Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1925-08-07


II thought count" said the other a
little tremulously-T thought 1t might
be from this mysterious Black Gang
that one has heard rumors about"
"It was" replied the count tersely
"Heavens!" stammered Latter.
Then It's true; they exist"
"In the last month" answered the
hunchback, staring fixedly at his
frightened companion, nearly twenty
Of our most useful men have disap-
peared. They have simply vanished
into thin air. l know, no matter how,
that it Is not the police: the police are
as mystifed as we are. But the DO
lice, Mr.. Latter, whatever views they
may take officially are in all probabil-
ity unofflcially very glad Of our
friends disappearance. At any rate
until last night"
What do you meanr asked the
other.
last night the police were baked
Of their prey, and McIver doesn't like
being baked You know Zaboleff was
sent overT
Eyes, Of course. That is one Of the
reasons l came around tonight. Have
you seen himT'
u have not" answered the count
grizzly. "The police found out he was
coming"
Mr.. Latter's face blanched: the
thought Of Zaboleff In custody didn't
appeal to him. 1t may be mentioned
that his feelings were purely selfish
Zaboleff knew too much.
But the Count was speaking again.
A faint sneer was on his face; he had
read the others mind like an open
| book.
"And So" he continued, "did the
Black Gang. They removed Zabolefr
and our friend Waldock from under
the very noses of the police, and, like
the twenty others, they have disap-
peared."
my Cd" There was no doubt
now about Mr.. Latter's state Of mind.
"And now they've threatened me-"
"And now they've threatened you"
agreed the count. "And you, l am
glad to say, have done exactly what l
should have told you to do, had l seen
you sooner. You have gone to the
police"
"But-but," stammered Latter, "the
police were no good to Zaboleff last
night"
And 1t is quite possible" returned
equally futile In your case. Candidly,
Mr.. Latter I am completely Indifferent
on the subject of your future. You
have served our purpose, and all that
matters Is that you happen to be the
bone over which the dogs are going
to fight. Until last night the dogs
hadn't met-officially; and in the
rencontre last night the police dog
unless Zen greatly mistaken, was
caught by surprise. Mc1ver doesn't
let that happen twice. In your case
he'll be ready. With luck this cursed
black gang, who are Infinitely more
a nuisance to me than the police have
been or ever will be, will get bitten
badly"
Mr.. Latter was breathing heavily.
"But what do you want ma t" d"
Nothing at all, except what yor
were going to do normally" answered
the other.
"HulloI What's up?"
From a little electric bell at his
elbow came four shrill rings repeated
again and again.
The count rose, and with system
attic thoroughness swept every piec'
of paper of the desk into his pocket
Then he shut down the top and LOCKED
it, while the bell. little muffled, still
rang inside.
"What's the fool doingi" he crie'
angrily, stepping over to the big saf
let into the wall, while Latter, hi
face white and terrified, followed a
his side. And then abruptly the bel
stopped.
Very deliberately the count presse
two concealed knobs, 80 sunk into tn
wall as to be invisible to a stranger
and the door of the safe swung oper
And only then was 1t obvious tina
the safe was not a safe. but a secon
exit leading to flight Of stairs. Fo
a moment or two he stood motionlesi
listening intently, while Latter fidget
ed at his side. One hand was on
master switch which controlled all tn
lights, the other on knob inside tn
second passage which, when turned
would close the great steel door noise
lessly behind them.
He was frowning angrily. but graz
ually the frown was replaced by
look of puzzled surprise. -Four ring
from the shop below was the recol
nized signal for urgent danger an
everybody's plan Of action was CT
and dried for such an emergenc,
In the other rooms every book an
paper In the slightest degree incrin
mating were hurled pell-fnell into s
cret recesses in the floor which ha
been specially constructed undt
. every table Up thei: place appeare