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Show THE OGDEN s 7T7i757 - f f - : i J - fully, in the flickering light of the match.; On his head was a deep gash. . His clothes were torn. "What other injury he had sustained I could not tell. I tried to switch on the light, hut something was wrong with the electricity. Instantly there flashed through my mind what must have happened. Somehow the message from Speed must have been used to decoy him over to his own laboratory where & bomb had been planted. As he pushed open the door it had excaution ploded. Only his natural too close nad saved him from being bits. and blown into I looked about hastily. What to do? If I left him, perhaps the attack might be renewed. Calling for help would do no good, now. There was no one on this end of the cam-pu- s likely to hear. ., I bent over him.. Vaguely he seemed, to recognize me. "Walter," he groaned. I stooped down and picked him up, staggering under his weight. I felt that I must get him away. Out through the broken glass entrance I managed to carry him, straining to hold him so that the jagged bits of glass on the ground would not cut him. It was not long now before I managed to get. a car and soon I had him back in the apartment, in bed under medical care. . Having seen uifvcsscu Tin that Clare was maid had been placed In charge. Speed lost no time in returning to me at the laboratory. Again he began recounting his experlenco and his theories, and It was in the midst of it that Kave-na- l dropped In. "My dear fellow, remonstrated Ravenal, as he heard the story, "don't you see that. what you are doing Is nothlnj short of foolhardy?" What is the us of retaining Kennedy, to nothing of time far ahead and outdistancing them. He turned and from the locker pulled what looked like a Coston signal flaie. He tore off the top. It Cared, and he shot it out in a long curve of smoke and ilame. The rocket fell close to Speeds boat on the water as it hun gidly. Instantly the gasoline that lay heavy all about, surrounding them as they drifted, was ignited. They were In i the midst of what was literally a x . going to renew my acquain- ht"n. Breshkaya ald that SpeWI irn 5t her apartment with her and drank. Kb. Ict'y tnmlttns, Clare id. Yoa know what a mrjiane like that would mean CLar wou!d ro up there nr.d rep for hertclf If It wan th lat thins thn dli I kd her If th had f ooe. Kh'had was from Dreshkya'. "And wii SpeJ th"te?" I aahed, thi wi ?elntj how ho'le ray attempt at d ?!ay wa, for KennHly a atrac-Xllnp, ecltment rome of hin ttentcth. to airay ' In back hlra-rl- f atreet clclfces. "Yes apparently under the Inllu -. Before I could r.nsw.T it ence of tome dru- :. perhr -- . . il ly . .11 - ;" 4 ft- - ' rt- t i , b-- I - . the laboratory restoring it to its original condition jLs nearly as my unscientific hands could do so. It was a hard job to get the plaee in order again, but with the aid of some of Kennedy's students we were making pretty fair progress, and I: felt sure that in a few days everything would be as ship- y3 -- shape as ever. I was deeply engaged . in the work when Speed called, very much excited. "I. know that Kennedy must be kept quist," he began, as he looked about with interest on what I was doing, "yet I feel that we must not let up on this fellow for an In' PC li iah ; w 1, f- n,et her at the Crystal Talac. Jameson Ravenal they srssm right, Shs maid the had aome some letters here. I teemed to fall for It I had a plan I cam pa-Pr- s perhaps tne Black Menace himself, was expected to meet Madame Jacques at the Trocadero. The moment had arrived when the meeting was to place place and Speed and Clare were waiting for the arrival of a fast car which was to betray to them- the Identity of the here with her." v Speed shifted his position, at hit rnlnd grew clearer. "When the waa getting the papers. ther were two glasses of wine poured for ua ca th table, Her back waa turned. 