The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-06-26

men were all in the basement, and some
thing must have happened. I few back
to the basement stairs. to meet hr Har-
bison at the foot. He was grimy and
dusty, with streaks OF coal dust over his
face. and he had been examining his re-
volver. I was just in time to see him
slip it into his pocket.
What Is the matter?" I demanded.
Is any one hurt2"
mo one" he said coolly We've been
! cleaning out the furnace"
With revolverl How interesting
and unusuali' l said dryly. and slipped
past him as he barred the way. He was
not pleased; 1 heard him mutter some
thing and come rapidly after me. but I
had the voices as guide, and I was not
going TO be turned back like child The
men had gathered around a low stone
arch in the furnace-room and were look
Ing down short flight of steps into a
sort of vault, evidently under the pave
ment. A faint light came from a small
grating above, and there was a close,
musty smell in the air.
Il tell you il must have been last
night. Dallas was saying. Wilson and
were here before we went to bed. and
I'll swear that hole was not there then"
1T was not there this morning, SIR"
Flanagan insisted. 1T has been made
during the day
afternoon" Mr.. HARRISON said quietly.
Il was fussing with the telephone wire
down here. I would have heard the
noise"
Something in his voice made me look
at him, and certainly his expression was
unusual He was watching US all intent
ly. while Dallas pointed out 10 me the
cause Of the excitement. From the main
floor of the furnace-room a flight OF
stone steps surmounted by an arch led
into the coal cellar. beneath the street.
The coal cellar was Of brick. with ce-
ment floor, and In the left wall there
gaped an opening about three feet by
three leading into a cavernous void. per-
fectly black-evidently a similar vault
belonging TO the next house.
The whole place was ghostly full OF
shadows. shivery with possibilities. II
was MIR. HARRISON finally who took Jim's
candle and erawled through the aper-
ture. We waited In dead silence, listen
ing 10 his feet crunching over the coal
beyond. watching the faint yellow light
that came through the ragged opening in
the wall. Then he came back and called
through to us.
place is locked over here he said.
steps. Whoever made that opening has
done prodigiOus amount of labor for
nothing
The weapon, a crowbar, lay on the
ground beside the bricks, and he picked
II up and balanced IL on his hand. Dali
las ford face was almost comical in his
bewilderment: as for Jimmy-he slammed
q piece OF Stag at the furnace and walked
away. AT the door he turned around.
Why don't you accuse me of ftp" he
asked bitterly. Maybe you could find a
lump Of coal in my pockets II you
searched me-"
He stalked up the stairs then and left
us Dallas and I went up together. but
we did not talk. There seemed 10 be
nothing to say. Not until I had closed
and locked the door OF my room did 1
venture TO look at something that car
ried in the palm Of my hand. 1t was
watch, not running-a gentleman's fat
gold watch. and it had been hanging by
its fob to nail In the bricks beside the
aperture.
In the back Of the watch were the ini-
! tails T. II. II. and the picture of a girl
cut from a newspaper.
i was my picture.