The Washington herald., 1910-06-18

The novelty of the situation-and every
thing 1 got to thinking things over, and
then l realized the studio was getting
cold, so l thought I would come down
and take a look at the furnace. I didn't
suppose any one else would think of it.
But I lost myself in that pantry. Stun
bled against a half-Open drawer, and
nearly went down the dumb-waiter."
And, as il in judgment on me, at that
instant came two rather terrific thumps
from somewhere below, and inarticulate
words, shouted rather than spoken. 1t
was uncanny, OF course. coming as il did
through the register at our feet. Mr..
HARRISON looked startled.
"Oh, by the way" I said. as carelessly
as ! could. "In the excitement l forgot
90 mention IT, There is a policeman
asleep In the furnace-roOm. II suppose
we will have TO keep him now" I fin
ished as airily as possible.
oh, a polieeman-in the cellar" he re-
peated, staring al me, and he moved to-
ward the pantry door.
You needn't go down." l said feverish-
~. with visions OF Bella Knowles sitting
on the kitchen table. surrounded by
soiled dishes and ali the cherries after
math of a dinner party. please don't
go down. Its one of my rules-never
TO let a stranger go down TO the kitchen.
I'm peculiar-that way-and besides,
its-it's mussy."
Bang Crash through the register pipe,
and some language quite aruculate.
Then silence.
Look here, Mrs. Wilson" he said reso-
lutely. what do 7 care about the kitch-
en-? I'm going down and arrest that po-
lieeman for disturbing the peace. He
will have the pipes down"
you must not go" said with des-
perate frmness. "He-he is probably in
a very dangerous state just now. Wei
/ locked him in"
/ The HARRISON man grinned and then be-
/ came serious.
why don't you tell me the whole
/ thing?' he demanded. You've been In
trouble ali evening, and-you can trust
me, you know, because am a stranger
/ because the minute this crazy quaran-
4 tine is raised | am of to the Argentine
/ Republic" perhaps he said Chile). anC
/ because I don't know anything at al
about you. You see. / have TO believe
what you tell me. having no persona
knowledge Of any of you 10 go on. Now
! tell me-whom have you hidden In tbs
/ cellar, besides the policeman
There was no use trying 70 deceive him
he was looking straight into my eyes
So / decided 10 make the best of bas
thing Anyhow, it was going 10 requir'
/ strength 10 get Bella through the coal
hole with one arm and restrain the 20
lceman with the other.
Come / said, making a sudden res0
luton. and led the way down the stairs
He said nothing when he saw Bella
for which I was grateful She was sit
Nba a-s1.f h
of her and her head buried in them
And then saw she was asleep. Her ha
and veil laid beside her. and she hat
taken of her coat and draped it aroun
her. She had Tummaged out a col
pheasant and some salad, and had evi
IDENTIFY had a little supper. Supper and
nap, while I worried myself grayheade
about heri
''She-she came in unexpectediy-some
thing about the butler" I explained IN
der my breath. "And-she doesn't wan
To stay. She Is on bad terms with-wit
some of the people upstairs. You ca
see how Impossible the situation is
Il doubt if we can get her out" h
said. as If the situation were quite ord
mary. However, we can try. She seem
very comfortable It's a pity to rous
her"
Here the prisoner in the furnace-roor
broke out afresh- 1t sounded as thong
he had taken a lump of coal and was az
lacking the lock Mr.. HARRISON followe
| the noise and I could hear him arguinl
| not gently.
, Another sound" he finished. "and yo
won't get out Of here at all, unless yo
crawl up the furnace piper
When he came back Bella was rouslnt
, She lifted her head with her eyes SIN
and then opened them one at a tim
blinked. and sat up. She didn't see hil
at first
You wretch she said. ungratefull
after she had yawned. DO you kno
what time IL is? And that" Then ST
: saw Mr. HARRISON and sat staring ;
him
This is Mr.. HARRISON" I said to h,
hastily. "He-he came with Anne ar
!. Dial and-he is shut in, too"
| BY that time Bella had seen how han,
some he was. and she took hairpin oil
of her mouth, and arched her eyebrow
which was always Belias best pose.
/ Il am Miss Knowles she said swee
/ ~ (Of course. the court had given h
4 back her name). ''and I stopped in Z
night. thinking the house was empty
/ see about IA butler Unfortunatel
the house was quarantined Just at IN
! time. and-here am. Surely there ca,
not be any harm in helping me to g
out?' pleading tone) Il have not be,
/ exposed to any contagion. and in the e
hausted state of my health the confn
/ ment would be positively dangerous.
II She rolled her eyes at him, and cou