THE SIGN OF THE VAMPIRE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 379, 19 July 1911, Page 2

THE SIGN OF THE VAMPIRE.

Being a Strange Chronicle from the Note-book of John Lyon, Elucidator, Known as the " Lion of the Law."

Bj S. H. Agnew, Author of "The Castle Mystery," etc.

i PART 3. i CHAPTER IV. 1 THE SHADOW OF THE BLACK HAND. One of John Lyon's most prominent traits lay in his inability to ac- ! cept defeat. When he found that he I could not cry out or move his limbs ; and that the curtain had been swath- ' ed about him in such a way as tc . prevent his rolling over, he cast ; about for some other method of aci hieving his ends. If the Italian had • spoken truth—which he could not : doubt —but a few minutes remained ! before the infernal machine would explode, and the detective felt that upon him alone rested the responsibil- '. ity of preventing a crime which, if ; achieved, would stagger the whole ; civilised world. The nut was a hard one. By a tre- ] mendous effort of will he forced him- ■ self to think coolly. Plan after plan j was conceived and as promptly re- ! jected, and at last he found himself I driven to the feeble expedient of tapping on the wainscot. He had been handcuffed in such a way that his wrists were locked tightly behind his back, but, after much shuffling, he had managed tc clear the curtain from the vicinity oi his heels. Lifting them with an effori he commenced kicking at the wall. Tap ! tap ! tap ! The sound travelled loudly through the deserted spaces of the corridor. Bringing every muscle in his lithe "body into action, he used his feet with terrific power, although the dust from the thick tapestrj combined with the obnoxious gag, was almost choking him. ; Bang ! bang ! It was impossible that the noise could go long unnoticed. Suddenly the door through which the Italian had gone, opened and an attendant thrust his astounded face into the passage. He listened for a few seconds, then hastened forward as the elucidatoi emitted a series of the strangest sounds that ever issued from human lungs. With a trepidation that was perhaps pardonable, he peered from side to side, starting as a perfect fusillade of knocks broke from the curtain. " Christmas !" he murmured. " 1 have heard of ghosts rapping, but this takes the whole bloomin' batt bun. Come out of it !" Cautiously inserting a foot he shifted the heavy folds of the curtain. "My God!" he hissed, as the bound body of the detective came tc light. For a moment he was toe dumbfounded to move, but stood ! staring dazedly. Then he stooped j and pulled gently at the gag which ; sealed Lyon's lips. j The pain was intense as the stickj ! linen ripped away, but the elucidatoi | scarcely noticed it.

" There is an infernal machine io the Victoria Hall," he said, in a calm voice. "It will explode at th< half-hour. Drop it into a bucket oi water or the Town Hall will be a hole in the ground in a few minutes more."

The man's jaw dropped as he listened. He straightened up convulsively, glaring at the door. " If you don't run I hope you will be condemned to eternal perdition !" snarled Lypn, savagely. " Do you want everybody in there to be killed? Get to the Victoria Hall on th« jump, you blithering fool !" A queer inarticulate cry came from the blanched lips of the attendant. Then he staggered rather than ran down the length of the corridor, and disappeared. The Lion of the Law listened to the erratic stumble of his footsteps until the distance swallowed the sound, and smiled to himself. The following two minutes were the longest of his life. He could have sworn that an hour elapsed before a confused noise of excited voices and footsteps bore- down upon the door. Next /moment two policemen and an inspector appeared, closely followed by half-a-dozen officials. Lyon greeted them with the utmost sang froid. " There is still time for me to follow my man if you can unlock my fetters," he said, coolly. "They are ordinary police handcuffs, I think. Hurry up !" The inspector's visage was white underneath the tan. His hand shook slightly as he took a bunch of keys from his pocket. " Great heavens, what an escape!'' he stammered. " There was enough explosive to have torn the Town Hal ; up by the roots. And within an.incl of mixing too ! I envy your nerve. The people in there don't know—mosl of them. We thought it best. The thing was under the table. We—" " You can tell me this afterwards' snapped the detective, interrupting the flow of incoherencies as he staggered to his feet. "I've got a lot oi work to do. Good morning !" He walked swiftly to the door. The inspector looking like a man in a dream murmured, " What a man !" The slamming of the portal put s full stop to his exclamation, and Lyon was gone. Darting through the corridor th« eluc|idator reached the vestibule at s rum" and paused there to disguise himself paying no attention to the few/astounded onlookers who witnessed his actions. In a few seconds he had affixed a ginger-coloured moustache to his raw upper lip, reversed his coat and cap and changed his necktie. These slight changes, although so simple, made a startling change in his appearance. All his garments were • reversible the inner side being a different colour to the

