The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-06-23

that moment. CHANGING skyward, one OF
the officers was astounded TO see a long,
narrow board project itself from the cop
ing OF the Wilson house. waver uncer-
tainly for a moment. and then advance
stealthily toward the parapet across.
When it was within a foot or two OF
resting place. McCloud called sharply to
the invisible refugee above. at the same
time firing his revolver in the ground.
The result was surprising. The
board stopped. trembIed. swayed a little.
and dropped, missing the vigilant officers
by a hairs breadth. and crashing to the
cement with a terrific force. An inspec-
ton of the roof from the Bennington
house. later. revealed nothing unusual
1t is evident, however, that the quaran-
tine is proving trksOme 70 the inhabitants
of the sequestered residence, most of
whom are typical society folk. without
resources In themselves. Their condition,
without Wallets and maids. is certainly
pitiable 1t has been rumoTed that the
ladies are doing their OWN hair. and that
the gentlemen have been reduced 10 put
ting their own buttons in their shirts
This deplorable situation, however, Is I'M
avoidable.
1.-The vigilance of the board of health
has been most ,ommendable in this case.
Beginning with a wager over the tele-
phone that they would break quarantine
la twenty-four hours. and ending with
the attempt to span a twelve-foot gulf
with a board. over which to cross 10
freedom. these shut-in society folk have
shown characteristic disregard OF the
laws OF the State II IS quite time TO
extend to the millicrsire the same strict
ness that keeps the cOmmuter at home
for three weeks with the measles; that
makes him get the milk bottles and gro
ceries from the gate-post. and smell like
dog soap for a month afterward. as a
result of disinfection.'
We sat In dead silence for a minute.
Then:
Perhaps it is true" said. Not of
you, Jim-but some one may have tried
to get out that way. In fact. I think it
extremely likely"
who? Flannigan7 You couldn't drive
him out. He's having the time OF his
life Do you suspect me?''
Come away and don't Tight" Anne
broke in pacifically. You will have 10
have luncheon sent in, Jimmy; nobody
has ordered anything from the shops,
and ] feel like old Mother Hubbard"
I wish you would all go out" I said
YEARLY. IF every man in the house
says ha didn't Try 10 get over 10 the next
roof last night we'll and good. But you
might look and see If the board is still
lying where II fell
There was an instantaneous rush for
the window, and seconds pause Then
Jimmy's voice. incredulous. awed:
We'll, III be-blessed! There's the
board"
! stayed in my room all that day Ny
head really ached and then. too. I did
not care TO meet Mr.. HARRISON. II would
have 10 come; I realized that a meeting
was inevitable. but I wanted time to
think how l would meet him. II would
be impossible 10 cut him, without rous-
ing the curiosity of the others to fever
pitch: and il was equally impossible to
ignore the disgraceful episode on the
stairs. AS Il happened. however, I need
not have worried I went down TO din
ner, languldIy, when every one was
seated. and found Max al my right, and
Mr. HARRISON moved over beside Bella
Every one was talking at once for Elan
nigan, ambiing around the table as air
lily as he walked his beat, had presented
Bella with her bracelet on a salad plate
garnished with romaine He had found
| 1t in the furnaee-roOm. he said. where
she must have dropped IL. And he looked
at me steaithily. to approve his men
dacity!
Every one was famlshed. and as they
ate they discussed the board in the area
way. and pretended to deride IL as clev-
er bit of press work, 10 revive a dying
| sensation. No one was deceived: Anne's
pearls and the attempt at escape, COM
| ing just after. pointed only to one thing.
I looked around the table. dazed. Flan-
nigan, almost the only unknown guam
tity, might have tried TO escape the night
/ before. but he would not have been in
| dreSS-elothes. Besides, he must be elm
| mated fAs far as the pearls were concern
/ ed having been locked In the furnace
/ room the night they were stolen. There
was no one among the girls TO suspect
/ The Mercer girls had stunning pearls.
and could secure all they wanted legiti-
mately; and Bella disliked them. Oh.
/ there was no question about II, I de-
/ cided. Dallas and Anne had taken a
wolf to their bosom-or Is It a viper?-
and the HARRISON man was the creature.
/ Although I must say that. looking over
/ the table. at Jimmy's breadth and rot
very imposing personality, at Max's lean
/ length, sallOw skin, and bold dark eyes.
/ at Dallas, blond, growing bald and fiorid,
and then at the HARRISON boy. tall, mus
cular. clear-eyed, and sunburned. one
would have taken Max at first choice as
| the villain. with Dial next, Jim third,
and the HARRISON boy not IN the running.
| It was just after dinner that the sur
! prise was sprung on m TT. HARRISON
/ came around to me Gravely, and asked
me If I felt able TO 90 up on the roof.
| On the roof, after last night! I had to