1 dropped tons of that stuff la her glass I thought under a drug ahe might talk at least I might search. Then ahe came back handed mt the papers. They were nr thing. I aoon saw that aa I atudled tbem. .Then ahe proposed a taatt, I drank It I waited for her to pass away 4 - , blackmailer, when suddenly something must have gbne wrong., The car was approaching-whenperhaps by some. secret signal, its sole occupant must have been warned. Instead of tut ning in off the road to the Trocadero,-hswept on past, never pausing. Speed and Clare had not expected that, but it was' only a moment wh6n they were out In Jack's racer and away. ' It was an exciting chase, but Speed took the risk, for the prize was a great one. Besides, he knew that it could not last forever. 'When North Harbor was reached, the other car .must turn either back to the city or go out further on the island, and, in either case, he reasoned he had a good chance of catching It. There was one thing, however, on Which he had not figured. They reached North Harbor, tearing through the town much to the scandal of the Inhabitants. On went the other car until It came to determined that the best thing I ft dock. - There the occupant of the could do was to go ahead on my ear had abandoned it, running out own lin e. trusting that chance would on the end of the dock and leaping Into a motorboat with a hunting favor Speed. .It was in the forenoon that Speed cabin, which wa3 tied up there, evihad dropped In on me. Once or dently waiting for him. He waa away, leaving them for twice. I called up to find him dur- the moment helpless. ' ing the day, but was able to get no answer. After the second time, .It was the work of only a few when I called up and was unable to minutes however, for Speed to find locate Speed, I began to get anxious another fast boat In the neighborand called up Clare. To my greater hood of the yacht club. In It he and Clare took up the chase again. anxiety , she didI not answer, and it was then, that knew that she had By this time the Black Menace. on some him with quest. If, indeed, it was the Black Menace, tone on whose trail they were, had perNot until late In the evening did I :et any word. And then it was haps a mile start of them. But their commandeered boat prove J to that a car pulled up short at the be the faster of the two, and It was laboratory. To my great relief, I not long before It was evident that saw both Clare and Jack In , the they were overhauling him. doorway. But they were dishevelled As their boat gained, Speed seized and looked as though they might a megaphone nnd called for the have been through a wreck. Theit clothes hung on them, wrinkled, other boat ahead to stop. . But it was without effect He drew his and there were several bad burns on their .flesh. gun and fired. Back from the pur-- " a smile. were "You sued boat came an answering shot. forced Speed Suddenly Clare exclaimed In con-- , right," he answered. "We should not have dJne it. Yet the tempta-- " sternatlon. It was evident that it tion was tow great. We went out to 'was not so much to hit them .that the Trocadero." the pursued boatman was firing as - for "Yes and what happened?" another, purpese. The gas tank on their boat had been punctured "Clare Insisted on going he re plied. "And It was acorrect clue.- " by a shot and the . gasolene was all right" pouring out in a I listened in amazement as Speed over the water In an lrridescent t with a word now and then from scum. "'. ,1 e . h-.u- - . . , : l ' pool of flame. seized f 4 . Speed one of the leather cushions which was not yet afire and flung it overboard. It fell, parting the flames and throwing the burn- ing gas to one side for a moment, only to have It close together again on ths surface of the water ominously. Yet it was enough to suggest something to Speed He turned to Clare "There's just one cnance. ho muttered. "Will you follow me?" She did 'not ding to him. 