The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1910-03-03
CHAPTER II.

dies, Mr.. Potham."
CHAPTER II.
THE HOUSE IN TERRINGToN
SQUARE.
A nan turned into T]errington 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 muffler 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
and the policeman.
The grim. oppressive houses of the
square were wrapped In sleep-drawn
blinds and shattered windows and ST.
lence.
The nan continued his stroll until
he came abreast of No. 43. Here he
stopped for a second, gave one swift
glance up and down the thoroughfare,
and mounted the three steps Of the
house. He fumbled a little with the
key, turned 1t, and entered. Inside he
stood for a 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 he
door Two thin u,irao ar5 q ,r,o1Iz a:t
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. can the windows
similarly treated, and goodness knows
what pitfalls waiting for the unwary."
He flashed the lamp round the hall.
A heavy Turkish rug at the foot Of
the winding staircase secured his atten-
ton. He took from his pocket a tele-
scopic stick, extended it, and fixed 1t
rigid. Then he walked carefully
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 1t, and rolling it 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 1t square in the center Of the
carpet, For a second only it stood,
then like a flash it disap-
peared, and where the carpet had lain
was a black, gaping hole. He waited.
Somewhere from the depths came a
crash, and the carpet came slowly up
again and filled the space. The unper-
turbed visitor nodded his head as
though again approving the household
er's caution.
Il don't suppose he has learnt any
new ones" he murmured regretfully,
h Is getting very old. He took
stock Of the walls. They were
covered with paintings and engrayings.
lie could not have fixed the cross fire
in a modern house." he continued, and
taking a little run, leapt the rug and
stair. A suit Of half armor on the first
landing held him in thoughtful atten-
ton for a moment. "Elizabethan BODY,
with a Spanish ~bayonet,' he said. re-
gretfully; that doesn't look like a
collectors masterpiece" He flashed the
lamp up and down the silent figure
that stood In menacing attitude with q
raised battle-ax. IT don't like that AK
he murmered, and measured the dis
lance.
Then he saw the fine wire tina,
stretched across the landing. He
stepped across carefully, and ranged
himself alongside the steel knight
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 thu
wire broke the figure turned to the
right, n swish! came the ak in
semicircular cut. He had Thought t.
Z hold the arm 90 ~ Hoc1o~1ol No l..
might as we'll have tried to hold thu
~piston-rod of an engine. His hand wa.
enche away, and the razor-lik,
blade OF the ak missed his head by tn,
franction of a second. Then with /,
whir the arm rose stiff1y again to tt
original position and remained rigid
The visitor moistened his lips ant
sighed.
That's q new one, a yerv new one,
he said Under his breath, and the ad
miration in his one was evident. H
picked up his o~yercoat, flung it owe
his arm, and mounted half a dozel
steps to the next landing. The inspec
ton OF the Chinese cabinet was salts
factory.
The white beam of his lamp f1ashe,
into corners and creyices and shove,
nothing. He shook the curtain OF
WINDOW and listened, holding hi
breath.
mol mere. he muttered decisively
the old man wouldn't try that game
Snakes turned loose in a house In Lon
don, 3. W, take a deal of coliectin
In the morning"
He looked round. From the landin
access WIS gained to three rooms. Tha
which from Its position he surmise
faced the street, he did not attempt I
enter. The second. covered BIT q heav
curtain, ne Ehoked at for a time i
thought. TO ikhe third he walked. an
3 carefully sWathing the door hand
WITH his silk saufffar. ne turned i
The door yielded. he hesltated Il