Show FE 7 s A I STORY FROM THE START Defying nil all efforts to capture him after utter a 1 long lone series erle erle of o mur murders ders nn and robberies a super euper crook k know known to the In police poll co only ag The Th Bat flat hue hui brought about II a veritable reign of terror At Athis Athle his wits end end an and at t 11 tI I e a men s e eon ovo on o n reQue request t the tho th chief of police pollee n sl ns his best operative An Anderson dragon derson to Get bet on the tir trail of f the flat Bat t W her niece Dale Dille Ogden Ogden Og Or den Miss Mill Cornell V an n Gorder la Is living In the country hOme hoin of the tho late lale lat h Fleming who until hit hh hl recent death Ih e had been president of the th Union bank wrecked of o the th theft of ofa ofa ofa a lar large l rc o eum turn of t currency Mist Miss t an n Gor Corder er receives a note noll warning her to the th place nt at once one on n pain of death CHAPTER Continued II-Continued II Continued 3 3 a It was as true tru The room In SD which ei 61 e a stood tood while comfortable and 3 charming seemed d unusually acce to the night pro prowler ler A row of trench windows s it qt the rear reir gave upon a little t below e r al below bc the ter terrace race the drive e cursed cuned cun ed about and be beto beneath to heath U tl tie e a billiard room windows ine In e 8 hairpin loop drawing rawln up again nt at atthe r the main entrance on the other side ot of the house At the left of ot the i 1 rench windows It if one fuce faced the terrace as Miss lIss Cornelia Cornella was ens as doing was as the tho alcove di elor or she spoke of 1 hen open It disclosed a little al alcoe alcote alcove devoted ll to the cote e almost entirely toot foot of t a n flight of ot stairs that gave direct access to the upper regions ot of the house The alcove alcote alco e Itself open opened ell ellon on one side upon the terrace and up- up upon upon up upon on the other Into a large law butlers butler buller b I antry The arrangement was Ras as ob obI I designed so co 0 that It necessary one could pass directly from the ter terrace terrace rae race to the do downstairs service quartus quarters tors or the socon second floor of at the house III out going coins through the Ih Ing room and so co 0 that trans tra could be car rued up from the pantry by the side stairs will sill out using the main stair staircase case eo t i TI T e a middle pair of f French wIndows I ITI sere re oxen forming o oien forming en-forming forming n a double door Miss 1 Cornelia went over to them them- themI them tried tl U loci Humph I 1 11 I shut hut trIed them them e a s s s enough she thought Then turned toward the ard 11 I room The billiard room as has l I den een said s was the last room to te- the right In the c main wing of ot the house houe a single door J door led to It from the Ih livin room e II I buss s Cornelia passed through this door glanced about the room rioting JoUng that rues mos of ot Its windows s here ere too loo high from tl ti e a ground to greatly encourage a marauder and locked lodell the only one that seemed to her par particularly the temptIng tempting the billiard bUllard room window on the terrace side Ide of ot the I 1 oar oue ou e Tb Then n sl e a returned to the Irv IrvIng F Ing In room and again considered her Three points of access from rom U e terrace to the houe house tin tbt door Ioor that ltd Id Into the o a the alcote-the alcove the e-the French nun windows in dews dows of ot 11 tl e a living the room room billiard 0 room window Indo On the other side of oftie ll e I louse Buse there was Ras as the main en entrance entrance entrance trance 11 tI e I arch tl U e a library and din dinIn dining dinIn In ing room room windows ss The main entrance 1 Into a hall Ih hall lfting liall living Ing room and ond main door of Ih living In room on the right as one entered lIning dining ronn ro m and library on the left left main staircase In front She che sat at dl down n