance OF cs-
cape In any direction"
HIS plan was simple to underetand
sAhd seemed strateeically. correct. NY
nartx was delegated to approach from
the road In front of the house ln8the
seasterly direction, The other, with
SpeSd was toScome ct the place from
the west along the same road. Thus
there could be no Wy Of their Eet.