'v That 'Was not Clare's manner, - "Yes," she anawered, her lulck mind already divining' what was In his thoughts. " He leaped to the side of the burning boat, above the scorching nnd, smoking pool of flame about them. As, he did bo he Belzed another cushion, motioning to her to d the same. "Let go of it the moment yon strike the water," he shouted "Then down down with me!" He leaped over, the cushion before him, lfke a shield to part the flames. As he touched the flaming water, thrashing about with the cushion, he cleared just a small space In the flaming pool about himself. Clare was ready. Before the flames on the water could closo Again she leaped into the spaca he had cleared. As she struck the water, he seized her. Together they sank. diving down on an angle as far as they could, swimming under water the blazing oil abevo them. Once Clare's breath gave out and she began to rise. Speed- seized her and with his last remaining strength managed to carry both until they bobbed up, a matter of inches beyond the circle of blistering fire. ; g N . r. t ' . -- 7 . voua. reached over the aide of the bed and Rraped. the - - CHAPTER XV. GANNOT say that ,the had had In his the Black Menace had "Whfw-- betrayed "You are at Hreshka- ya'a?. What . In Spefd.7the world what Kennedy was eHjfntly very murii Jack is ' vctctl that? at ped for ec!tlr,r hinaelf Yes thero? yes In snch'a preiflcnnent and well he III b TiKhi Up. ' for it waa a rather Hique a ..tnljrht b, Got someon epe:U!)f jn the yes cf a anypoliceman .utter--amazemen- "7 . ? rrd. ( 1 Stifling, Her Screams, They Threw Her Into the Closed Car. cooled hi3 . ardor In the least although it did one thing. He was determined now that In any future attempt he would be sure to Cl 1821. Intrtillonal lature SertW. In d . " ". ; "Uhat happened?" T aaleJ. as h flnbhe! drcuFlntr, ulib rny aid. for I get-there.- tnyaclf, if you are going deliberto danger, ately to.exposo as well as Miss yourself Claremont? I had had in mind the game'eau-- , Hon to deliver, but was glad that .it 'came from Ravenal, for I felt that it came from Llm with much better grace than :iom myself. had little effect on Speed, how- -' ever. He'ecemed, if anything, mpre determined ".han ever. In"And 'another thinK,"-Speesisted, brushing aside every argument "I mean. to get at the bottom of the connection Breshkaya has with this affair." "That too, la matter on . which I wish to caution you," cut In Ravenal. . . I could see that the argument had very little effect on. Speed.- When.it .came to motchlng wiu he felt himself the equal of ' any .; , . one. Clare l!k hJgb-fplrtted'gi- one don't stay III aloue. Yes a be them aoon as I can r.owttai it aw to try w4s Mnhck." to hold - "That's hat know and He hungup the reeflrer. and In wrak-netar-want unccn-sclouhis wounds 'to flrd czi.' his nf pito h" But oed. of out is Cam leaped aparentlr. arj frintlc brtwev ffar and atoppM short as ho started to walk : doubt" and hia faco bvtrayc-- th pnln he i We harried eti nrd fniumoned a r trove to conceal. he Mentally mltht b as al?rt aa ever- - But he ; cab from a.Rferbr'i'Urd. , "I was himself, and I fon that DCja'i a deril," was more concerned cver.hlra than muttered 'Cralr. as vre turr.pd along over the whole enje, now. tbrouith the tUU uf.fiilh,-- cUy. V arrived at - ."Rpfficmlx r," i ' cautioned, "what apartment fao : Inc'the rark Rbcre tli doctor a!d." e had waited "Han: tbe doctor." he growled, tr lor.fne other dar. nly this time we did net pause,' but enttred and but just a little weakh, a he supVmanded-tto Breah-- ' ported him? elf by on of the prta . . cf tbo "These people are chll-- ' klrt'i. dten thy need a tcnirdlan." Howerer, I could ee that,.al-tb,ou"Whafa tbe matterr I asked, he tvii tbtly, Kennedy r.ad not"lot Lis caturat hcplner that In this way I mlcht sense cf lead- up to nome argument that rtut!on. .and bo errtted and prcv vculd dlsauade him.. , . Cfded.to tbe clf with rTery care, ua thonxh we rjltht t er.terlsK a. "Matter enough. CJa had a from Breshkaya telephone trap. And' lnxlerd I did cot LUm ,1-iou- i s. ?