The Columbus journal., 1908-07-22
CHAPTER xIII.-Ccntinued.

The sight that met my eyes was as
tonishing. Clothes. books, papers.
were scattered over the floor and bed
ana chairs The carpet had been
partly ripped up, the mattress torn
apart, the closet cleared out, and
every corner of the room had been
ranSacked.
1t was clear to my eye that this
was no ordinary case of robbery. The
search, il was evident, was not for
money and jewelry alone, and bulkier
property had been despised. The men
who had torn the place to pieces must,
I surmised, have been after papers Of
some kind.
came at once to the conclusion
that | had been favored by visit
from my friends. the enemy. AS they
Tad failed to find me in, they had
looked for some written memoranda
II the object of their search.
knew well that they had found
nothing among the clothing or papers
that Henry had left behind. had
searched through these myself. and
he sole document that could bear on
the mystery was at that moment fast
N my inside pocket. | was inclined to
scout the idea that Henry Wilton had
hidden anything under the carpet or
In the mattress, or in any secret place
The threads of the mystery were car.
ried in his head, and the correspond.
ence. if there had been any, was de
stroyed.
As | was engaged in putting the
room to rights the door swung back,
and Z jumped to my feet to face a
man who stood on the threshold
Hello" he cried. "Eouse-cleaning
acaia?"
II was Dicky Nahl. and he paused
with a smile on his face.
All. Dicky," | said with an effort
TO keep out of my face and voice the
suspicious | had gained from the in.
cidentS of the visit to the Borton
place Entirely unprecedented, | as.
sure you
Well. you're making a thorough
job of it," he said with a laugh.
Fact is said | ruefully. I've been
entertaining angels-of the black kind
-unawareS. | was from home las,
night. and | find that somebody has
made himself free with my property
while | was away
"Whew," whiStled Dicky Guess
they were after you"
I oil in, ,
vain effort TO catch more Of his mean
ing than was conveyed by his words
Shouldn't be surprised" | replied
dryly. picking up an armful of books
I'd expect them TO be looking for ne
in the bookshelf or inside the mat.
tress-cover. or under the carpet"
Dickly laughed joyously.
We'll. they did rather turn things
upside down." he chuckled. Did they
get anything" And he fell to helping
me Zealously.
Not tha; | can find out | replied
Nothing of value, anyhow"
Not any paper, or anything of tina;
sort?" asked Dicky anXiOusly.
''Dicky. my boy" said /: there are
two kinds OF fools. The other is the
man who writes his business on a
sheet of paper and forgets to burn it.
Dicky grinned merrily.
Cad, you're getting a turn for cpl.
gram, You'll be writing for the Argo.
naut first We know"
Well. you'll allow ME a shade Of
common sense. won't you?"
Il don't know" said Dicky. consid-
ering the proposition doubtfully. 1t
might have been awkward if you had
left anything lying about. But if you
had real good sense you'd have had
the guards here What are you pay
ing them for, anyhow"
l saw difficulties in the way of ex-
planning to Dicky why | had not or
dered the guards on duty.
.'Oh, by the way" said Dicky sud.
denly, before a suitable reply had
come to me; how about the scads-
spondulicks-you know? Yesterday
was payday. but you didn't show up
l don't know whether my jaw