The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1910-10-06
CHAPTER vI-fConti,,n.a-l

Seer
His Anger had touched the spring
Tor the dashboard. which was at least
two feet high. suddenly split and
swung discordantly back. revealing =
square hole and clumsily constructed
panel opening directly into the house
next door, This building was lower
than the Desterle home. for while the
hole Ia the dashboard ran from the
floor In the Desterlo house. Il was
merely eighteen inches or less below
the ceiling OF the room into which the
excited group was gazing Wen fur
nished lined with books. and illumi-
mated BY a green shaded reading lamp
on a low table. the room apparently
served as q library. Portraits OF high
chokered. uncomfortable looking
statesmen nlled the inches between the
book cases. and on the floor beneath
the trap door rested a bronze plaque.
very significantly the size OF the trap
door.
what do you know about that7~
asked Johnny. narrating the appear
ance and Disappearance Of the stran-
ger
Because he was the smallest OF them
all. Johnny was delegated to creep
through the hole and investigate the
adjoining house. The others divided
into relays and began another branch
OF the disqulsition
Say. Farley. go telephone my paper
about this. win your begged Johnny
IN q whisper. They're long on ex-
tras Up there. you know. and they
might want TO get one out on this
Honest boys. 1 can't say I-much /
ln for making this twelve foot desper-
ado dive for life before bt. but guess
it's 80 long Put the panel back: I
think you'd better.~ and he swung
down through the trapdoor.
Meanwhile the frst relay went out
aide 10 reconnoiter. The block was
q crowded one with the houses stand
ing shoulder to shoulder. as closely as
masons might put them Midway In
the block the name OF the street chang
ed from Rankin terrace 70 Briar-
sweet place. The Desterle house was
So Rankin terrace. and the house In
to which Johnny had disappeared was .
% Briarsweet place. Twenty years I
previous the street had been a fash I
ionabls thoroughfars. but II had grad /
ually become relegated to the second
best with respectable boarding houses {
OF the variety usually catalogued as !
shabby genteeI- Some OF the old a
houses had been FemodeIed into flats. I
and IN only a few were the owners
now residing OF these the major part d
were those sentimental women who. h
long after their families are married a
and gone away. still cling to the old !,
home that welcomed them in their days
OF bridal joys and happy youth. or OF b
the conservative set now pushed out L
Of the lead OF the procession OF fash q
onabie society By the influx OF the Il
newer and faster ideas Of life and liv- a
Ing.
Such family had long tenanted "a
Briarsweet place. The owner. Mark o.
8. Flanders was one Of the few old :,
style lawyers who are fortunate TO
nave husbanded their acquired compe- -
Ience before the lean years Of age and a,
0alerization have descended upon them. y
One OF the FIRST settlers in the town. Il,
the Flanders residence had at one time =
been the admiration and the eye \,
Nidener OF the country over. but Of =,
ate. and especially since the death Of
Flanders wife, both the old mansion =,
md the old lawyer had been reckoned y
Imong the hopeless By the ultra smart A.
ct AZ
Flanders had always borne q repu- =,
alton for the highest integrity ana A.
reatest personal honor. He had even 4.
managed to keep his record while IN
CRYING his city two terms as Mayor. | hu
hat the bricks and stone Of the sup
osedly well-bred Flanders mansion ri.
hould have opened up surreptitious en-
ntrances to the plebeian boarding 10
ouse next door seemed Incredible. es-
ecially in connection with a murder. rio
Liberal usages Of telephones and d.
sctories ELECTED the information that ne,
landers had sailed quietly and unher- ed
lied for Europe a week previously. Err
orin got Dunwiddy. Flanders partner.
q the wire and asked him about Il su,
was out OF sorts at the call me
he clock showed 4:30 a. m. and Dun VIII
Idly was in the most delectabfe d. vii
sion OF his early morning snooze. the
Yes. yes" he shouted over the fele- ant
hone. this 70 Thomas Dunwiddy. duI
landers' partner. Who are you and noe
hat do you want az this dlsgracefuI bin
BUR Of the mornfn97 An Associated cou
ress man7 Well. you've got impu- boil
.nce TO get man up at this hour OF Hal
IL morningi Flanders may be irn-.s- frol
tied IN the Wayne murder7 Nom infc
nssl Where ls FIanders7 Winding cIea
. own business. where you ought TO -
\ don't know anything about him. com
. sailed for Europe the 18th and nat
'po he's there BY now. A panel cut H
rough between the closet and his pied
'use7 Dear me. that Is unfortunate. Ions
'me to recall II now. Mr. Flanders let SUR
. house for the season Just before he Of
r I did not see the tenant but have his
Q leasea on fle / think the mans "a
me Is Hamley Hacl1eye. and don't able
low anything about him except that It's
Is an Engiishman who has lived IN trim
Q tropics. Now. my dear sir. beg Of port
~ to keep the Flanders name out Of lost
y amliation with this unfortunate II
Iair' II you possibly can. You under suit,
ana me. OF course Yes, suppose fees
p may see the leases, but you must the
careful what moves you make. in cour
irrational complications, you know butf
- sHat Good-bv." n