The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-04

ples, near where we lived, was broken up by the police, who were led to the place by an American who could, in the light of re- cent disclosures, have been none other than Dr. Drake Selden.''
 Bristow drank in this strangely romantic story in mystified silence.
 q was lad at the time, but over the dead body of my foster father l swore to hunt down his slayers. It was on this mis- sion that I followed Giavanni Marlitti, whom believed to be the head of the band, and his son to America.
 Beyond the motive have assigned for being so deeply interested in this strange case, there is another and still more vital reason for my desire to save Nerissa Selden from the gallows or lifelong imprisonment"
 The reporter had arisen and was pacing nervously backward and forward before the window. Before continuing his recital, he paused and stood for moment gazing out into the night. A storm was brewing. Be- yond the glass there was nothing but opaqueness.
 "That desire," he went on after time, "is prompted by the fact that I am her brotherv'
 "Her brother!'
 Bristow echoed the words, amazement and incredulity stamped upon his face.
 "You Nerissa Selden's brother?" hs cried, his mind awhirl with the wonderful possibilities of the new disclosure. "Im- possible"
 But in that instant, when complete con- firmation hung upon Vignolos' lips, shot rang out and the reporter plunged headlong to the floor.
 "The scar-faced man!'
 The involuntary cry burst from Bris- tow's lips as in the brief arc of light en- suing from the flash of the weapon that had sent bullet crashing through the win- dow, possibly at the cost of Vignolos' life, he saw framed the disfigured vindictive countenance of the Italian who had been pitted against him in that terribly unequal and losing battle in Cincinnati but short time before. Then the lawyer dashed to the window, threw up the sash and, disre- gardful of consequences to himself, peeped into the blackness below.
 Far down the fire escape he discerned dark descending form in almost impercept- ible relief against the lesser darkness that encompassed it. Then the storm, which had been impending, broke into torrential rain and the shadow faded away, defying all successful pursuit.
 When Bristow turned Vignolos was scrambling to his feet.
 "That was close call," said the reporter breathlessly. "I saw the Italian just a moment before he fired and dropped to the floor barely in season to escape with my life."
 "But you are woundedv' exclaimed the lawyer, astounded at both the rare presence of mind displayed by Vignolos and the fact that the latter had not been instantly killed
 Slightly, if at all," replied the other. "The bullet grazed my right shoulder" He worked his arm with rotary motion for a moment. "No bones broken, but there is a slight flesh wound, fancy" He barred his shoulder, exposing nothing more serious than deep abrasion. This Brstow speed lily bandaged.
 "Your would-be assassin was our friend of the Crimson Circle-the scar-faced man," explained the lawyer after vignolos was comfortably seated following the dress ing of the wound.
 q thought as much," replied the reporter carelessly. "This is his third attempt. As the third-time charm has failed I have premonition that his future efforts will be futile.'
 Bristow watched the Italian in silence, thrilled by his coolness, his nonchalant atti- tude in the face of what had seemed certain death.