-w- ot d " tlt a t-- e ... o b-- U-ilU- . -- tnt-mar- , n h , ; I locked! down s. a!-m- not-physicall- d g. i - - remember." aur-prise- ; , . "Well, you vou he aald. d " ? r told - Where was Brrtshkaya?" "There when Clare arrived alone. Hbi taunted her then disappeared If.to tho next room that was the last Clare saw of her. Kvldenlly the put It over cn Epe.ed and waa Jtut with stirring up '( natlffled trouble, htwtcn him and Clare a refinement of trtufe. I take It She lett worJ with her colored maid that , v.hen Clare remorw h Intruder-he would return! The Intruder was lBtmment from HI whistled.- remember what (ho . table whero ha kept It "What you Miss Claremont?" I heard him repeat as his faco --- ;I I Kennedy waa listening attentively. I eaw that be wat trying to reconstruct the event. And aa h did so a quiet amlle played about hit faCn. Speed was now able to wave a gesture or two at he talked. "Whera wrro the drinks?" aek4 Crafg. "On that tahle.-And the papert?" "Over la that cabinet," Kennedy looked about keenly. 7hen he stood over by the table, on which he placed two glasses taken from another table. "Walter." he directed, "stand over there. Faco lh cabinet. I did to. And aa I did, I waa to tee that fa a mirror over the cabinet I could see tha table beside which Kennedy wat tfand-inAs 1 watched, J saw hit In the mirror, pouring nomethlng arpsrrnUv info the glass. I turned. S:UJ it does not explain It," I Impressed. rcg:.tcJ. ;'c w ttand by the table, where t in." Craig directed, am the tyr of holh Clare and Speed dilated "Ner tbe I did ao and he handed me a letter. from kit pocket, tnrr.tng partly aa he did to. "Bead it," he ordered. I tried to do so. ".Vow. left have a drink." S ... , : stream,-spreadin- that's the last A' . k - j ; -- i I knew. y . - at poiM-rhility- fortable and assured that it was merely a question of keeping him quiet for a time, I returned to the laboratory and with the aid of a carpenter ' whom I managed to get out of bed under promise of a substantial bonus, I had windows and doors boarded up . for the night. a restless night Kennedy passed was and glad enough to be quiet1 To reassure the following days. him," however, I spent the day at ' Speed was very cordial, but I could see that it was really Kennedy he wanted to see. "I've 'been thinking about that decoy letter 'that was sent to me the other day," he finally remarked. "Why should anyone have wanted to get me out there at the Trocadero Inn? I've been making inquiries and I find that there is something about that place that I've almay bear investigation. most a mind to go out and look it ' over." " shook my head. "I'm afraid it - will be a dangerous thing for you. "Really I Jack," I cautioned. should advise you and Clare against making any overt move as long as Kennedy is laid up." "I don't know what to do," fidgeted Speed. "It is too good a chance to let slip past. Who - knows but that just because Kennedy is laid up, the Black Menace may have become a little careless? Besides," the letter would hardly have been sent to meiunless the Black Menace had had some reason to depend on this place. I'd like to look It over." The more I argued against it, the i more I- could see that it -- merely confirmed Speed in his He finaldesire to Investigate. knew I that ly left, and instinctively he would follow out that clue. ,1 could not but fret over the danger. I was in & quandary, and finally ( r CHAPTER XIV. AVING made Kennedy com stant." f ", was Jurt what it wa. "Vj came at last to the door ar.I X'jhc4 the tuner. It vaa Irnne-dJatc-ly end we could ae down a wile hall tht C!ar waa Hill there. A e enterrd she ran lowri Uf itr itx fljshed with the excitraent, arpJ-in- c to Kennedy. Quickly she led him down the hall io a very handsome llvinx room. On a deep Oriental dlvaa lay Spd, la a most uncomfortable position. ' Ilia eyea were opm. icltssy, and he wai I rrathlne very rapidly, but it vit evldpnt that he knw only ratuely what waa rolnc oa about him. Clare was almost hysterical as f he danced from tbe