The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1879-12-13


strong indeed"
Then, seizing the detectives hands, h,
abruptly added;
"You must 60 on with this business, nov
it IS fairly begun. But be careful. Tha
girl is all have to love in the world.
would sooner mart with nv whole fortune
than see her disgrnced. Take pity On ;
lonely old man. If you find that she il
guilty, suppress the truth and make up any
story you please to account for my losses
Expose her at your peril"
"Nay; expect to prove her innocence"
bed like a child"
"Do that, sir, and it shall be the best days.
work you ever accomplished. No, no;
dare not even hope for such result. The
safe lock is peculiar one, and Valeria alone
understands its workings, It is my belle
that she had involved herself in debt, and
required larger sum of money than she
felt willing to demand. l have heard oi
such cases before"
The conversation continued some time
longer, and it was finally decided that Mr.
Carol should watch in the library that
night, and see what he could discover.
at will prove useless trouble, of course,
sighed Mr.. Evans. "Knowing you are here
Valeria will not meddle with the safe
though have left in it larger sum than
usual. But we must so through the form
alities."
The gas was left burning low, as usual
Mr.. Carol stationed himself in curtained
recess, from whence he could observe, un.
seen, all that transpired in the room.
Hours wore on, and nothing occurred.
Towards morning he grew very drowsy,
and suffered himself to nod as he sat in his
chair.
All at once he was partially aroused by q
gliding step that crossed the floor.
Half unclosing his eyes he saw, like one
in dream, a tall figure, draped in gray
bending over him.
rho most moment sponge saturated
with chloroiorm was pressed to his nostrils
He made an attempt to scream, then to rise
from his chair, and to push the sponge aside
In vain. The deadly drug had done its
work too well.
When he came to himself the gray light
of dawn was stealing gently into his quiet
room.
He still felt giddy and confused, and the
stale, sckening smell of chloroform still lin
Gered in the air.
Staggering to the bellrope he rang an err
ratio peal that awoke all the echoes of the
house.
Mr.. Evans himself alarmed first appear
ed, half dressed and looking pale and much
startled,
"What is it?" he gasped, seeing at glance
that something was amiss. "What has hap
pened?"
Examine your safe - the detective said
in trembling voice, al think you have
been robbed again"
Mr.. Evans obeyed. The ponderous iron
doors flew open at his touch. One glanct
into the receptacle where the money had
been kept sulliced. lie staggered back and
sank into a chair.
"You are right" he gasped. tits certain
ly gone"
In a moment he started furiously to hi
feet.
How did this happen, sir? Explain
You are a pretty detectivel Theft has beer
Committed in your very presence Comics
it-you slept at your post"
al was drugged," Mr.. Carol replied, wltl
a crestfallen air.
He briefly explained.
al was never SO worsted in all my life
But we will try the experiment over again to
night, if you please It will be strange if
am outwitted a second time"
During the day he carefully PondereC
what had happened. 1t was the bodies
theft that had ever come under his observa
ton, and now for the first time he felt
vague fear that Valeria Evans might hav
lad something to do with it
"The guilty party knew was there" h
thought, "and precisely where to find me
The figure saw clad in gray-the color o
the dress Miss Valeria wore yesterday
Well, we shall See"
He went 10 the house that night thorough
ly equipped for any emergency.
The moment he found himself alone h
opened a bundle he had brought along, an
took from it a second suit of his own clothe
with which he cleverly made up the figur
ofa man, placing it in the identical easy
chair he had occupied the evening before.
Seen in the uncertain light, keen ey
indeed would have been necessary to deteC
the fraud.
This part of his work accomplished, tn
detective secreted himself under the sofa, ex
actly opposite the curtained recess,aud await
ed the result.
Hours wore on, and, as before, it was Ion
past midnight ere anyone appeared. A
length the door opened noiselessly-a sol
cat-like footstep crossed the floor.
He could not see the intruder's face, but
long gray dressing gown swept the hoor, el
fsctually concealing even the outlines of il
figure. The carmen. wasnl srne soit wool
en- goods, and made not this Slightest siund
The intruder stole quickly and noislessl
to the alcove. and beul Tor a moment owe
the false figure reclining there.
Then sponge was flung carelessly "a Il
floor from which exhaled the pugicent od,
OF chloruform.
Quickly approaching the Saie. tho .h,,
fumbled with the loes one ,noment. T. aud su,
eeeded in opening il,
! lOStsouy toe sacrst drawer was smplis