The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-11-06

l stopped moment to weigh the
danger was in. Both doors had
been left open for reason. That
reason, to my mind, was obvious
enough; it was the precaution of a
man who wanted no obstacle in the
way of rapid retreat down the
secret stairs.
But my curiosity got the better
of me, and / assembled two long
flights, slowly and with the utmost
| precaution, testing each step for
noise before l entrusted my weight
to it,
| CROPPED about a sudden short
turn, when a light shone from the
top of the stairs.
l stopped down and wriggled my
way along the steps until l could
see Knowlton himself. He had his
back to me, and was in the act of
lifting a board from the floor. Di.
rectly he had accomplished that,
he reached into the opening and
brought out chamois bag, and
then replacing the board he went
to little table at the end of the
room, and gently poured the con-
tents of the bag into his hat.
Then he began a rapid examina-
tion of the jewels that glistened
and scintillated in the candlelight.
Taking them piece by piece he
scrutinized each hurriedly and
dropped it back into the bag.
In a moment, l knew, the task
would be completed and he would
start down the stairs. Again l felt
the folly of premature action. Even
if l succeeded in marching him at
the point of a pistol to the Duns-
meir police station | knew l should
have to give myself up for inyest-
cation. That phase of the matter
decided me, and l turned cautious
ly to make my way back. In reach
ing for the handrail to ease. my
weight l attempted to shift my
revolver from one hand to the
other.
1t slipped from my fingers, and
rolled to the bottom with a noise
that sounded at the time as if it
might reverberate through the COM
ing ages.
AS | came to my feet, | saw
Knowlton standing at the head of
the stairs, his eyes blazing band
his revolver pointing-not down at
me, but toward the farther end of
the narrow room.
The second that he must have
stood there seemed heightened to
full minute. 1t was ended by the
double roar of two shots fired al
most simultaneously.
Knowlton staggered backward
against the table, knocking the
candle to the floor and extinguish-
ing it. AS it fell I saw him, white
faced and desperate, make a jump
for the wall and throw open the
secret panel.
l sprang to the top of the stairs,
and the light from the other room
swept for an instant through the
opening, as KnowltOn, graphing
with someone ju his arms, rolled
through, and the panel shot back,
Then there arose in the next
room the shrill, heartrending cry
of a woman for help.
1t was broken suddenly by an
hysterical cry of:
Ralph! Ralph! You! Thank
God"
And then all was still but for the
composing, reassuring tones of a
man, and the gradually quietine
down of womans sobs and whim
| pers.
/ could hear someone hurryine
down the hall, and in a few min
utes many people, it seemed to me
came running to the room.
could hear, too, muffled voices, and
then there was a sudden silence Of
perhaps five minutes and then g
general exodus.
went with their going, and fun
bling for my revolver, / found i
at the foot of the stairs. In the
concrete corridor l felt about fol
my shoes, but they were nowhere
to be found.
Theh five mile walk was terri
BILE one, and my feet were in dread
full condition when l finally crawl
ed into bed.
The next morning lay a lions
while and cudgeled my brain as II
the best course to pursue.
| ITO he cOntinued)