man she loved atout at the sybaritic tplesdor of the apartment of. a woman whom fh hated. "I cot her message, th vixen," hi teican, Ulklnrc rapMly, and ulte aa much for the ?enflt of the maid a for ua. "Of courpe. r'uro I ramr up here rlrht She wa positively Insultlnr. aay. "Frvrn Jack did not know me what fa It. Pro-ffoShe atd h Kennedy? thoucbt h must be drunk. la he?" A rlanc from Kennedy's practical euttlctent to retnov that To even lo cIt him m prt-ttcood cloe as to hat dreg L'peed waa under the Influence of. "Tell him the next lime he calls cn a lady lo renvraber he la a gentleman, the hutsy sneered as aha Uft me," recounted Clare, with Mating eyes. "What did ahe mean? 1 can't imaclne. It was then that I called you." KennMy bent over Speed and r an feeling bla pulse, et he more-ureaally, aa Ihouch trying lo throw off lh effecfa cf the drag. Then he btgan aearthlrg throriRh Speed't pockets, aa if to determine whether he had ben robbed. He had cot, of courae. Breshkaya waa far too clever for that, la fact I flt tar last ih wii far loo clever to bar ui there If there wat a thing that ru'tht be likely lo react on herself. At Kennedy's hand reached izta Inside pocket h pulled from aj Speed's coat a little bottle. He held it up, uncorked It and first trne'led. then tasted of tbo few dropa that remained la th vial. "Chloral." be muttered. By thia t!m Speed waa much recovered. Under the oothlr:g touch . and care of Kennedy be moved, hia eyes cleared a bit, and h begaa looking daxedly about, "Vh wherta am IT he moaned, as If striving to recollect, "What ten me?" r romp ted happened Kennedy. came hack to con Slowly, aa trlousnet t. Speed began to talk. "I p-rt- .. t ,-- al-mo- tele-"phonl- ns a As far cpr-nM- . Kennedy, vbo was bconlns: Itlucd!Y nrr- - f - beraelf that ever.ta,--. . -- flJJfh SJ - tance with her, just the rame," h persisted. "Home way, I'm coins to trap her Into telling me gome-thin-g. I'm convinced she knows more than wo Imagine." left ui to report back to theSpd Star, where his Job vtry elastic, as fitted his character cf a c!on of wealth, for ho was now riven much more latitude by bH f ather, having once, at lenst. proved his caraclty for making rood. it was late that very evening I was ming rcridln:; to Kentht nedy whn the telephone ran. .safely returned to her apartment, where a new an J trustworthy No gas was reaching It. The Black Menace was by this '0Wiimfinrij utLjtx sz 'vy- !; I ij-zfj-l go alone andfthus raTe Clare the danger of any attack. Gradually the headway of Speed's boat decreased as the gas in the pipe line failed and none reached the carburetor. The engine stopped. : H fP) ((" fa" P Clare, poured out the remarkable the story of h6w he had gone out to sucfast road house and had almost ceeded in getting the goods on the criminal whom we were pursuing. It seemed that Minna Oakleigh had ' been In reality pretty well known there and, starting upon that assumption, which proved to be correct, Speed had played his game cleverly, not disclosing who he really was, but posing as one of those who had become involve'd in the game that was being played at the Mystery Mansion. At the beginning he got along famously, and late in the afternoon (he gathered by hints jthat some one. '(Continued from Preceding Page.) ' ft'0" 'WWII ti lihin htrti N I- SUNDAY MORNING. OCTOBER 23, 1921. R ' I 7 STANDARD-EXAMINE- - at the table. My glsrs had been moved and an empty one wat In itt place. Keuntdy lanphed. h cried In h!a Doa't you seeT -mnw Spee4 She glee. drvgrini-- her drink. She did r.rt betray a thing to him let hlrrv thfnk . he wis getting away with it. Instead, she roolly handed him serr.e parem. While h iriia'l Ircklrc The s Itched the g!aet. That it all. Then she waifcl till tbe dn:g took effect oa him. Finally b called Ml?a Claremont. Ycu can b3 old-tim- ture that gh fiturel It U cut. Ytu hare r.Mh!nr on her. She has It on yoa ycu tried to drus her firf. Jack. It waa cary money fcr L'rtihkaya." a To D Continued. |
