The Washington herald., 1908-04-12

doors leading into the house is Impossible.
| We must try and make eur exit. by the
| back; and. cropping his way. he moved
/ TO the door, which opened on To a small,
paved back yard
But it had been secured. Levi. indeed.
kept it always locked. and the key was
not there
To break this open win create noise
and arouse somebody Max remarked.
Well. We must get out at ali hazards
We can't stay here till morning and court
] discovery. Rolfe argued II we only
had little light We might see what we're
/ doing. BY Jovei You've got q pocket
lamp. Max Where is it?7
Is 1t safe yet to show a Iight?" Bar
clay asked duhiously. 1t may be seen
from outside. you knowr
1T cant. There's a blank wall oppo-
But viii not the reflection be seen by
/ Levi from below?'
Rolfe saw that. after all, there was some
| danger of detection. and admitted It.
Then let's wait a bit" his companion
whispered. BY patience We may be able
! to escape without detection. Don't let
us act indiscreetlyr
/ So the pair, leaning against one of the
stands Of dead flowers, waited In silence.
their ears strained 10 catch every sound.
The moments seemed hours until at last
all being quiet, Max, at his friends sug-
gestion. pressed the electric button OF the
little hand-lamp ana showed a light upon
the door
II was half glass, with strong lock and
double bolts To escape meant to break
a hole large enough for a mans body to
pass. Max suggested that they might
ind the key hanging somewhere upon a
nall as conservatory keys are often kept
IN that manner. But though they. searched
the whole place, treading lightly as they
went, they were unable to discover it.
Levi keeps il upon his bunch, I ex-
pect. Charlie remarked. I've never seen
this door open in my life"
That's why the flowers are all dead,
perhaps, Max remarked grimly with
low laugh
'Flowersi Old sam declared that they
were no use TO him, therefore he forbade
Levi 70 give them any water and they
all died. The old man isn't fond OF flow
ers. Says they're only useful at weddings
and funerals"
There won't be any az his obseques"
laughed Max beneath his breath. as he
made another examination Of the door.
Both agreed that TO open It was inn
possible, while to break out the glass was
far too risky proceeding. for some OF
i must fall upon the paving outside.
Rain had begun 10 fall. pattering heav-
ily upon the glass roof above. and as they
We're both searching about blindly for
some other mode Of egress Max suddenly
exclaimed:
why, look here. and pointed to a por-
ton OF the glass side OF the conservatory
which had opened Outwardly upon a hinge.
but which had been securely screwed up.
Excellent" cried Charlie. realzing that
an exit lay there; and, quickly drawing
from his pocket a serviceable looking
screwdriver. set TO work upon the screws.
They were long and hard to withdraw.
but ten minutes later all of them were
taken out, and. pushing back the movable
frame upon its hinges. they found them
selves outside in the narrow back yard.
Once free. Max turned his face upward
to the dark windows of the first floor OF
the mysterious mansion. saying:
We must get up there. Charlie. some
how or other. I'm not going from this
place until I've learned its secret.
No responded his friend. Neither
am l."