The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1911-11-16
CHAPTER. XXI.
Stop, Thief!

MItllCenC DeldrOcue Slept SOuuuly.
Hers was the type of beauty that re-
1zfns ats freshness through indulgence
On creature comforts. Not all her
fcndness for amusement could lead
her TO rob herself for many nights of
ahe repose she instinctively knew was
essential to the preservation Of her
charms She was the sort of woman,
past thirty, who retains false youth
scErsetimes more effective than the i'm
maturity which is measured by the
calendar. Her complexion was as
delicate as a debutante's. Her eyes
were brighter than those of the aver
xGe athletic young woman, and no
SILVER thread shot the dusk of her
Fuxuriant hair. ALI this was due large
bCrg habit of sleeping early and
often, and of resolutely refusing to
let her slumber be disturbed by any
such useless things as dreams, which,
after all, are mere ghosts of thought
and too much thinking was not one
OF her foibles.
Though Mrs. Delaroche slept pro-
foundly, her external senses were not
wholly unvigilant. Long study of her
aelf had made her sensitive to disa-
wxeeable impressions that were purely
cnrporeal: and SO, though no intrusive
vfsk0n Of mind could interrupt the
dntd calm of her beauty sleep, slight
2y uncomfortable feeling at the pre-
else spot whence her tresses swept
upward In an elaborate couture or
parted in the braids of negligee had
the effect of arousing her as no mere
dream possibly could have done. 1t
required not many seconds, allowing
Ecr the habits Of her mind, and the
Szct that she suddenly was recalled
from deep repose, for Mrs. Delaroche
co realize there was a hand beneath
her pillow, and that hand was not one
M her own. Rigid with fright, she
waited an instant to assure herself
Ehe had not committed the innovation
of dreaming, then she made a swift
reach for the alien hand-too late It
had been withdrawn swiftly in the
few moments requisite to complete
comprehension of the situation, and If
Mrs. Delaroche had not been so GER
tain that she never dreamed, she
might have thought she still was
sleeping. Hasty exploration of the
space beneath her pillow, however,
told her the midnight hand had not
gone away empty. Realizing that, she
was broad awake In an instant. She
sat erect so swiftly that she bruised
her forehead slightly against some
thing cold and hard and round and
SEnooth that was Immediately pressed
n1enacingly to her head
Don't move. or you'll get this!"
said a rough voice.
Mrs. Delaroche gasped, and despite
The hand, sank back again to her pill
Tow. She could still feel, however, or
fzucied she could. the icy rim Of the
metal that had touched her brow.
This was a great feat of imagination
for Mrs. Delaroche.
That's right; lie still" continued
Che voice. IF you know what's good
car yen"
Rough though the voice was, It was
carefully subdued. It could not have
been heard in the corridor. Mrs. Della
roche drew deep, fiuttering breath,
and was evidently on the point OF
making another attempt to speak
when the metallic ring touched her
forehead again, chilling her to silence,
and the voice went on:
See here. lady, I've got no time to
waste with you. just you stay where
you are, and don't make a sound, I'M
Sess you want to get this!" and the
metal was pressed little harder to
1hex forehead. II am going to get out
al this room quietly, and I'm going
right now. II you make any noise for
the next FIVE minutes, I'll blow your
head OFT"
The cold pressure was removed
from her forehead, and the burglar
moved about the room. The thick
carpet and doubtless the felt soles on
the mans feet as auxiliaries, made his
steps soundless. He went from her
dressing table to writing desk, light
ing each IN turn with vivid circle
al rays from an electric pocket torch,