Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-27

From my friend the policeman that told
you about. The house is shut up for few
days and the authorities have been in
formed of the fact 1 have been all around
the house and 1t is as silent as the grave"
We'll. that might be merely blind. after
all Field said cheerfully. When did they
go?'
so far as I can gather from Macklin,
they departed early this morning"
Field chuckled but said nothing. A little
while later there was thud of heavy boots
on the pavement. and Macklin and his SER
geant came, together. The latter was about
to say something but Field produced his
card and the effect was instantaneous.
NO we don't want any assistance at ALL -
the Scotland Yard official said "All you
can do is to go about your work as if MOTH
ing was taking place. You may notice
something suspicious presently at No. 100,
across the road. but you are to ignore it.
You understands
The sergeant nodded and touched his he'll
met; he understood perfectly we'll. The two
passed on together and the sham sailors
crossed the road. Very quietly Field pro-
ceeded to the back of the house. 1t was a
little dark here. and he guided himself by
pressing his fingers to the walls Presently
he stopped. and low chuCkle came from
his lips.
Discovery the first, sir, he said. Press
your hand on the wall here. What do you
notice.
But Bennington noticed nothing beyond the
fact that the wall was quite warm. He said
SO, and the inspector chuckled once more
He seemed to be pleased about something
THAT should tell you a story, SIR he
said THAT house is supposed to be empty;
nobody has been here since early this morn
ing. If you will look up, you will see that
the blank wall terminates in high chin
ney-obviously the kitchen chimney. This
wall is quite hot, it is the back of the kitch-
en- fireplace-so obviously, if those people
went early today there would be very little
fire. in fact the range would have been out
" "a do nd hot
wall that tells of a good fire all day, good
fire at this moment, these bricks would
have cooled down before now. If you listen
you will hear the boiler gently simmerinR"
1t was all exactly Field had said. Per-
haps the servants had been sent away for
a day or two, indeed, it was very probable
that they had But there was the big fire
testifying to the fact that somebody was in
the house at that very moment.
I'VE are going to take risks, Field whis-
pered. IF we are discovered we shall be
given into custody as two drunken sailors
given into the custody of your friend Mack
lin and his sergeant from whom we shall
probably escape. You may be very sure
that We shall not be charged. for the simple
reason that the people here don't want their
names or anything about them to get into
the papers, in fact, the less they see of the
police the better they will be pleased.
Come along"
Field strobe around to the kitchen win
dow. The shutters were up, but not so in
the larder, which had no bars and was only
protected by square of perforated zinc
The inspector took tool from his pocket
and with great care and dexterity and
without making the least noise removed the
zinc from its place. Then a lantern famed
out.
Come along said Field, I'VE can easily
get through here. We shall be safe in the
kitchen. for we know that the maids are
not in the house."
For the present everything was absolutely
plain sailing. And as Field had anticipa ted
there was nobody in the kitchen and no.
body in the corridor leading to the better
part Of the house All the same big fire
recently made up, was roaring in the range
showing that the place was not quite de-
serted. And yet it was as silent as the
grave
1t was the same in the hall, and the same
In the living rooms, where no lights gleam-
ed. From somewhere upstairs came a
sound as if somebody was gently filing some
soft metal. The noise ceased presently to
be followed by the rattle of a typewriter, or
SO it seemed. The two adventures stood in
the darkness of the dining room listening
1t seemed to them as if that rattle was
getting closer. Field flashed light into the
room but it was quite empty; the polished
mahogany of the table reflected the how-
ers on it.
Then suddenly the rattle grew louder and
Field hid his light under the slide AS sud-
denly as his light had faded out, the dining
room glowed In perfect bank OF shaded
yellow light, as il by magic the table stood
with a perfect meal, dainty cold supper
with glass and silver and crystal and gold
topped bottles upon It; the whole thing