Evening star., 1909-04-11
Van Asten's Visitor
8
Continued from page 8


threw it open, and Astro covered with snow
picturesque in slouch hat and Inverness cape,
entered
Well, he said amusedly. stamping his feet
when did she leave?"
She didn't said Van Asten "She's in
that room now"
"Oh. didn't she." Astro shrugged his shoul-
ders. Well, let's see her
But, heavens! you can't open that door,
She's probably in bed and asleep! And besides,
the doors locked
SO it is, said Astro. trying the handle. 81
shall have to ask you for buttonhook.''
haven't any except one in that room,
said Van Asten.
Astro reflected moment Then he asked
Have you any canned goods in your larder2"
Il have some canned chicken | believe.
Why?"
And a gas stove, presumed"
Yes" Van Asten looked puzzled, but led
the way to the kitchenet. He took down a tin
of chicken and handed it to the Seer
Astro removed the key, fastened to the top
for the purpose of opening the tin, then went
to the stove and lighted burner. He heated
the split wire till it redhot; then, taking
pair of small pliers from his pocket, bent the
end into right angle. Returning to the cham
Der door, he inserted this rough skeleton key
into the lock.
"Tll take the responsibility of awakening or
disturbing your visitor he said, smiling at
Van Asten You must give me full authority
to do what please
As he spoke he trying the lock. After
some unsuccessful attempts. the bolt shot back
He turned the handle and threw open the door.
Light up" he commanded sharply.
WAN ASTEN, more embarrassed than ever
stepped to the switch on the wall, and the
room was Immediately Illuminated. Then,
staring about him. and finally at Astro, he
stammered BY Jove! She has gone, hasn't
she?"
OF course. You didn't really expect her to
spend the night, did your"
We'll, that's what she said she was going to
do. I'm glad she didn't, l confess Unless"
then he stopped suddenly. by Jove!" he
calculated. Gould she have been a burglar?"
His eyes roved round the room in trace of cor
roboration of his surmise and fell upon partly
raised window which gave on an inner court, or
air shaft.
Gould she have escaped that way" He
ran to the window and threw up the sash.
As he did so, Astro stopped to the floor and
picked up hairpin glanced at it. and put it
into his pocket. 1t was of silver, fully six
inches long. evidently specially made for
woman with an immense mass of hair. He said
nothing of his discovery, however; but followed
Van Asten to the window.
She could hardly have got out that way"
said the young lawyer.
It's unlikely" Astro assented; but see
YOU have reading lamp. | wonder If it will
reach to the window"
He took it from the table. and, finding that
the electric wire was long enough, held it above
his head outside the window and looked down
to the bottom of the court.
Il don't see her. Van Asten laughed.
If Astro saw anything, he did not mention it.
He drew himself in, replaced the lamp, and
pulled down the sash.
Il didn't expect to see her hanging by the
hair of her head, like Absalom, he remarked
But. he added casually, what kind of hair
did she have?"
Yellow hair, pounds and pounds of it, ap
parently, though you never can tell nowadays
when all the women are wearing rats.
Where is your telephone?" the Seer in
quired.
Van Asten led the way back into the studio
Around the corner, out of sight of the chamber
door, the receiver stood on his library table
She got out while you were talking to me,
said Astro That's plain enough. Now, the
question is, what's missing?'
Ply Jove That's true, But didn't notice any
disturbance Hold onl" he stood for
ment with his eyes fixed The Drellmont will
Good Lord if she came for that" Instead of
finishing, he ran back to the chamber. Astro
followed him quickly enough to find him at a
writing desk there rummaging through the
pigeonholes.
He stopped and exclaimed Thank the
Lord y and held up package of papers. Here
it is, safe enough. 1t wasn't that she wanted,
at any rate -
What about the Drellmont will?" Astro in
qured casually.
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