The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1899-02-04

no signs OF any excavations WHdteFei'
that we could discover. "Queer! What
about the door?' / went cautiously
back to the steps, nnd pushed. 1t gave
me quite a little thrill to find the door
immoyable; either some one held it. or
a heavy weight had been placed against
it. l tip-toed back. The constable
looked rather pale in the candle light.
"Queer's the word, sir!" he whis-
pered. 81 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
-'sh! that's cart stopping outside!
Mr.. Girdlestone, they're clearing off,
Beyond doubt! Heavy footsteps
were passing along the passage, and
cut on the pavement. For time we
stood, in sort of stupefaction; then,
iis spasm of rage, made dash at
that door, determined to chance any
thing. Useless-it resisted our united
strain; clearly, we were pushing
against some weighty object We
pounded and shouted, but TO no pur-
pose; we were caught in a maddening
trap, and had only ourselves 20 blame.
But-the modification of it!
"Let them go!" painted, at last. I'VE
must have them sooner or later-she'll
come down and let us out the moment
they turn their backs"
o,.fD he
whispered. at took something to
brighten that woman, sir!"
And almost simultaneously-shall
ever forget it?-there came lul. in the
scurrying overhead, and then voice
thick with nervous laughter, just out.
side that door:
"Er-mind the coals!"
1t was Mrs. Varney's voice. The hall
door banged, there was the sound of q
cart rumbling away, and then-utter
significant silence.
'Great heavens!" / could just gasE
out For how long we stood staring al
each other, taking in the full realiza
ton. / should not like to say. Trap
Yes, indeed! That sweet young
widow" was one of the -pcrhap:
Mrs. Winston herself. Possibly by ac
cident, more probably through th'
servants cunning chatter with the con
stable, they had discovered that Detec
live Girdlestone was on their heels
and had concocted this grotesquely sim
pie trick TO inveigle the pair of us int
the house while they removed the plum
der to place of safety. 1t was theil
one chance-and we had PLACE! clear
into their hands. Maddening? Not thu
word! That it should have succeeded
so merited a far stronger expression
and doubtless would get it.
flew TO the coal shoot Still immovable
"Your truncheon!" I gasped. "Yo
haven't one? Up with some of thi
coal; aim high, and splinter that door
III have them yeti"
| Bang! crash! sounded through tn
house. The top hinge gave--a pane
shattered; in two minutes we wer
clambering across heavy wringini
machine that had been wedgeG between
the door and projection of the wal
A pause for breath, and Their hast
search of the house. Five minutes sui
feed to prove how incredibly we ha
been fooled. The place was. save TO
one or two rooms, practically destitut
of furniture-clearly enough. it ha
oeen rented more for nefarious tina
for domestic purposes. Signs of tn
silk there were none. Now we were on
at the door, all but coming TO grie
again over stone slab placed acros
tine coal shoot. Ten minutes later W
painted into the police station. and ha
sent all the available men. with descrir
tions of the young widow" flying owe
Camden Town. Then started back TO
home. | would get rid of the CRIME an
coal dust, and then take a cab straigh
to Scotland Yard.
| got to the door and pulled out m
Keys. My keys! They were not mine
with 8 gasp stood ind realized tina
that clever creature, asking to tr
them, had handed me back her ow
bunch in exchange. Why, what
Twice knocked loudly before the doc
opened and showed me my wife's fac
as white as sheet.
"You, Jimmy? Oh, thank heaven
We haven't dared to novel"
"W-what do you mean?"-in til
t nerest whisper.
oh we've had such scare. Jane an
e I! We were sitting in the kitchen, ne
half an hour ago, and we thought W
S heard some one moving about up hi
: creeping up and down the stairs.
t screamed out something. and Jane say
) she heard this door click. We couldn
/ stir hand or foot till l heard yo
5 knock l knew it couldn't be you"
"You knew" With groan, strod
F., into the parlor. knew what | shoul
a find; my handsome bronze timepiec
e my choice vases, and score of otht
e small valuables--all gone. Upstairs
sprang like mailman. On the be,
, room table had lain my presentatio
r gold watch and chain, that would M
5 have lost for fortune. One lcok-an
: | staggered back. fairly crushed.
4 Gone! A daring double stroke of Vi
r lainy; they had walked in with my ow
!. key while l was fooling at the station