The Huttig news., 1909-03-20
| O5e Adventures
 cf f5e Bronze |Mahadeva
Copyright. hv Daily story Pub. Co.7
By MILES J. BREUER


 If we had seen the burglar, our first feeling would perhaps have been one of astonished admiration at his skill. By some art, he kept himself almost invisible in the big dark store. and so noiselessly did he move that ii seemed as if some dim shadow was gliding around among the. rows of ta bles. Only the little spot of light from the dark-lantern darted around over the bric a-brac. resting for an in stant here and there; and occasionally dark hand reached swiftly out, and then it was that another silver ink stand or napkin ring, or gold-mounted cigar-case found it's way into the bulg ing black bag. He did not tam per with the huge safe; perhaps he was not out for heavy nights work, but merely some light recreation
 Finally he reached the back of the store where there were various large objects, iardiniere stand. tall stair lamp. big elaborate umbrella stand and statuettes, and figures of plaster, bronze and marble of various sizes Therefore he soon came across the bronze Mahadeya. He could not have helped noticing it, for it's two diamond eyes reflected in brilliant gleams the least bit of light, and the row of splendid colored gems around it's neck twinkled and coruscated. and shone in perfect splendor in the rays of the lantern. It was about third natural size, but it sat squat-legged on queerly carved and fretted pillar-lke pedestal. so that the top of its conical hat was about six and a half feet from the floor. All over it was that lacy fretting and frilling. characteristic of Hindoo work ard vit was hideously ugly
 It's jewels must have fascinated the burglar for he stood in front of it awhile. reeal ding it. Then. it is hard to say what happeeed At least he moved up to it. Then something shot out from somewhere with exceeding swiftness; ard there followed slowly a heavy muf1led thump. There was slight elink as the black bag hit the floor, some more queer noises, and then all was still in the shop. All the rest of the night. the dark lantern which was tipped over on it's back. shone up at the ceiling. and a dark | huddled mass lay very still on the floor among the ssatues
 Miss Worth walked briskly up the street; she surveyed the world cheer fully through the crisp, early-morning afr. Opening Knotter and Dahn's big front doSr with her key, she hurried to the back of the store, where the desk stood in raledin space Miss Worth had come little early, for there were few extra notes to be transcribed before the work on the days regular correspondence began. Reaching the end of the space in which the tables stood. she saw the huddled mass on the floor among the statues By it were some dark splctches, and the black bag. with silver inlaid ivory paperweight rolled out of the mouth of it. She stopped suddenly, checked a scream, ard ran swiftly, and very frightened to the front of the store, where she stood her heart beating swiftly listening intently and peering back into the store. Hearing and seeing nothing, she tried to muster up courage to go back a,d look again. but finally determined to wait until somebody came.
 This somebody" happened to be Mir. Frederick Holt. He was the young man whose duty it was to ar range the goods on the tables so that they might be most tempting to GUS toners when they came He wondered a little to see Miss Worth standing out in front of the S ore with a fright ened expression on her face. And he had to acknowledge to himself, incidental ly, thst she locked "a her charming in hse distress. Miss Worth was un- deniably pretty; being a stenographer had not as yet let ifs stamp on her, as it does on too many young ladies who mcddle with it. Mir Holt listened to her story; then he went to the back of the store and turned over the hud. dled thing, so that the white face still showing an eager. crafty express sion, looked up at him. He shuddered, anu Hol hHUNlUS Just WFdt to QO, Qe- cided to wait till the boss" came.
 MT Dahn, the junior partner. came along duly, rubbing his hands and beaming in pleasant anticipation of the visit of cer ain big customer. He started somewhat as he saw the expressions on the faces Of his clerk and stenographer. He also looked at the body, and with admirable presence of mind telephoned for q detective.
 The detective, had he been a Sher- lock Holmes, would have been able to ask for his fee immediately. and ex- plain the details fully to Mir Dahn: but as it was he could only identify the burglar as wellknown expert and dangerous cracksman, the news of whose death would be exceedingly welcome to the police, and then think nard in his perplexity as he looked ! closely all over the store. He could not think of motive. as it is won't | to be technically called: much less