The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1924-06-16
A
BY FRED V.
VILLA MS
A Sequel to THE Beacon Hill Mystery"
Romano md Adyenlure in Seattle

NANhNA>s hAfNlAfAN aNN
mrn.
This other mauf BLACK Cramer
spoke cautiously nov Re Was YOUNG
goodlooking. "a dcNuofafellow, 'he
most daring or Eensra' Is men, ana
also one OF hts most trusted,
Lacey was hs name Somoumes
posng as "a ministerial rector other
times "a missionary SIN others a.
a ,luhm8n. hou yiyUuL man about
town A gooi dresser good ialkcr
he had been splendid foil la he
nard's hands n only BLACK 'ra,
msr ana his men could set him.
too,
Clark. listening intcntly. hori
fled bN many 1T the revelations
that fell upon his ears, learned
that At the bottom ot Cramrrs
hatred for Rrnard were several
bir bank.robhing Jobs which lie
nard had pulled of In advance OF
the plans OF Cramcr thereby de
prl,ing the latter Of the spoils OF
Ia, criminal raids
Toxic was an fixed, Cramcr said
Hs cNpsstsd 90 be rewarded for hh
trrarher, but aud CT-u-= lowered
b,s voice uuconscloutly, a stray shot
might silence Toxic forever and pre-
vent a dead man from telling tales.
Toxic. he said might know 100 mueh.
Then tho men fell 20 atkins OF
further plnns. In their conversation
Clark learned that not Tar from the
cabin there was launch by which
they had come that night from the
CITY ana by which they expected 10
rctarn. IN q body. In an hour or So
Clarl, crept away. but first he
had studied tho men inientl,'
rraning his neck. ,tralninE MS
eycs. that he might know them
when hc saw them again.
And then he followed the sound OF
rushing water and reached the river
hank. Tie had no difficulty IN iind-
ing tho launch. II he but knew how
10 operate ~ A. any rate. he figured
he could hoard tho launch. cut away
from It's moorings and drift with Inc
current down the river. keeping the
boat. with is rudder. IN mtistream
ana safr from the shorclinc.
For some moments clark busted
himself In tho dark with tho lanch
ana It's moorlngs and found great
difficulty in cutting Il loose.
The launch was tied fast with
sailors knots, and he had no
knife 10 sever them. lie tugged
desperately at these knots.
Finally they began to loosen.
No sooner hud success begun 10
crown his efforts than a flood d
yellow light shot from the cabin its
door was open and be heard the
voices OF the men. low pitched. laugh.
Ing and talking
Now 10 vas n case or looolng inc
boat A. once or standing by aud al
lowing the men to so down river tn
H. leaving him behind with the
knowledge that II hc did not get of
this island some time In the morning
and get 10 Seattle Rennrd and the
girl he loved probably would he
killed.
Trenlied with fear and despair
that he felt Clark loru the
launch loose, clambered In and
showed away. The swift running
current Of the river gripped the
boat and carried It down the
river. but the craft hung danger
ousIy near the shore and Clark,
working its steering wheel fran
tieaiiy. found Il responded slowly
10 his efforts.
The men reached the spot where
the launch had been moorcd and
Clark heard them cry out in exeln.
nations OF surprise and dismay. Then
the big voice OF BLACK Cramer
doomed.
Clark saw the men race up and
down the shore and he showed tho
nose OF the launch into midsiream.
II eddicd crafty. hating a moment
poised a few feet off shore.
Suddenly. one Of the men, run.
ming down the bank, sighted its
shadow and cried out MS alarm,
The rest joined him. They raced
to a position opposite the boat.
Clark retained presence Of mind
enough to throw himself on all fours
in the bottom OF the boat and con.
ceaied himself from Cramer's men
They stood and stared at the
launch a moment. They could sec
no one, and finally Cramer said
with a terrible oath:
"Barrows didn't tie the launch
| fast"
Clark heard the man plead
with Cramer, and then. In the
night. there rang the thud Of a
heavy blow. Clark, peering eau
tiously over the side Of the
launch. saw one Of the men 20
down.
Cramer had evidently struck hin