Evening journal., 1899-12-12

daylight. / had stumbled upon the
nest, and should have the silk within
a few hours. l would wait for
no search warrant, nor to ask further
details.
A moment later we were hurrying
toward Windygate st. and-what?
/ looked round for our constable.
lie stepped out from the shadow op-
posite No ..
Haven't seen any one go in, sir" he
whispered. "rhe lady asked me 70
wait near, in case Of anything. |
think we've got 'em easily--I tumbled
at once. No, I'm not relieved for two
hours yet. sir"
Up the steps we went. The servant
girl. very pale, was standing in the
hall. Together we all stood listening
not a sound from below.
NOW, keep cool, madam" I said,
"and wen have a look round down
stairs. The girl can watch here. BY
Jove. yes. every door is lockedr'
] pulled out my bunch OF keys TO try
them. We were standing in the pas
sage below. the candlestick shaking in
Mrs Yarney's hand.
"None OF mine III. / know" she
breathed. neryously. "But do make
haste. sir-couldnt they imprison us
for doing this?. There. that key
looks exactly like the breakfast parlor
one-this door; le me try II, sir. No.
Il doesn't quite turn. o. and there's
the door OF the big cellar, where we
Keep hearing the digging and knock.
ing nOisesw
| had forgotten that Flinging open
the door. peered down into the black.
ness. "IIand me that lamp-we'll soon
know | said. and the constable fol
lowed me down the wooden steps
"Niind the coalsw came madam's
shaky voice down. %, be Quickl The
cellar runs out under the street. IL
sounded as IL they. Mercy, it's
the Winstons come backl Out with
the light, sir-don't move, for heavens
sakew
We were half way across the damp,
black space. her voice merged into a
half scream so thrillngly, that on the
spur Of the moment | blew the candle
out and gripped the constable's arm.
There was the sound OF heavy door
slammed 20. and then heavy footsteps
and deen voices In the passage over
head.
We had no search warrant-and
there might be n mistake, after all.
/ Besides. to disclose ourselves might
mean n bad half hour for Mrs. Narney
If not for us.
The cellar door had evidently been
closed, as no light came down, and the
sounds were nullied. Finally / con-
cluded that the best thing in the cir
/ cumstances would be TO find some in
eliminating evidence II possible, and
get away without being seen-if pos
] 1 f.1N Frst fl14 ItRN
and relit the candle.
There were no signs Of any excava-
lions whatever that we could discover.
l went cautiously back TO the steps
and pushed. 1t gave me quite little
thrill TO find the door immOvable. The
constable looked rather pale In the
candlelight
"Queer's the word, sirr' he whisper
ed. 'I don't half like It. ] just
thought Of the coal-shoot. and there's
something on 1.-THE plate won't shift,
They know we're down here, mark my
-shl that's n cart stopping Outsidel
Mr.. Girdlestone they're clearing orr
For a time we stood. in a sort OF
stupefaction; then, in a spasm Of rage
I made n dasht at that door. deter
mined to chance anything. Useless
It resisted our united strain; clearly
we were pushing against some weigh
~ object.
"Let them gor I painted at last
"Wc must have them sooner or later
she'll come down and let us out The
moment they turn their backs"
Useless they've done for herw hf
whispered. ut took something "a
frighten that woman sirT
And almost simultaneously-shall
ever forget it?-thcre came n lull IN
the scurrying overhead, and then a
voice. thick with nervous laughter
Just out side that door
"Er-mind the coalsw
II was Mrs. Varney's voice. The hal
door banged, thore was sound Of q
cart rumbling away, and then-uttcr
significant silence.
"Your runcheunw I gaspcd. 'Not
haven't onn? Up with some OF this
coal; aim high aad splinter that door
I'll have them y@tP'
The top hinge save-a panel shat
tered: In two minutes we were 'csam
herring across a heavy wringing ma
chine that had neen wedged between
the door and a projection Of the wall
The place was. save for one or two
rooms. practicallv destitute of furni
IIIIN-NltUIAN NuRIEn - AAtlA hkNA A"AA
ed more for nefarious than for do
nestle purposes Ten minutes latei
we painted into The police station, anf
had sent all the available men. Will
descriptions OF the young widow
flying over Camden Town.
Then / started back for home.
would get rid o. the CRIME and Goa
dust and then take n cab straight e
Scotland Yard.
got TO the door and pulled out m.
keys. My keysl They are not mine
with a gasp I stood and realized tha
that clever creature. asking to try
them. had handed me back her owl
bunch I'm exchange. Twice I knoclSe,
loudly before tae door opened ans
showed me my wife's face as whit
{ as n sheet.
"You Jimmyf o, thank heaven
We haven't dared to mover
, "W- what do rou meanT-in th'
merest whisper.
I'VE were sitting i'm the Kitchen. no
half an hour age. and we thought w
heard some one moving about up herr
creeping up nnd down stairs.
screamed out something. and JAM
! SAYS she heard this door click. w