The representative., 1901-05-02
EDGAR MORFTTE

/ rasping OF metal upon metal. Then
he returned to his desk, where he
] busted himself for q few minutes under
pretext of looking for some notes OF
his experiments. When apparently he
had found what he was seeking he
went toward the door of the exten.
sion. This was of massive hard wood.
Before turning the knob. the chemist
stopped as though to. examine the
lower hinge. Sturgis was not con-
sciously following Murdock's move
ments. His mind was bent upon -ac-
:omplfshing a certain object; and, with
that end in view, he was gradually
| drawing nearer to the typewriter. But
| 10 accustomed was he to receiving de.
tailed Impressions of all that occurred
before his eyes. that the chemists &C.
tions, unimpOrtant as they seemed at
the time, were unconsciously recorded
upon the reporters brain.
! Murdoch opened the door Of the ex-
tension and passed out OF. the room.
Sturgis, watching his chance,
snatched up sheet of paper from
the table, inserted 1t in the typewriter
and ratified off something as fast as
he could. Looking up when he had
finished he saw that Murdock had re-
| turned and was observing him with .
! sardonic grin.
"More happy thoughts" he in
! quired.
EYES," answered sturgis, calmly
folding the paper and slipping 1t into
the pocket of his coat.
Murdock chuckled to himself, as II
enjoying quiet joke.
'Well," said he, "if you will do mo
the honor, we can step down into tho
laboratory"
Sturgis nodded and went toward
the door which Murdock held open.
As he passed tho chemist the reporter
caught his eye and. in a fash, read
there some sinister purpose. which
caused him to hesitate, on his guard.
| At that moment there came a knock
upon the hall door.
| "Pshaw!" exclaimed Murdock, "herc
comes an interruption, suppose.
Please step downstairs; shall be
with you directly"
| With these words he quietly but
firmly showed tho reporter into the
extension and. with rapid motion.
| pushed forward the door.
Sturgis almost lost his balance, but
ipstinctively put out his foot between
tho door and tho jamb. He felt
strong pressure from the outside. but
he knew he was master Of the situ-
alton and patiently bided his time
Presently the pressure ceased and he
was able to open the door.
| Murdock wore an air Of pained sur
prise.
"What IL it?" he inquired.
II have just remembered an impor-
tant engagement" said Sturgis, un-
ruftled. II fear, after all. that shall
be unable to visit your laboratory at
present. I hope. however. that the
pleasure is only postponed for . short
time"
II hope so." replied Murdoch, calm
" meeting his steady gaze.
I, All this had happened in tho space
of few seconds Meanwhile the
knocking at the door was renewed.
| "Come In" said Murdock, moving
toward his easychair.
The door opened apd servant ap-
peared.
"Plaze, sur, Miss Agnes wud loilSe
ter know kin yer resarve her sum
tonne this afthernoon?"
"Yes, Mary; tell Miss Agnes. shall
be In all the rest of the afternoon,
and that I shall be at her disposal at
any time"
Sturgis, picking up his hat and coat,
hurried from the house.
"Why did he want to shut me in
the extension?" he asked himself over
and over and he could find no salts
factory answer to the question.
Then he took from his pocket the
lines he had written on Murdock's
typewriter and compared them care
fully with those on the sheet which
he had laboriously pieced together in
the Knickerbocker bank on the previ-
Gus day
The result Of the examination was
apparently satisfactorily; for, when
Sturgis returned the papers to his
pocket, his face wore an expression Of
calm but unmistakable triumph.