Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-19
CHAPTER XVI-Continued.

Oh0 VI his 10eI- Lie SOulu rang
ly In my ears. I crouched down and
peered out under the low branches of the
bushes. A heavy shadow stole around
the farther angle of the house. and the
next instant the portly figure Of Dubois
Waterman came into view.
Mr.. Hayward. reaching over. touched
Bailey on the shoulder. The man raised
a dark object from the ground and held
it in front Of him. A thin yellow ray Of
light shot out from between his hands.
The Waterman saw 1t and halted.
who's there?' he demanded.
No one answered.
He turned off from the path and cut
across the lawn, holding his stick before
him in a posture OF defense. A few PAGES
from the clump of bushes he paused
again.
Who's there?" he repeated
There was still no answer. Wadsworth.
getting quietly to his feet, bent forward
in readiness for q spring.
HIM" the Waterman grunted ana drove
the point Of his stich straight at the light
There was tinkling crash as Bailey.
dropping the lantern, wrenched the stick
suddenly from hts grasp The man stag
gered back in alarm, but before he could
run Wadsworth had leaped from the
covert and was upon him, throwing him
violently to the ground.
The Waterman fought gamely. but he
had been taken at a disadvantage. And
with Bailey and Mr.. Hayward to aid him,
Wadsworth made short work of the bust
ness. binding the mans limbs with prac-
ticed dexterity, thrusting a gag into his
mouth and tying it fast. They lifted the
heavy body between them and flung 1t
roughly into the bushes.
| Anderson had drawn me to my feet at
| the first onslaught. but It was not until
the others had finished their task that he
gave the signal to advance. leading me
through the shrubbery toward the silent
figure of the Waterman.
"No-no!" Mr.. Hayward objected. mot
now. Bring him out here"
But the watchman?"
'We can attend to that later.
The fisherman obeyed reluctantly. L
staggered after him through the thick
tangle. puzzling hazily over the meaning
of his words.
Skrting the broad veranda, which eX-
tended across the facade of the house, we
crept into the shadow of the side wall
and halted before the bullying front of a
bay window. Wadsworth ran his fingers
carefully over the woodwork then in
serted the long, thin blade Of a penknife
between the window frame and the mold
| ing.
| HIM! I guessed as much" he snorted,
drawing the knife out. "Buglar alarm.
| Mr.. Hayward handed him glazier' 3
diamond. Climbing on Bailey's back. the
| man cut around the largest pane of the
window. tapping gently on the lower. edge
| Of the glass to make 1t sag outward. Mr..
| Hayward caught it neatly as it fell.
Gomez said Anderson.
! The two men beside the window caught
US about the waists and lifted US over
the sill. We tumbled through the opening
| crawled In after us. There was a short
whispered colloquy between Mr.. Hay
ward and my guard. Then the three
leaders crept off stealthily into the dark
nc T,yy led Pow t,o liz rf.h{ nf
with my free hand. and. leaning weakly
against q table, began to mop my fore
head It seemed as though million trip
hammers were beating in my head. and
the room was reeling giddily. Anderson
gave sigh Of lazy content.
We're on the easy Job tonight" he said
Nothing to do till they pinch the DOODLE. -
He peered about him through the semi
gloom Mice quarters your friends got
What's this-the dining room?''
I signified that 1t was. He turned to a
heavily laden sideboard in one corner and
inspected the pieces cleaning DULY upon
1t.
PLATED" he muttered. STOPPING to the
closets beneath. and Locked he ended
in disgust. Your friends careful
householder"
HE has need to be, it appears" 1
grunted.
pleasantly. dropping into the armchair
at the head of the table and motioning
me to take a seat beside him.
A long silence fell upon US. Anderson.
throwing out his legs, gazed dreamily up
at the ceiling. l wound the handkerchief
into an improvised bandage about my
head. and. settling into the ff-backed
chair. endeavored to collect my dazed
senses in readiness for the next move
The open doorway leading into the hall
faced US across the table, and as my eyes
grew accustomed to the darkness, made
out q thin thread of light stretching a few
feet along the opposite side of the pas
sage. The men had found their way into
| Dubois study. Now and then murmured
| snatches of conversation foated to my
ears, or the muff1ed click Of tools. as they
broke open the safe in which the owner
kept his jewels: but, for the most part.
they worked in absolute silence. 1 tried
| in vain to think of some way to warn the
household, but the stunning effect of the
! old mans blow had not yet worn off, and
my brain still worked systematically. l
was wondering whether l could manage
to overturn the table when Mr. Hay
| ward, reappearing, called to us softly
from the dooE
We've got the swag," he announced.
"An ready"
| Anderson pulled me from the chair. AS
we passed the sideboard the fringed edge
of the cloth upon it brushed my fingers.
and, on the impulse, / gave 1T vicious
jerk. The heavy silverware, flying In all
directions fell to the wooden flooring with
| dealennS CHATTER.
| Anderson turned on me angrily. You
damned fool
| But the old man cut him short. IT'S
all right. Take him out to the foot of
the stairs and wait All! thought sou
| There was the sound of a door opening
on the floor above, and Dubois sleepy
voice demanded the cause of the racket.
! Don't let him give the ALARM" Mr..
Hayward cautioned. ''Shoot. If neces-
Sary."
Anderson, nodding, drew me into the
worth and Bailey stole by us. carrying
| the bag between them. We stopped be-
side the staircase.
| There was an instant's pause. Then a
soft patter of feet ran along the landing
| overhead and came down the stairs
toward us. With an effort shook off my
| lethargy.
Take care!" I called.
| The steps halted. who Is it?''
| "Renfrew.'
"Renfrew?" Dubois tone was skeptical
What are you doing here?"
| / hesitated for the fraction of a second,
and in the stiffness Anderson's revolver
clicked loudly.
| Look Quit" l cried.
| But Dubois had already leaped down
! the remaining stairs and was running for
his life toward the front Of the hall
THE telephone!' gasped Anderson.
and, as the shot rang out. l could hear
the dull thud of falling body. Hardly
noticing that Anderson had released me.
| 1 started forward in horror and dropped
i to my knees beside the PROSTATE form.
The strong rays Of the fisherman's Ian