once more and taking u e lentil r rencil nod and a 0 piece l it tf t paper drew dreg dreu u a aplan plan pion of at tl e a lower floor of ot the house And new Ie I ve se studied It she t ti t i ugh t after a n bile I m no fur further ther cr than It if I hadn t As fur far as I 1 C tae mn figure out out there s so co 0 many ways for a n de deer clever er man to get Into this house tl II nt at I Id d have hate to be Le a couple of t SIar SiaI Sia r I lee ipse t twins tIns Ins to catch It i I ut of course ourse she he was as not shut cT off fT from U tie e world e even eten en It if the worst de developed eloped She considered the hone Instruments on a table near nearIe tI e a wall one the general phone the oU er cr connecting a house line r Iso ico connected pith Ith the garage an I Ithe Ithe the greenhouses gre The garage could not leI t Ie e I 1 ell di ful since Ine Slocum her for many years had gone gonel l ack to 1 J for a f visit ish Dale hu bud been driving the car Put with nil nn al at bodied aile-bodied le Ic bodied man In tI tie tic e gardeners s I use She he pulled herself herselt tog together ther with a ajEr jEr Jt rk CI A 1 au an Gorder Corder you re go goIng goIng goIng Ing lo to go crazy before Jefre nightfall If III u don t take tale hold of at yourself hat 1 11 tr need Is I lunch and lunch and a B nap In tt tie rte e II fie moon It you OU can make male yourself take It It 1 loud ou d better loch lod up that re ret t 1 r I of ot yours jours too that you bought you were going to take a trip to China lou louve louye ve newer never fired It oft off f t I tut ut youve au ve got to sometime today I UK res s no other way ot of t telling It if II will null III work pork ork lou can shut your eJ eyes e wl en n you iou OU do no It-no It no you iou OU can cant t either tl tl at tf s silts nil you a stinted spirited sr old lady do doIt dorte rte It e ell ell you ne newer never er had hall a better Jetter tin tint l to show how your spirit than now I r Dale Ogden taxiing taxi Ing up from the I tat Il l lock t ock train some time later inter dra du cote tove ed ll the llie front door locked to i er r bUll rise and rang for some time be before before before fore alit klie could get un an answer At last lost I Illy aI 01 while white coated with nn an Inscrutable expression on hIs Ills face Will you tale my J big II Filly- Filly thinks thanks WI Wl nr ore Is MIss an Gorder- Gorder Gorder taking a n nap napo o 0 said cald Billy succinct succinctly She tike no Rats nl na i Sit She out In tn l tUng Dale stared kt bt him Incredulously uly Shorting Sho Hilly Billy its s 1 S ma ina am am At least she least she not noi 0 J t W A Novel from the Play r-o r roA By Mary Roberts Rinehart and A Avery Aver vcr Hopwood Service The Th lb Dt nat copyright 1920 12 b ky by Mar Stacy l ry Roberts R Rinehart and Ant Avery shoot vet set but she say she going to soon coon But good gool heavens ens llly- llly shooting Billy-shooting Billy hooting hn t pistol said I Illy hIs yellow mask masl of ot n a face tuce preserving Its impish repose He lie waved wa hi his hand You go ery cry 1 lou ou see Ti 11 Tie e a scene that met Dale Dales s a eyes y when hen she che finally found the was Indeed a singular one Miss list an Gorder Corder her back hack firmly planted against t the trunk of ot a large olm elm tree and an nn expression of ot Ineffable rile dig taste tl te on her tier features was holding out a n blunt deadly looking hooking revolver at arm arms s length It Its s muzzle wavered ll now pointing at tl tI e a ground now new at atthe atthe atthe the sky Behind the tree sat cat catIn satin satIn In a heap quietly to herself and now no and then the appealing to the to n inert avert a calamity As Dale approach e ed unset unseen n the climax came The revolver steadied pointed ferociously at an e grass gracs blade some ten yards from Miss Missan an on Gorder Corder an and went off ot Lizzie promptly give gate vent lIt tc- tc a shrill Irish scream Miss an all