Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-11
Il Story BY a Wr1ter WhoHasMadea
Specially of7His Sort Of Fiction -AndH
bAuother Thrilling Ad0euture Of Peter
Hames, Nell Kno7Un to Rcaders of The
Stars SuudayMaga2iue.

out the gasping attendant, snatched his KEYS
and ratified down below.
Peter Hames and Sir Richard simultaneously
leaped forward, but before they were through
the swing-gates the lift had gone to its
resting place, the emergency door leading into
the street under the main entrance had been
opened and the stranger had disappeared. They
tore down the steps and tried the front door,
only to find it locked They rushed up the
stairs again into the bank.
"Pont1fex has a key" Urquart, who was
crawling across the floor, doubled up with
agony, called out, Get down the private
way"
CIR RICHARD made a dash toward the
private Office. Peter Hames, instead,
strobe over to one of the long windows flung
it open and leaned out. Along the Boulevard
des Moulins there only one car to be
seen which could possibly be connected with
the robbery-a small two-seater, racing
around the corner. In it were seated two
men, indistinguishab!e at such a distance.
Peter HameS turned away to find Sir Richard
pummeling at the panels of the Office door
with one hand and trying the handle with
the other.
Door locked on the inside" he shouted.
Three cashiers having got over their first
bewilderment. now came into action. One Of
them assisted Urquart to his feet; another dis
appeared into the back regions, made his way
by a circuitous route into the private office
and, without waiting even to look around him,
unlocked and threw open the door. Seated in
his chair. with a vicious-lookng gag in his
mouth, his arms bound together and his legs
tied to the desk, Pontifex, the manager,
pale and exhausted with his struggles. Oppo-
site him was the safe with the door open.
Peter Hames wasted time in demanding
useless explanations. He dashed to the door
which led to PontifeX's private house. Here
again, however, there was a check. It was
fastened on the farther side Urquart, who sup
ported by the other two clerks, had been
dragged in, drew from his pocket key and
flung it across.
II know the way they went" Peter Hames
declared, STOPPING to pick it up. Telephone the
police and tell them to make for the frontier"
He tore down the stairs, pushing to one side
astonished parlor maid and needless of the
cries of Mrs. Pontifex from the other staircase
A moment later he out in the street and
in his two-Seater.
Peter Hames drove straight through to Men
tone, and up the hill to the customs. civil
official detained him scarcely a moment, but,
as he reached the French passport office he saw
a car crawling away. He shouted madly, but
Intellectually The two men--both dressed in
linen busters, motoring caps and glasses
looked around nervously. They drove their car
to the side of the road and climbed into a
huge touring car, with long hood, which was
drawn up in the shade of some trees. In less
than a minute they were out of sight
Here, perhaps, was where Peter Hames
failed. In rapid French he essayed to explain
the situation, but he made little progress The
law was the law, and person without a
passport could cross the frontier. A message
was sent to the Italian side. The same reply
was received. For half an hour Peter HameS
stormed and argued. At the end of that time
carload of gendarmes came tearing up behind
him and the way to Italy was free. Peter
Hames however made no attempt now to fol-
low the chase He drove back to Monte Carlo.
He motored straight to the Royalty bar and
found pandemonium. The principal and most
popular bank in the principally robbed in day.
light by two men, one of whom never even APP
peared upon the scenel The sheer artistry of
the thing thrilling. The lift man was in
the hospital, but his injuries were only super
fetal Mr. PontifeX had an exceedingly sore
Jaw and was reported to be locked in private
room of his house with the commissaire of po-
lice and his doctor. His coadjutor, Urquart,
however formed the center of one of the little
parties, perfectly willing to demonstrate to any
one the particular artifice of jiujitsu by which
he had been thrown.
DETER NAMES was seized upon Immediately
! on his entrance He was hustled to chair
and surrounded by curious group of inqurers.
There is very little have to tell" he con-
fided IT got line on the fellows, or thought
I did, because I rushed to the window and
saw car with two men in it, who looked to me
to be likely birds, racing down the boulevard.
I guessed they were off to the frontier, so di-
rectly got clear followed them.
when I arrived there, 1 was held up, as of
course, hadn't a passport with me. They had
just slipped through. I saw them drive away,
in fact. on the italian side iIlmD into huge