Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-08-17

physician now he Ind been baked II
the chief object Of his nocturnal visit
"Quicks the word now. doc," said
Britt.
Where are you golng?" asked
Fitch.
ITO head off the Hindoos." cried
Brftz. Let's get cab" But the
last taxicab on the Renaissance stand
had been chartered an hour before
by swarthy man who seemed to be
In great haste. That much Britz
learned from the inspector In charge
OF the stand. Britz and Fitch round
ed the corner Of the hotel Close to
the curb stood private coupe. The
coachman doubtless on a long wait,
was nodding sleepily. Britz 1erked
open a door Of the carriage.
Jump in. quick!" he cried. and
Fitch, who long ago had learned to
carry out Britz' suggestions without
stopping to ask questions, sprang into
the cab. Britt slammed the door with
violence that awoke the coachman.
Before the driver could utter a word
of protest the athletic detective
reached the box beside him in q single
leap. pushed him off with shove
that landed the amazed jehu on his
hands and knees on the sidewalk,
seized the reins, snatched the whip,
and put the horse to a gallop. As he
sped away. he hastily changed the
whip to the hand that held the rib
bons. and. whipping from his pocket
card that read, -Lieuten-
ant Britt, Police Headquarters" he
flung II at the PROSTATE coachman
with the words: Call there tomor-
row for your rig
Then. with the horse straining Mt
the traces in indignant surprise, Britz
drove at breakneck speed down the
avenue. turning sharply at the first
convenient corner and heading east
toward the mysterious brown stone
dwelling wherein he had held his in
teresting interview In regard to the
ways OF the Orient with the Eastern
sage.
The galloping horse and the sway
ing carriage shook the echoes Of the
silent streets, and ut several avenue
crossings traffic policemen started to
halt the Central ONCE man. But in
each instance the detective shouted:
I'm Britt. Of Headquarters" and
that averted interruption as he dashed
on toward the Swami's house at top
speed. Arriving there, he hastily
handed the ribbons to a patrolman
who CHANGED to be at that end of the
nj o1n
he ran up the steps and pushed the
button OF the elecric bell. Inside the
house, the burr-rr Of the little gong
sounded piercingly Britt and Fitch
listened impatiently at the outer door
OF the vestibule for responsive steps.
but none came. Then the detective
recalled the thickness Of the rugs and
carpets In the house, and did not at
once conclude no one WAS within.
Until he had rung the bell several
times in vain he did not accept the
fact that the house either was unten-
anted. or was occupied by persons
who did not see At to answer. A word
to the bluecoat on the sidewalk, &C
companied by fash OF q shield on
him the visit was a matter Of police
business. Then Britz ran down the
steps and tried the basement door.
The detective was equally unsuccess-
full In his demands to obtain a re-
Spouse to his ring Of the lower bell.
He ran up the steps again and once
more pushed the button Of the cleo.
trio call. No answer come Britt
turned the handle OF the door To his
establishment 1t turned freely, and
at gentle push the door swung in,
ward. The inner door Of the vestibule
was ajar. Britt and Fitch entered
cautiously. Their feet fell silently Oh
the heavy Oriental rug They found
themselves in complete darkness
The glimmer from the street lamp did
not penetrate more than foot or two
beyond the inner door Britt whisked
out his electric torch and turned It's
miniature headlight on the passage
and on the area leading to the uppel
part Of the house.
"Hello!" he called rs anybody
| in?"
Silence as heavy and oppressive a!
l the darkness beyond the radiance o.
his little pocket lamp answered hin
again. The two men, the detectiv,
= slightly in advance. walked quickl!
4 along the hall TO the door at the rear
where Britz parted the portieres ant
+ looked into the big room in which h
had interviewed the Eastern scholar
Its appearance was much the same a.
y, 1t had been on his preceding visit
. save that as his practiced eye dwell
" more persistently upon 1t, he note,
:. the disappearance Of many small art
Giles, particularly porphyry Buddh
J. that had sat within a little shrin
, upon the wall. The apartment had tn
j, seeming Of having been subjected T.
= surface stripping by persons about (
!, leave 1t In hurry. Few OF the so
= emn books that had been scattere
about the room remained. Among tn
:. Oriental objects still in the room wa
. the narghileh from which the sag
= was fond of drawing a smokers cor
ISOLATION.
!, Gone, eh?" said Fitch in an VI
dertone.
a Britt nodded
= Think we had better look w
, stairs?" asked the doctor
A.. With another swift nod tha detaf