The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1910-03-03
CHAPTER II.
THE HOUSE IN TERRINGToN
SQUARE.

SQUARE.
A man turned into Terrington Square
from Seymour street and walked leis-
urely past the policeman on point duty,
bidding him a curt good night" The
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 shoes
with the plain black bow. and the
white silk mufher 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 an
early newspaper cart, taking a short
cut to Paddington, followed: then the
square was deserted save for the man
n the policeman.
The grim, oppressive houses Of the
square were wrapped In sleep-drawn
blinds n shattered windows and ST.
lence.
The man continued his stroll until
he came abreast Of No. 43. Here he
stopped for a second, a one swift
glance up n down the thoroughfare.
and mounted the three steps of the
house. He fumbled a little with the
key. turned It, and entered. Inside he
stood for O 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. Two thin wires and a small coil
fastened to the Intel called forth no
comment. One of the wires had been
snapped by the opening Of the door.
"Burglar-alarm, Of course" he MUIR
INJURED approvingly. "All the windows
Similp rlu froafad and onndnacC Lnnx,c
what pitfalls waiting for the unwary.''
He flashed the lamp round the HILL.
A heavy Turkish rug at the foot of
the winding staircase secured his atten-
ton. IIe too from his pocket a tele-
scopic stick, extended it, m fixed II
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 small marble statue. All his strength
was required to lift this, but he stag
gered back with It, and rolling 1t on
its 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 1t stood
oscillating, then like a flash 1t disap-
peared, and where the carpet had lain
was a black, gaping hole. He waited
OiAi ~ tilC uCpLIlo CdIu6 n
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
he 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 run, leapt the rug and
rested for a moment on the bottom
stair. A suit of half armor on the first
landing held him in thoughtful atten-
ton for o moment. "Elizabethan body,
with a Spanish bayonet," 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 q
raised battle-ax. II don't like that AK
he murnlered, and measured h dis.
lance.
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 in 6
: semicircular cut. He had thought Il
. hold the arm as it descended, but hi
: might as well have tried to hold thu
= piston-rod Of an engine. His hand wa!
wrenched awLy, and the razor-lik.
blade of the AK missed his head by thu
~franction of a second. Then with
whir the arm rose stiffly again to I'll
: original position and remained rigid
The visitor moistened his lips ant
3 sighed.
That's a new one, a verv new one,
he said under his breath, and the ad
miration in his o was evident. HI
picked up his overcoat, flung it owe
y his arm, and mounted half a dozei
steps to the next landing. The inspec
2 ton Of the Chinese cabinet was salts
d factory.
e The white beam Of his lamp fiashe,
: into corners and crevices and Shove,
nothing. He shook the curtain of
8 window and listened, holding hi
n breath.
s mot here he muttered decisively
"the old man wouldn't try that game
: Snakes turned loose in a house In Lon
don, s. W., take a deal Of collecting
in the morning"
He looked round. From the landin
e access was gained to three rooms. Tha
e which from its position he surmise
o faced the street, he did not attempt I
e enter. The second, covered by a heav
curtain, he looked at for a time
thought. To the third he walked, an
e carefully swathing the door handl
3 with his silk muffier, he turned 1