The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1924-12-02


POCKET
fear I backed away from him until I
reached the window And aa dld 90.
tho White EAGLE. followed by that
companion who had masqucradrd as
q hunchb1ek tho last time l saw him.
Lotisr. entered the room.
I uttered an exclamation az vlmu
lated surprise. Th0mgnUn whirled
and saw the iufuIrra His gun
lsaped from his pocket. but the White
Eagle fired first / heard Thomas
sens death cry, and then / went thru
the window. smashing the glass. /
dropped 20 the ledge below. I broke
the Irvine that secured tho clumsy
efugy In place and hurled 10 TO the
ground below, And as ll fell. 1 emit.
tod shrek. the despairiuE cry % a
man hurting 10 death. And then my
sffigy thumped upon the ground. The
books win ML-EL ! had weighted 10
made h sound like a hum7T 10y
heard an exclamation from tho
room, ClinsiuE desperately 10 tho
ledge looked %. The White Eagles
face appeared thru the broken glass.
lie looked down. ia the shadows be-,
low 10 saw a dark mass. DC took it
for me, Perhaps sou who read ms
memoirs understand now why I had
to wait until after dark. IN daylight
my bundle Of books and pillows and
ovcrcoat would not have deceived
him for a moment. But it deceived
him now.
He uttered an ejaculation OF r.,
rocious delight He turned back into
the room. And like a cat I roas upon
the ledge. swung 10 tho window alH.
and before Letter could cry a warn.
ing, I was upon the White Eagle.
had wrcnchcd his revolver from his
| hand. and dominated the situation.
The alarut win be raised In five
minutes" told them. but unless
you give me two minutes start, RI
I shoot"
The White Eagle stared N me. His
/ dccp-sct eyes were bcwildercd.
Nom de Dieu, why this? II is you
who tciephoned me 10 come here.
know your voice. WHY
/ swept the jewels from the table.
stuffed them into my pockets. and
( backed TO the door.
1T Is too long a story. my dear
/ Duo. | answered
Nevertheless. one day you shall
4 tell It 10 me-" he threatened.
/. From tho doorway lnughed at
him. Perhaps. Monsieur IL Due
Meauiime-two minutes And read
tomorrow's papers. perhaps then you
will understand"
Then ! went thru my living room.
thru the front door. and took the
stairs three at n time. Outside /
hailed taxi. "a we drove into the
park I saw the White Eagle and
Lotisr emerge from the building. But
there was no other taxi. They could
escape. but they could not catch me
for both Of which facts / was ex.
tremely glad, for Il had not been my
plan to jeopardlzc the White Eagle.
IT HAD merely intended to see that
L Justice was done 20 Thornassen.
The promise c1acted from me pre-.
vented me from executing that Jus.
tice with my own hand. And / have
explained the obvious reasons why
could not call in the police.
How had known that ! would
not be the victim also OF the white
Eagles rage7 ] had not known. I
had taken deliberately the chance
that /. too, would be killed. why?
Have / not said that when Burrcn.
dercd honesty | chung 20 honor7
Could ] permit a beast like Thomas.
sen TO escape tho just penalty Of his
dreadful crime? Could | aid in such
escapc2
Had expected 10 regain the Ander.
son jewels, once the White Eagle set
his eyes upon them?
In answer 10 that / can only say
that had prepared myself to die In
their defense. For the money thai
they represented meant rchabiita.
ton, the abandonment OF this life.
And ! was still young enough to
think that miracles do sometimes
happen.
OF course, Thomassen's body would
be found In my apartment. The DO.
lice would seek for me. Suspicion
would inevitably be aroused. Lcedon
might talk. Even In that excited mo.
ment Of my escape / realized that
matters would not Do M easy as they
twould have been had not Thomnsscn
GONE to blackmail me. Nevertheless, /