The newspaper., 1910-02-25
CONTINUED on page threel

d missad me; l heard MIN strEe
wall That one time I eluded
t the chair. He stood for a second.
tening. then-he made another rush
l struck out with my weapon.
ink it stunned him, for I had a sec
DIS respite when l could hear him
eathing, and some one shouted out
/ lie:
We-can't-get-in How-does-it
,en?"
But the man in the room had
anged his tactics. I knew he was
eeping on me, inch by inch, and
nld not tell from where. And then
he caught me. He held his hand
,er my mouth, and l bit him. I was
llpless, strangling- some one
- trying to break in the mantel
ON outside. 1t began to yield some
here, for a thin wedge of yellowish
ght was reflected on the opposite
all. When he saw that, my assailant
-opped me with a curse; then-the
lposite wall swung open noiselessly,
osed again without a sound, and
as alone. The intruder was gone.
Tn the next room," called wildly.
The next room!" But the sound of
ows on the mantel drowned my
oice. By the time l had made them
1derstand, a couple of minutes had
apsed. The pursuit was taken up
zen, by all except Alex, who was de-
Armined to liberate me. When I
epped out into the trunkroom free
oman again I could hear the chase
lr below.
must say. for all Alexis anxiety to
4 me free, he paid little enough at
,ntion to my plight. He Jumped
trough the opening into the secret
,om and picked up the portable safe.
Il am going to put this in Mr.. Hal
sy's room. Miss Innes." he said. "and
shall send one of the detectives to
uard it,"
hardly heard him. / wanted b
lugh and cry in the same breath
crawl into bed and have a cup Of
q, and scold Liddy. and do any Of
10 thousand natural things that had
ever expected to do again. And the
lr! The touch of the cool night air
q my face!
Az Alex and / reached the second
oor, Mr.. Jameson met us. He was
rave and quiet, and he nodded COM
rehendingiy when he saw the safe.
viii you come with me for q mo-
1ent, Miss Innes?" he asked soberly.
nd on my asserting. he led the way
o the east wing. There were lights
1oving around below, and some OF
he maids were standing gaping down.
hey screamed when they saw me.
nd drew back to let me pass. There
vas . sort OF hush over the scene;
lex. behind me. muttered something
could not hear. and brushed past me
Without ceremony. Then ! realized
hat . man was lying doubled up at
be foot OF the staircase. and that
Llex was STOPPING over him.
AS I came slowly down. Winters
topped back. and Alex Strengthened
imself. looking at me across the
ody with impenetrable eyes. In his
and he held shaggy gray wig. and
tioTc me Ou tne nOOT idy tnt man
those headstone stood in Casanova
Armstrong.
Winters told the story in a dozen
lords. In his headlong flight down
be circular staircase. with Winters
nst behind. Paul Armstrong had
itched forward violently. struck his
cad against the door to the east ver-
nda, and probably broken his neck.
Te had died as Winters reached him.
As the detective finished. saw Hal
ey, pale and shaken. in the card
Dom doorway. and for the first time
hat night I lost my self-control. I put
~ arms around my boy. and for
loment he had to support me. A sec
nd later. over Halsey's shoulder.
aw something that turned my emo
on into other channels. for behind
i'm, in the shadowy cardroom, were
ertrude and Alex, the gardener. and
there is no use mincing matters-he
as kissing her!
I was unable to speak. Twice
pened my mouth; then turned Hal
ey around and pointed. They we're
uite unconscious Of us; her head was