The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-12-31
Copyright 1885, by Bachelor Johns,a and Bacaell.r,
SYNOPSIS.

copyright. 1895. by Bachel
SYNOPSIS.
The Junior member of private firm of
detectives in New York becomes interested
in deserted house, opposite which he
happens to take q room. While watching
Ii during convalescence from Illness. the
blinds Of one Of the windows are opened
suddenly, disclosing the figure of small
man who waves his hand and disappears.
Three days later the detective receives
mysterious letter appointing an hour 70
: call He looks across at the deserted
house, shading his eyes with the letter.
The figure reappears and repeats Its sig
nal That evening the detective arms
himself. pushes open the iron gate of the
deserted house and enters. :
PART II.
There was not glimmer of light in
front of me. but. as 1 advanced into
the passageway. l was distinctly con-
scious that l was not alone there.
Weakened as'I was by my illness, and
at the disadvantage under which man
must always be In a place which is
both strange and dark. found mySf
for the moment quite ready to turn
tail and make q good retreat. i knew
WE'LL however that as great danger
(were danger near would attach itself
to such q course as to going forward:
30 cursed myself inaudibly for
coward, and, dashing aside the drops
of perspiration which had gathered on
my face. rached out boldly and gave
resounding rap with my stick upon the
nearest wall. At the same moment l
detected soft movement near me. like
the swish Of woIcan's gown. Some
thing gently touche.c and | wheeled
rapidly about. My left hand instinc-
lively sought my trousers pocket. 1t
was empty I tried the other. That.
too. Both my pistols We're gone. For
the space Of three or four minutes, as
II seemed to me, / stood still and
breathless, not knowing what next
might come. And then. suddenly, a
burst Of strong light struck me full In
the face. A door. against which !
should have been brought to sta3d-
still in q moment more, opened, ana
upon the threshold stood the same fig
ure which had already seen upon two
occasions. blinded for and instant by
the sudden illumination. my hand went
quickly to protect my eyes. The man
who confronted me went through the
same performance He then began to
back away from me into the room be-
yond, motioning me to follow. Once in
side With the door closed behind us.
he took in either hand a lamp from one
of the tables in the room and guided
me up a flight of steep stairs which led
from it to the room above. As upon the
former occasions when l had seen him.
ne was without coat or waistcoat, ana
still wore the cotton nightcap tieu
closely under his chin. A pair of baggy
trousers. worn and shiny. completed
his attire I noted that his hands We're
diseolored with Stains of brown and
yellow. such as are left by contact with
chemicals OF certain descriptions.
There was a slight. scarcely perceptible
limp in his walk. and when he turned
toward me I saw that he had recently
lost the brow and lasEes which proper
ly belonged to his left eye.
r No. word passed between US, but
now, as we reached the top of the
stairs, my guide wheeled suddenly
about, and. flashing the light full In my
face. stood gazing steadily into 1t.
Then he turned and went on again.
muttering audibly to himself:
"Three times he has given the sig
NAL" heard him say. "Yet he should
not, be trusted. They are growing care
less or desperate. They have l
could not catch the rest Of 1t. A sub
dued murmur Of other voices reached
me from a room beyond. My guide
deposited his lamps upon table near
at hand and, pushing open the door OF
Once more the extreme briliancy Of the
Tight which flooded 1t struck my eyes
painfully. and again. to shield them. my
hand went swiftly up. The three peO-
ple who were in the room languidly
fn!micked me. and began to perceive
another hight. Three times he has
given tAeirsighal" by late guide had
said Apparently had now raised the
count to four. 1t was handy thing to
1t Il inf lnf
mesthht. through some misapprehen-
sidhj II sktas looked upon by new ac-
ouaintance as a confederate Should
/ be unable to keep up the delusion. 1t
occurred to me that my situation might
not. be an enviable one, and began to
have saD,,,ncomfortable longing for my
revolvers. The room into which had
entered was. apparently. the large
drawing-roOm of the house. Rich and
heavy draperies hung at all the wir-
dows so arranged as to carefully pre-
vent any ray Of light from within be-
ing visible from the street. and making
the air hot and sitting. This was fur
thef Intensified by the all-pervadine
odor Of turkish cigarettes. Of the
three occupants. two were men In tht
full regalia Of evening dress. the third
was O woman whose superb white
shoulders fairly glistened above the
folds of black and gold lace which out
lined them. All wore half masks OF
black satin and held cigarettes between
lips and fingers.
For moment they scrutinized mt
with insolent GOODNESS. the taller of the
two men taking the cigarette from be-
tween his lips and emitting delicate
wreath of smoke which curled anG
curled into ever widening. swayinf
rings. We watched 1t In silence until u
had all disappeared, and then. coming
forward leisurely, he addressed me:
You may as'well sit down." he said
I deposited myself upon the nearest
chair. My guide remained standing
near the door. Madam Of the White
Shoulders tossed aside her cigarette ant
leaned forward In an attitude of strained
attention. The other man fumbled aim
lessly about the mass of papers which
Uttered the piano. My interlocutor hat
stationed himself upon the stuffed arm
Of lounging -chalr in front of me.
"You have the correspondence with
you?" he said.
Unanswered simply "No"-waiting my