ontei. wnoii ne entered tr.c Town Hall he had been quietly attired in black ; now his coat and cap were a loud colour of green, and a chock necktie which all but spoke, had taken the place of the former dark one. This accomplished, he emerged on to the steps, and paused to speak to a constable in charge between the fluted columns of the portico. " Have you seen an Italian leave the hall within the last few minutes ?"

" A dark man just went down Park Cross Street," the constable answered promptly. " Has he been picking pockets, sir ? I noticed him particular because he seemed excited like."

Lyon scarcely heard the last words. He was already half way across Park Lane. Entering the street indicated at a quick but not ton con spicuous gait, he walked swiftly a long, his eagle eyes roping over every person on both sides of the way. Luck was on his side. He bad reached the corner, and was peering up and down St. Paul's Street, in some doubt as to which direction be would take, when he caught sight of his quarry on the opposite pavement. The Italian was obviously awaiting the explosion which would give token of the success of his efforts. Twenty times lie glanced at his watch, and his eyes were fixed on the sky just above the Town Hall. " Watch and wait, my friend," the detective thought, smiling grimly under his moustache. " You will have to wait and watch a long time before you see the roof of the Town Hall sailing skyward. What the deuce !" He turned with a cry as a hand descended heavily on his shoulder, tc find a swarthy Italian grinning intc his face. The man was unusually tall for his race, and bore unmistakable signs of good breeding. A sardonic smile lighted up his olive eyes as he met Lyon's glance.

" Bacchus !" he ejaculated, in a cautious whisper. "Ze thing is done comrade. Cellini placed ze bomt most carefully, and in vim minute more ze aristocrats and robbers oi ze people vill be roasting in Hades !'■ The detective made no answer foi a few seconds. Mentally he was wondering whether the tall Italian bad really mistaken him for a colleague, or whether it was a case of "Will jou walk into my parlour?" Always daring he decided to accept the spider's invitaton whatever motive prompted it. " Good !" he rejoined, his face as expressionless as a carven mask. " How did you know I was one ol yourselves ?" The other laughed gutterally, pointing to the palm of Lyon's right hand. " Need you ask ?" The detective's teeth snapped together as lie glanced downward. The sign of the flying vampire hac been imprinted there in colours that seemed to live and glow like fire as he moved the muscles of his palm.

CHAPTER V. MURDER MOST FOUL." *' I didn't know I had been displaying it so plainly," fLyon murmured after an involuntary pause " I must be more careful. Is thai Cellini over there ?" The newcomer sent a swift glance across the road. " Yes. He look as though ze thins have got on his nerve. Garatnba ! 'Tis time that ze explosive came tc take place." His eyes wancered to a neighbouring clock with tlie tense. strained look of a man waiting foi an expected shock. Then he bent until his crimson lips almost touched the detective's ear. " I have done my part," 1 he whispered. " Your part ?" responded Lyon in fcerrogatively, "Why !" his voice choked up en an involuntary cry oi horror — " There is blood upon youi sleeve !"

The Italian started back as the hissed words reached him. His face paled as he saw that they were true, A blot of blood on his coat-sleeve had dripped down to his cuff ami meandered in a thin, scarlet trickle across the white surface. " Ze devil !" he sibilated under his breath. "I must get away to headquarters or perhaps siomething that 1 not like will happen. I will see yor there, my friend." He turned away but Lyon's hand closed with an iron grip on his shoulder.

" Stay !" he jerked out. 'When did that stain come from ?" The Italian tore himself free with t petulant motion. "You were at ze meeting, I sup pose ?" he breathed a;ngrily. "I .was selected, and I have just kniled ze girl in that cab over there, aftci sending ze driver on ze fool's errand Our work speeds apace, comrade." He walked briskly aw&w, and Lyon after a moment's swisft thought, let him go. He waited and watched until the swarthy scoundrel had beer swallowed up in the traffic, and ther glanced at Cellini. That worthy deadly pale, appeared to he on th< verge of fainting. H« was leaning against the walL like a man in a stir por, his eyes straining horribly to wards the Town Hall.

