The Winslow mail., 1901-03-14
PRIVATE OFFICE.
NO ADMITTANCE.

One of the detectives tried this door
and found it locked. Whereupon he
placed his shoulder to it and prepared
to force it in.
"Wait minute" said Sturgis; ''let
me see if | cannot open it"
The detective stepped aside with a
quizZical expression upon his face.
81 guess you will find it pretty solid
for your weight" said he.
The reporter took from his pocket
piece of bent wire, and, with a few
dexterous turns of the wrist, he shot
the bolt of the lock.
"You would make an expert cracks
man." said the detective. Il didn't
know you possessed that accomplish
ment in addition to all your other
ones"
The four men entered the private
| Office. The room was quite dark, the
shut ters being closed and the blinds
| drawn. AS their eyes became accus-
toned to the obscurity they were able
to distinguish the outlines of a desk.
table, and a few chairs.
Sturgis went 1T once to door in
| the corner. With the aid of his skel-
eton key he had soon thrown this
open. After peering for an instant
| into the darkness, he took from his
pocket a candle, which he lighted
Then. beckoning to his companions.
he started cautiously to descend. The
other men followed him and soon
found themselves in the cellar, which
they proceeded to search.
On the street side there was recess
extending for few feet under tho
ara in front of the house. The open
ing above was covered by an iron graf
ing, over which was wooden cover
securely fastened on the inside by a
chain and paddock. A number of car
boys were carefully piled along the
| east wall to within few feet from
the rear of the building. Here, in the
northeast corner, rose narrow shelly
ing, on which were arranged coliec-
tion of bottles containing a varied as
| sortment of chemicals.
The detectives searched the cellar.
Our man is not here, at any rate
said the leader. when at last he had re-
turned to the foot of the stairs; per
haps he'll try to give us the slip by
way of the roof. Come along. jim;
let's go upstairs now. Hello! what are
you doing there, Mr.. Sturgis? Think
you'll find him in one of those bottles?''
''Who knows?" he replied, coolly,
continuing his examination.
The detective bit his lip and looked
the unpleasant things he thought it
best not to say.
''Well, Jim and I will take a look
upstairs while you are busy here"
And the two men went up the dark
stairway, Sprague remaining behind
with the reporter.
''None so blind as those that won't
see,'' said the latter, sententiously.
At the same time he placed his hand
upon one of the shelves and gave ii a
lateral push. 1t responded slightly.
and the entire shelving, with the door
which it concealed, opened outward.
81 thought So" continued the re-
porter; this looks as if it might lead
somewhere. VIII you come, Sprague?'
, How did you find the combination
so quickly?" asked the artist, prepar-
ing to follow his friend.
''It is not a combination-only a
concealed bolt. Our friends of the de-
tertive force might have discovered it
the mselve~ if they had taken the trou-
ble. The first thing l noticed was that
a truck had recently been wheeled
through the cellar in the direction of
this door, from under the grating on
he street side. And this truck was
.int here; neither was a large case
,hich we know was delivered here to-
ny. The trail extended clear up to
the wall below the shelving; and yet