Gor Gorder Corder er dropped the revolver like a hot potato and her mouth to tell I not notto notto notto to be such a fool I Then lien she II saw W Dale l lor er mouth went nt Into a roun roan 10 1 o 0 of ot horror and her hand clutched weakly at her heart Good heavens heaven dUd dUdI I she gasped Didn t I 1 Illy tell you what I 1 was vas do doIng doIng doIng Ing I 1 might hn have hate e shot hot you like hike a and overcome o with emotion she sat down n on the ground and started to fan ton herself herselt mechanically pith Ith a cartridge Dale couldn t help and laughing laughing the longer she looked ed at her aunt the themore themore themore more she untIl laughed laughed until that dIgnIfied lady joined In the mirth herself Aunt Aunt Aunt Cornelia Cornelia Aunt Cornelia I IsaId Isaid saId ile D-ile when hen she could get her breath That Iye I ve lived to see the day and and they call calI us the wild genera Lion W liy hy on earth were you having pistol practice has has Billy turned Into a Japanese spy or what Missan Miss lIss an an Gorder Corder rose roce from from tie tl e ground with as ac much stateliness as she could muster under the stances o 0 my deer bat deir theses es there s no like tio t ol like an nn old that fool fool s all she site stat stated stated ed I ve Fe wanted to fire Bre that Infernal rev revolver lver off ofT ever estr since I bought It two years ago and ago and now no I 1 hue hive h ve and andI I m satisfied Still she went on thoughtfully picking ln up the weapon It seems a very sery ery gM good and revolver and er-and shooting people must be much easier that I 1 supposed sUPPo Ml 11 you have to do doIs dois doIs Is to point the lure the the front of at like lIle It this and and- andOh andOh and Oh Miss lIss Dale dear Miss lIss Dale l I came In woebegone ace accents from the theother theother other side Ille of ot the tree FW IN the 10 lose e of lt I 1 eaven Miss lIss Dile say soy no more but tale take It a aa a v from her shell her shell 11 ha hate e herself herselt all nil riddled through with Ith huh bul bullets bullets lets like lIJe a kitchen and sieve e and me m too too-It too If she s let to have It again Lizzie Lizzle I Im m ashamed of ot you OU sql I II I lzzie s b mistress briskly Come ou from behind that tree and stop wail lag Ing like hike an nn automobile siren This seal on Is perfectly safe In competent hands and and- She seemed on the serge of ot another demonstration of at Its powers Miss Miss Dale for lor the dear 10 love lose e o 0 God Cod will you mole make her put It away awny Dale added her protestations to toI I s Ilease darling If It you wont want to practice Billy can n- n up some sort of ot target range but range but I don twant t twant want my fa favorite aunt assassinated lIv by a ricocheted rice bullet before my es e et es Well ell perhaps perhaps It wound would be Le best Jl t to try tf again another time a te I tiles lIs San nn an Gorder Corder But ut there was uns a wistful look hook In her eyes as she go gate e eU U tie e revolver re reuh uh er to Dale and the three started back Lall to tl tI e a house I should newer never I 1 ate e ell allowed I f Inie to know Inow what shat hat I as doing she he con con a wll wl Ish 1 r er oa on tl e a way woy t woman woman Is perfectly capable of lt min D aging but firearms firearms but I Is really too nen nervous ous to use live Ih e S 1 I know Inow Just toe low you ou feel eel darling Oak agreed suppressed mirth sl 81 oJ ak akIng Ing her as tl U e a little si n re chell the terrace But oh nut Hut oh h she coup J keep It ft no longer you oh-you oil you dl di l J look funny sitting darling darling sitting under that tree with Lizzie Lizzle on the thc er I ci le Ie leof ot of It making banshee nol noises an I- I 1 Miss Missan an on an Gorder Corder laughed Ij too a little shamefacedly 1 I must have she the said I ut-oh ut ut you nellIn t shake your lour our head bend I 1 I am galok goin t to practice situ Ith there It-there there s