Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-02-21
He closed the vestibule door behind
him and cavalferly turned out the
light. Our dialogue was sharp stacca-
By F1ARY ROBfRIc RI(EHART "A

light. Our dialogue was sharp. stacca-
to.
.Have you key to the empty house
| next door," he demanded. Some
| body's in there, and the latch is
! caught"
1.-THE houses are alike. The key to
this door may fit. Did you see them
90 in?"
mo. There's light moving up
| from room to room. saw something
| like j. last night, and I have been
wat z The patrolman reported
ouc 1ings there week or so ago."
ight!" exclaimed. do you
IL. that you"
Very likely" he said grimly. "Have
you revolver?"
| "All kinds in the gun rack" I re-
piled, and going into the den. I came
back with Smith and Wesson. I'm
not much use," explained, with this
arm. but I'll do what can. There
may be somebody there. The serv-
ants here have been uneasy"
| Johnson planned the campaign. He
suggested on account Of my familiari-
ty with the roof, that I go there and
cut off escape in that direction. II
have Robson out there now-the
patrolman on the beat" he said He'll
watch below and you above, while
search the house. Be rs quiet as pos
sible."
was rather amused. put on some
clothes and felt my way carefully up
the stairs, the revolver swinging free
So,
At the foot Of the ladder I stopped
and looked up. Above me there was a
gray rectangle of sky dotted with
stars. It occurred to me that with
my one serviceable hand holding the
, ladder, / was hardly in a position to
defend myself. that was about to
hoist body that am rather careful
of into danger couldn't see and
wasn't particularly keen about any
how. I don't mind saying that the
seconds it took me to scramble up the
ant that recall
got to the top, however without
incident. I could see fairly we'll 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 to
the suspected house. It was closed,
but I imagined l could hear John
sons footsteps ascending heavily.
Then even that was gone. A nearby
ri CT ~tn
I examined my revolver then, for tho
first time, and found it was empty.
l had been rather skeptical until
now. I had had the usual tolerant at
titude. Of the man who is summoned
from his bed to search for burglars,
combined with the artificial courage
Of firearms. With the discovery Of
my empty gun, felt like 4 man on
the top OF volcano in lively eruption.
Suddenly found myself staring in
credulously at the trap-door at my
feet. I had examined it early in the
evening and found it bolted. Did
Imagine it. or had it raised about an
inch? Wasn't it moving slowly as
looked? No, am not hero; was
startled almost into a panic. I had
one arm, and whoever was raising
that trap-door had two My knees had
queer inclination to bend the wrong
way.
Johnson's footsteps were distinct
enough. but he was evidently far be.
low. The trap, raised perhaps two
inches now, remained stationary.
There was no sound from beneath 1t;
once thought I heard two or three
gasping respirations: I am not sure
they were not my own. wanted des-
perateiy to stand on one leg at time
and hold the other up out OF focus Of
possible revolver.
did not seen the hand appear.
There was nothing there. and then it
was there, clutching the frame Of the
trap. did the only thing could
think Of; put my foot on it!
There was not sound from be.
meath. The next moment I was kneel-
ing and had clutched the wrist just
above the hand. After a seconds
struggle. the arm was still. With
something real to face, I was myself
again.
Don't move, or I'll stand on the
trap and break your arm" 1 painted.
What else could threaten? couldn't
shoot, I couldn't even fight. John
son" called
And then realized the thing that
stayed with me for month, the thing
l cannot think of even now without q
shudder. The hand lay ice cold,
strangely quiescent. Under my fin
gers, an artery was beating feebly.
The wrist was as slender as-I held
the hand to the light. Then let it
drop.
Good Lord" I muttered. and re-
NAMED on my knees, staring at the
SPOT where the hand had been. It
was gone now; there was q faint rus
tie in the darkness below, and then
silence.
1 held up my own hand in the star
light and stared at long scratch in
the palm. "a woman" said to my
self stupidity. "By all that's ridicu-
lous, woman!"
Johnson was striking matches be-
low and swearing softly to himself.
How the devil do you get to the
roof" he called. Il think I've broken
my nose!"
He found the ladder after a short