The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-01-02
Copyright 1885, by Bachelor johnson and Bachelarl
SYNOPSIS.

SYNOPSIS.
The Junior member of n private firm of
detectives in New York becomes interested
in deserted house. opposite which he
happens to take a room. While watching
II during u convalescence from illness, the
blinds Of one of the windows are opened
suddenly. disclosing the figure of a small
man who waves his hand and disappears.
Three days later the detective receives IA
mysterious letter, appointing an hour TO
call. He looks across ut 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 a dark passage
way. He is ushered into IL lighted room
by the same strange figure. Two men
and a handsome woman in evening dress
receive him, all masked. He has been
mistaken for an expected messenger he
pretends that 1t has not been safe 10 bring
certain papers, and is commissioned to
visit the town of p next day. As he is
about to leave. a young girl arrives with
q warning The masked lady fires ut the
detective. He runs downstairs and es-
capes by the rear door!
PART Ill.
I found that / had gained the yard.
or small court, which properly belongs
to eve@ New York house. Enclosed
as it was on three sides with its high,
smooth Dalings, and on the fourth by
the house from which ] had but just
escaped. it seemed at first glance as
neat a trap as Il man could well wish
himself out of. | stopped for a moment
to listen for any sign from my pursuers,
but all lay still and dark behind me.
They would | thought scarcely VEN
ture from house which was sup
posed to be unoccuDied, into place
where so many windows could look
down Upon them. ! remembered that
the house stood not many numbers
from the street corner, and that the
avenue upon that side had no build
ings to face it. The row of yards
lay inclosed only by their white pal
lngs Any escape. therefore, meant no
more after all, than the scaling of some
ten or a dozen of these fcncinSs, ana
my assailants naturally would con-
slider that | could easily accomplish
this, not knowing how vi. strength was
already wasted. | crouched. mean
while, to rest in the deeD shadow east
- the house. being invisible from any
of the windows, unless light were
held. This | knew they wouu not dare
to do any more than they would engage
in Il struggle to bring me forcibly bac",
since by so doing they must inevitably
attract notice to themselves.
| do not know how long | lay crouch
ing there The summer air that night
had an evil chill in it which crept grad
ually into my bones. A kind OF apathy
came over me which made me Obvious
to the surrounding strangeness, FOR
the moment the twnkling lights IN tne
houses about, the soft sounds of chill
dren's voices and the chatterins
tongues of the servants, borne above
the dull roar or the streets, nad niue
meaning for me. The danger ! hau
passed through was forgotten: 10 the
danger l was still in ! was oblivious.
was awakened to it by the SOUND OF
q window being slowly ana careiuii!
raised somewhere above my head.
Shifting slightly my position, so that l
could look up and still remain unseen
/ saw,Jackson peering cautiously uoWh
into the shadow. He drew in his head,
and again looked out, apparently but
half satisfied with the poor opportunity
his position afforded him. Some one
inside Whispered an inaudible direction
to him. and the window was lowered.
No doubt he was preparing TO come
down. ! got to my feet, therefore, ana
felt my way along the wall until my
hand came in contact with the paling.
1t was covered in the corner nearest
the avenue with a straggling but long
clung partly to the brick wall of the
house itself and partly to the wood. 1t
was but n poor support. but by grasp
ing with my hands the top of it, | was
about to let myself down into the next
yard. when sound of voices whisper
ing together somewhere near, arrested
my attention. A little above me was
the last of the row of three windows
in the second story of the House with
Green Blinds. BY getting my feet upon
the top of the fence and standing up
right | could see that the glass was
lowered slightly from the top The
blinds inside We're closed, so that the
room beyond was invisible. | had not
a moment to decide upon which course
] should pursue, for below me / heard
Jackson coming along the passage to-
make his exploration of the yard.
Again clinging lightly to the vine. I
stretched out my foot until it touched
the stone coping of the window. A
light push of the other against the pal
ing. little more dependence upon the
creeping plant. which happily had fast
ened itself strongly against the wall,
and was standing upright in the shall
low recess of the window. AS Jackson
came out of the shadow in which /
had just been lying. | could see him
plainly. He was followed by the taller
of the other two men. and they made
the round of the yard together. coming
even to stand close under my feet and
looking up at the vine Satisfied, ap-
parently, that ] had made my escape
mt this point, they then returned to the
house.
l heard them set up the broken door
against it's hinges and go back along
the passage. The drawing-room in
which I had so lately been evidently