no roast rease reason n I 1 t un t an 1 ou never San pan an tell when things I like that might be II useful she en lI rather vaguely She he did not wish Ish to 10 alarm Dale with Ith her suspicions suC yet t There Dale Dale- yes Dale Dale ies es put It In the drawer of the that table table that will whit real rea sure lizzie Lizzie you iou ou might make us some lemonade I think-Miss think think Miss D lIe mu must t u ka h ty after her lon long hot rl ride e cs les 1 es Miss Cornelia Cornella sold said 1 I reo her normal calm ns nl the re reI revolver volver was shut away o In the I ot of the large table In the living Ih Ing room nut But Ih abe could auld not resist one part Ink 1111 shot hot And thank Got God Its III I II 11 be making un making nn 1 not bandages tor for bullet Juliet wounds t I she muttered darkly n as she went toward the service quarters Miss Van Gorder Corder glared after atter her departing back Lizzie Is really Ito possible sometimes 1 I she ah said with Ith stately Ire Ire Then 1 er cr voice softened Though of ot course I 1 couldn t do without her ber she added Dale stretch ed cd out on the settee OPI lite tier her aunt s a chair I know you couldn t darling Thanks for thinking of ot the lemonade She pa passed ed her hand hond over oter 0 er her forehead In Ina ina Ina a gesture of ot fatigue I am nm hot and hot tired Miss lIss Missan S an an Gorder Corder looked at her keenly The J young loung oung face tace seemed curl ou ly worn orn and haggard In the clear afternoon light 1 YOU ear ou you don dont t really feel very well do you Dale The girl turned her face tace a 8 little a away any ny from her aunt a s scrutiny Oh-It Oh Oh It s nothing I feel teel all right right- right really really I could send for Doctor Wells It- It ItOh Oh Oh hen heavens ens no Aunt Cornelia She She managed a 8 wan smile It Isn tas t tas liS as bad as ns all nil that I Im m just tired and the city was terribly hot and noisy nollY and and- She Site stole a glance glane at her aunt from between lo lowered loitered lids I 1 got ot your gardener ly I y the way she said casually Did you dear ear That S a splendid though I 1 ut I II tell you about abort that later Where did you get hIm That good agencY I agency I can t remember remember ber It Its s name Dale Dales shand hand tooted ell restlessly over her eyes eres as It b boring details were too great groat nn an et fort I 1 ut art I 1 m sure he hell II be sa tory hell hell II be out here this evening evening- evening he-he he he he couldn t get away aay a ay before I believe What have hate you been blen doh all day darlings darling t tWe We have had a n domestic upheaval The cook Ook and the housemaid hate ha left left-It If you d only waited till the next train you could cou have had the pleasure ot of their company Into town how Cornelia Cornelia how exciting I 1 I m mso mso so sorry I Why did they leave Why Why do ser servants ever leave lea a n good place said Miss Cornelia Cornella grImly Because It they had sense enough to mow know when they were well tell ell off ofT they wouldn t be servants Anyhow they ye ve gone gone nett well ell have to depend on I and Billy DIlly the rest ot of or this week I telephoned but but they couldn t promise me any others before Monday nd Ind IVOS I was VOS In town and could coull hive e seen een people for tor s vou ou ou-lf If I 1 Id d only known I 1 said cold Dile remorsefully Only site she hesitated I t have ha hid time time-at time nt least I 1 mein there here ere some other things I had to do besides getting gelling the gardener and and- and She She rose r I think I 1 will go and Re o down for tor a little If It you vou don t mind mind darling L Miss lass nn on Gorder was vas concerned Ot Of course I don t mind but won but won t you e even eten en ho hoe have e tour Our lemonade Oh Oh i II g get t some from I r In the pantry before I go up Dale Dole managed to laugh lauh I think I must have a headache hc after all nil she che said cold May |