Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1910-03-11
CHAPTER II.
THE HOUSE IN TERRINGTON
SQUARE.

THE HOUSE IN TERRINGTON
SQUARE.
A man turned into Ter9ington SQUARE
from street 2a3 wa;SeI ieis.
urely past the policeman on point duty
bidding him a urt good night" Thu
officer subsequently described the pass.
er' as a foreign-loOking gentleman with
a short pointed beard. Under the light
oVercoat he was apparently in evening
dress, for the officer observed the shoe
with the plain black bow, and the
white silk muffer and the crush hat
supported that view. The man crossed
the road, and disappeared round the
corner of the rallied garden that forms
the center OF the square. A belated
hanson came jingling past, and ar
early newspaper cart. taking a short
cut to Paddington, followed; Their the
square was deserted ave for the mar
and the policeman.
The grim, oppressive houses Of the
square were wrapped in sleep-drawn
blinds and shattered windows and ST.
lence.
The man continued his stroll until
he came abreast of No. 43. Here he
stopped for a second, gave one swift
glance up and down the thoroughfare,
and mounted the three steps of the
house. He fumbled a little with the
key, turned 1t, and entered. Inside he
stood for a moment, then taking a
small electric lamp from his pocket
he switched on the current.
He did not trouble to survey the wide
entrance hall, but flashed the tiny beam
of light on the inside face of the
door. w thin wires and a small coil
fastened to the Intel called forth no
comment. One of the wires had beer
snapped by the opening of the door.
"Burglar-alarm. of course" he muir
INJURED ~approvingly. "AIl the windows
similarly treated, and goodness knows
what pitfalls waiting for the
He flashed the lamp round the hall.
A heavy Turkish rug at the foot of
the winding staircase secured his atten-
ton. He took from his pocket a tele-
scopic stick, extended 1t, and liked II
rigid. Then he walked carefully
towards the rug. with his stick he
lifted the corner, and what he saw
evidently satisfied him, for he returned
to the door. where in a recess stood
a mall marble statue. AIT his strength
was required to lift this, but he stag
gered back with it, and rolling it or
It's circular base, as railway porters roll
milk churns. he brought it to- the edge
of the rug. With a quick push he
planted it square in the center OF the
carpet. For a second only it stood,
oscillating, then like a flash it disap-
peared, and where the carpet had lain
was a black, gaping hole. He waited
Somewhere from the depths came q
crash, and the carpet came slowly up
again and filled the space. The upper
turbed visitor nodded his head, as
though again approving the household
er's caution.
Il don't suppose he has learnt any
new ones" he murmured regretfully,
n Is getting very old. He took
stock OF the walls. They were
covered with paintings and engravings.
HE could not have fixed the cross fire
In a modern house." he continued, and
taking a little u leapt the rug and
rested for a m or the bottom
stair. A suit Of half armor on the first
landing held him in thoughtfnl atten-
ton for a moment. ~"Elizabethan body,
with a Spanish b~ayonet,' he said, re-
gretfully: that doesn't look like a
collectors masterpiece" He flashed the
lamp up n down the silent figure
that stood In menacing attitude with a
raised battle-ax. II don't like that AK
he murmered, and measured the dis
tance.
Then he saw the fine wire tina,
stretched across the landing. He
stepped across carefully, and ranged
himself alongside the steel knight
Slipping off his coat, he reached up and
caught the figure by the wrist. Their
with a quick jerk of his foot he snapped
the wire.
He had been prepared for the me-
chanical downfall of the AK: but as the
wire broke the figure turned TO the
right. and swish! came the ak I'm a
semicircular cut. He had thought &c
hold the arm as it descended, bu he
might as we'll have tried to- hold the
piStnn-rnd nF ap onGip0 TIE hnnA xDae
wrenched away. and the razor-like
blade of the ak missed his head by the
~franction Of a second. Then with q
whir the arm rose stifhy again to Its
original position and remained rigid
The visitor TnoisteIrcI mis- lips anc
sighed.
That's a new one, a very new one.'
he said under his breath. and the ad.
miration In his tone was evident, Ht
picked up his overcoat, flung it oyel
his arm. and mounted half a dozer
steps to the next landing. The inspec.
ton of the Chinese cabinet was salts
factory.
The white beam of his lamp flashed
inso corners and crevices and showed
nothing. He shook the curtain Of
window and listened, holding hi:
breath.
Not here he muttered decisivsly
.the old man wouldn't try that game
Snakes turned loose in a house in Lon,
don, s. w, take a deal OF collecting
ia the morning"
He looked round. From the LANDING
access was gained to three rooms. ThaI
which from Its position he surmises
faced the street, he did not attempt I,
enter. The second. covered by a heavy
curtain, he looked at for a time Ii
thought. To the third he walked, an
carefully swathing the door handl
with HIS silk muffier, he turned II
THE door yielded. He hesitated an