Omaha daily bee., 1910-04-10

room 20 room. I saw something like Il last
night and 1 have been watching. The pa
trolman reported queer doinEs there a week
OF so ago"
a light" I exclaimed. DO you mean
that you
Very likely he said grimly. Have
you a revolver
IAN kinds in the gun rack" replied
and going into the den, I came back with
a smith and Wesson. I'm not much use "
explained. with this arm. but I'll do
what I can. There may be somebody there.
The servants here have been uneasy"
Johnson planned the campaign. He sug-
gested on account OF my familiarity with
the roof. that go there and cut off escape
in that direction. L have Robson out
there now-the patrolman on the beat" he
said. He'll watch below and YOU above.
while I search the house. Be as quiet as
possible
I was rather amused. I put on some
clothes and felt my way carefully up the
stairs, tho revolver swinging free In my
pocket, my hand on the rail. At the foot
Of the ladder I stopped and looked Up.
Above me there was a gray rectangle Of
sky dotted with stars. II occurred to me
that with my one seg-viceable hand hold
ing the ladder, 1 was hardly in a position
TO defend myself. that I was about to hoist
body that 1 am rather careful OF into a
danger I couldn't see and wasn't particu-
larly keen about anyhow. I don't mind
saying that the seconds II took me q
scramble up the ladder were among the
most unpleasant that I recall.
got 10 the top. however without In
cident. could see fairly well after the
darkness Of the house beneath. but there
was nothing suspicious in sight The roofs
separated by two feet Of brick wall
stretched around me, unbroken save by an
occasional chimney. I went very softly
over to the other trap. the one belonging
20 the suspected house II was closed. but
imagined I could hear Johnaons foot.
steps ascending heavily Then even thHi
as gone A nearby clock struck 3 as
stood waiting. I examined my rsvolvel
then. for the first time. and found il wa'
empty.
I had been rather skeptical now
had had the usual tolerant attitude OF
the man who is summoned from MS be-
10 search for burglars. combined with TIA
artificial courage Of firearms. With thi
discovery Of my empty gun. I felt like q
man on the top OF a volcano in Lively erup
"
credulously at the uap-door az my feet
Z I had examined il early in the evening
and found Il boited- Did I imagine it. o
/ had il raised about an inch. Wasn't 8
moving slowly as / lu0lzcde No. I am no
a hero. I was startled almost into a panic
I 7 had one arm. and whoever was raisinl
that trap-door had two Ny knees had
queer inclination 20 bend the wrong way
/ Johnsons footsteps were distinct enough
but he was evidently far below. The tral
raised perhaps two inches now rename.
stationary. There was no sound from be
meath Il. once I thought I heard two q
three gasping rsspirations; I am not sur
they were not my own wanted desper
ately 20 stand on one leg az q time an
hold the other up out OF focus OF a pos
sible revolver.
I I did not see the hand appear. Their
I was nothing there and thea t was there
clutchinE the frame of the trap. 7 aid Ia
only thing I could think Of. / put my foo
on IA
There was not a sound from beneath
olutched the wrist Just above the hand
After seconds struggle. the arm va
SIN. With something real TO face. I wa
myself again.
Don't move. or IN stand on the tral
and break your arm I painted What els
/ could I threaten i couldn't shoot
couldn't even flghf ~I0nnsonf" / called
And then I realized the thing that stays
VITA me for q month. the thing can n0