Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1904-04-13
IS OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Scoundrels eco. [
BY C0VLSON KERNAHAN 4
Author Of Captain Shannon.'' "A Book al
Strange sins. ia Dead Mans Diary" Etc.
Copyright. 1899, by Herbert S. Stone & Co
CHAPTER X1V.-CoSr1x,rrn.

VI the existence of this room no one
OUT Hall and his man lubbock had
any suspicion, the entrance to it being
very cunningly contrived. In most
houses of the sort, where the space
under the roof has been utilized as a
lott Tor the storage of lumber-or pos
sloly for the placing of cistern-ac-
cess 10 this loft is generally betokened
oy small trap-door in the ceiling.
either of the landing or of an upper
apartment. In Halls house there was
no such trap-door, and the unbroken
stretch OF whitewashed, but evidently
ancient, plaster on the ceilings of the
upper rooms and the landing, was the
BEST possible answer to an inquiry
whether the house had an additional
chamber, or even lath and plaster
f1oored loft under the roof.
But mad any one opened the very
ordlnary-looking cupboard in Halls
bedroom, and pressed in particular
way one of the pegs upon which clothes
were hanging, pushing one hand at the
same time against the top of the cup
board, that person would have been
surprised to find that the cupboard
top opened upwards on hinges, and
that by letting down rope ladder that
had been tossed backward ready for
use he could Chamber easily into a
chamber, the existence of which he
would never otherwise have suspected.
The rooms of Heath Cottage were all
small, but by pulling down the central
partition in the space under the roof
Hall had improvised one apartment
that stretched the entire length and
width of the house. Around the sides,
where, owing to the slope of the roof,
1t was not possible to stand upright,
low and luxurious lounges, resembling
eastern divans, were arranged; and in
the center of the room was a billiard
table, upon which-in spite of the fact
that it had been brought thither in
parts, and put together by Hall and
his man-one could play surprisingly
good and true game. The sides of the
apartment were draped with lengths of
gorgeously colored and superbly
worked Indian fabric, which, following
the line of the roof, were caught to-
gether, tentwise, overhead, whence
hung several eXQuisitely wrought
eastern lamps, that threw soft but
sufficient light upon the table below.
A more bizarre, but at the same time
more cosy, apartment l have never
seen in all my wanderings. Curious
and out OF place as the billiard table
looked amid it's oriental surroundings,
it served to vile away agreeably many
an hour which might otherwise have
hung heavily on our hands; for to the
prophets upper chamber" as our host
styled the room, my colleagues and
myself were confined during our stay
with him.
We'll, gentlemen" he said, when he
came up to apprise us of the constable's
visit, will you be surprised to hear
that that polite man the superintend-
ent of the Marlborough police has sent
round specially to inquire about your
health?"
Number Six, who was in the act of
playing ball and had not noticed
Number Twos entrance, missed the
stroke badly and let the cue fall rat
ting upon the floor as he turned round
to lace the, newcomer.
God forgive u.s." he gasped. You
don't mean to say we're found out?"
God may forgive you, but I won't.
if you cut the cloth of my table," was
the answer. Found out? No, and
never will be, if you'll only refrain
from throwing cues about in that silly
way. The constable merely called to
know whether l had seen any suspi-
cious characters about. You are safe
enough here. 1t would take cleverer
man than any one they've got in the
Marlborough force to find out this
ROOM"
You seem to have a poor opinion of
the local constabulary," I said.
Poor opinion! Why, man alive, I've
got no opinion of them. Nor would
you if you'd seen the way they mud
died the burglary at my friend Pauls
not long ago."
Tell us about it," said. "A yarn
will be a change after so much bill
iards.
"Oh, there isn't much to tell" re-
piled our host; but if you'd like to
hear it III tell you, if only to give
you an idea of the way the Marlborough
Sherlock Holmes goes to work.
Paul is scientific friend of mine,
bachelor and good fellow, but the
most nervous of men. There's big
orchid-growing establishment here,
and as Paul is writing book about
orchids, he has taken rooms in the
town for a month of two, while he's
pursuing his studies AS l said, he's
the most nervous man I ever knew,
and one of his special nightmares is
burglars-why can't think, for he has
nothing that's worth any ones while
he's changing his lodgings (and he's
frequently changing them) he makes
it a condition that he himself shall be
allowed to lock up the house every
night, to assure himself that all's
right, having a castiron conviction
that every maid-servant is either
fool, to whom the would-be burglar
makes love for his own nefarious pur-
pose, or else that she is nothing more
than a thief herself and the accom-
plice of thieves.
"Anyhow, before taking rooms here
Paul made the usual stipulation about
being allowed to lock up, and, al
though the people of the boarding.
house thought it queer, they raised no
objection, especially as Paul pays
promptly and never disputes a bill.
Such a thing as a burglary is almost
unknown in Tarborough, but one night
there was a burglary at the boarding.
house. and whether it was what the