Hastening acj/oss the road, Lyor made his way to the cab- indicated hj the tall forei-gner. It was stand-ims at the corner of Bond Street, driver less, and unattended, and had al ready drawn the athcmtiori of £ policeman, who was ir search of somebody on whom to venl the vials of his wratfi. The elucidator reached the spot first. . Turning the handle' he opened th< door, and craned into 1 the semi-duvsl of the interior. His worst fears were; retaHeecl. motionless form lay laid died in one corner—the form of-a wo hkui. Tin window-blinds were dtraw n as if a gainst the sun, but a sbf £t «! lighi from the open doorrglimn? ©tb* on thi chased hilt oL a dagger, ■ w»& siowec

fHooa dnpprnir down the w<-m,in'» beckoned to tee .■ uhcer. arid sorumthe horror ska.t had first ::rip-""-h i m. Cent ly h- I if* • ■.i the mur ;•■;■■ : '■' ■ man's hu\'id. allowim: the cok: ;iv iitrht. to floo,; mil -ip,,:, ,• v.Vt* -, •tant. a sharp cry of am-/-;:;, r.' ~. ■ ; nicer hur-t fi - -in P • ..<-,;, '.- ■ <•■' teeth. for hj" foana hii:; ■ If ' Ipnn the feat urc-- -.: t ';<• -iv ' -;■ ; muse —whom h' 1 imu:';u< ' '■ ■ ' r a "lose prisoner under th<- " ifriifa! •yes of Mr.;. Ma block " Devil's wojk '•' |,e Hv;'t. ,•<-.' •Jie sha bov of the poi i< < n,a:; 'do) rr ! nut. I.h<- liuht . " That y.-u. V- '. ;u " " Who if,; Mr, Lyon." " Yes. and t },••: .-■.-. 1.--:, a '•■■ '' HUl'der here," th- rlucala t• a I ■•) or. ■d, speakin:' v. it h h>'ht ninr tap; V v ' I've rot my <v on the fa :,d th..' li.l it. la.ok ;,ft(.i- thin:' and I ■•■■''' mt. fnrg'-t you when I'\e rot mv •lan behind the bar:;." He was away before th. hori.,r 'rozen constable could realise t !,<• im ini't of his in si rurt inns, foi !..• hud ;een Cellini, with a d'-spa nin - .him' if his shoulders, disapp. ai up i n irmary Street, Fori unat <d -. led.odv lad not irrd the ;'?.!<;<'( i vek. -.de. ,u v .vith Kownes. and as he- Oar'-.I :u -jiirstiit, of t.he Italian !:<■ a" ti ; at ".lie policeman had had I la- pr- ; >■■;■ '■ ; if mind to immediately draw ail tinilinds completely veilimr the interior . )f the vehicle. Boil in l' with a fury such a - in ''! i lorn felt, I.yon dn::::ed the hurra-d ootsteps nf the would be anank; ' le -urssed now that, he had happen. .

•d upon aii unusually darin:; '", ,n. ;■: ■acy of crime, and all his M 00,',lound instincts were amused r,, the itlermost. What part the dead sir! lad played in the plot he con;! v.. • ?ven surmise, but he mean' to .i .•en'.re her murder by exact im- '"'."o.'; or blood. He could red jei;e--e ih;,t die had been a criminal, even 'ho-;vk ie knew h.ow deceptive appearance? •iften prove. Across City Square and down Bislopserate Street •-ent the two men, :he shallower am;! T.he ,-liad.owc.l. Olini proceed.eil leisure! y. evi.ientiy vitli a view to exactinv: as little at ■ention as pos.-ibh. and the I.ion nf ;he Law found his task an easy one. : Ie was snunterim: leis-irety down iloar Lane, his quarry a few paces iheadi. when b.e felt a tin cor tap v-en-;ly on his arm. He turned on his heel, expert im? Jo see tlie features of the bic; Italian. )ut instead liis eyes met those of 'jesacc. "I've been telephoninu' from New station," that worthy wV.i-pcre.l. ' I've been everywhere, and there's lo young lady missintr." " She's dead n-vv," Lyon r.ipve.i jilt, curtly. "Murdered '." Lesaee seldom displayed emoti- e. nut there was certainly a trace ~f the amazement that tie felt shown ;n lis visa ire. "Murdered " lir traspe.'.. " Rot. my dear fellow." (To be font inucd.''