Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1907-10-18

ways.
II got IN, then, all right, and, being
careful to close the door behind me,
went up the first short fight of steps
to what knew must be the main hall.
l had been given plan of the interior,
and had studied 1t more or less before
starting out, but 1 knew that should
get lost IL did not keep to the rear
staircase. at the top of which l ex-
pected to find the stewards room.
There was faint light in the house, In
spite OF Its closed shutters and tightly
drawn shades, and having certain
dread of using my torch. knowing my
weakness for pretty things and how
hard it would be for me to pass so
macy fine rooms without looking in,
I made my way up stairs. with no 9th.
er guide than the handrail When
had reached what took to be the third
floor, I stopped. Finding it very dark,
first listened-a natural instinct with
us-then l lit up and looked about me.
81 was in a large hall, empty as a
vault and almost as desolate. Blank
doors met my eyes in all directions.
way. / felt myself in a maze. l had
no idea which was the door l sought,
and it is not pleasant to turn unaccus-
toned knobs in a shut up house at mid
night, with the rain pouring in torrents
and the wind making pandemonium in
a half dozen great chmneys.
But II had to be done, and went at
II In regular order till came to lit
tie narrow one opening on the turret
stair. This gave me my bearings.
Sears room adjoined the staircase.
There was no difficulty in spotting the
exact door now and, merely stopping
to close the opening had made to this
little staircase, l crossed to this door
and flung it open. l had been right in
my calculations. 1t was the stewards
room, and | made at once for the
desk"
"And you foundT"-
"Mostly locked drawers But key
on my bunch opened some of these and
my knife the rest. Here are the speci
mems of his handwriting which | col
lected | doubt if you will get much
out of them. | saw nothing compro-
missing in the whole room, but then |
hadn't time TO go through his trunks,
and one of them looked very interest
Ing as the hills and
you hadn't time? Why hadn't you
time? What happened to cut it
short?'
"Well. sir, I'll tell you" The tone
in which this was said reused me if it
did not the inspector. Il had just
come from the desk which had disap-
pointed me. and was casting Il look
about the room. which was as bare as
my hand of everything like ornament
i might almost say comfOrt-when |
heard noise which was not that Of
swishing rain or even gusty wind
these had not been absent from my
ears for moment. didn't like that
noise: it had a sneakish sound, and ]
shut my light off in a hurry. After
that l crept hastily out of the room,
for don't like setup in trap.
at was darker than ever now in the
} hall. or so 1t seemed and as l backed
away | came upon a jog in the wall
behind which | crept. For the sound
| had heard was no fancy. Some one
else besides myself was in the house,
and that some one was coming up the
little turret stair. striking matches rs
he approached. Who could 1t be? A
detective from the district attorney
office? | hardly thought so. He would
have been provided with something
better than matches TO light his way.
A burglar? No. not on the third floor
of a house as rich as this. Some fell
low on the force. then. who had seen
me come In and. by some trick of his
own. had managed TO follow me?
would see. Meantime | kept my place
behind the jog and watched. not
knowing which way the intruder
would go.
"Whoever he was. he was evidently
astonished to see the turret door aiar
for he lit another match rs he threw
II open and. though | failed 10 ger a
glimpse of his figure. | succeeded IN
getting il very good one of his shadow
1t was one to arouse Il detectives in
stlnct at once. did not say To myself
this Is the man want. but ! did say
this is nobody from headquarters. and
steadied myself for whatever might
turn up.
"Thc first thing that happened was
the sudden going out of the mat Il
which had made this shadow visible
The intruder did not light another.
heard him move across the floor witt
the rapid step of one who knows his
way well. and the next minute II ga
jet hared up in the stewards rcom
pnd | knew that the man the who'll
force was looking for had trapped hia
telf.
You will agree that it was not N!
luty To take him then and there with
out seeing what he was after. He was