Semi-weekly herald., 1911-12-18

them, III do II myself This case IL
not in your hands now; 1t belongs TO
the people Of the State OF New York
and II you don't choose TO appear as
mplainant. I'll call you as witness
for tho State. So. MIR. Sands. II you
are not hopelessly addicted to cigars
| or cigarettes to the exclusion OF all
others forms Of the weed. permit me
to suggest that when We have left
you alone. you retire 10 the remote
background Of your apartment, put
that in your pipe and smoke IT."
Sands became genuinely angry. II
took a good deal to disturb his equa-
nimity, but the detectives manner. as
he saw 1t. was offensive Sands seri-
ously meditated for an instant an at
tempt to grasp the Headquarters man
by the collar. rush him 10 the door,
and drop him down at least one fight
OF stairs. The sleuth's coolns&s and
courage avoided any unpleasantness
OF that sort. and his unwilling host
quickly regained his grip upon him
self.
The tension Of the situation was re-
hxsA by the buzzinG Of the electric
, bell at the outer door OF the apart
msnt. and the entrance OF Il somewhat
clustering bellboy with an announce
ment that patrol wagon was at the
door and two policemen were asking
for Detective Britz OF Headquarters.
who was visiting MIR Sands
Bring them up" said Britt, vast
Ing no further time on courtesy. Then
he turned to the millionaire and said:
'T wouldn't have brought the patrol
wagon here, Mr.. Sands, II you had
been little more considerate. A
couple Of plain-clothes men could have
taken these fellows to the police sta
ton easily enough; but. whom man,
through a rush of emotion to the
brain, or-for-some--oth reason
makes faces at the law as openly as
you have done. why. let the lew take
Its course. I say"
Sands maintained a dignifed silence
as pair of bluecoats, stumbling over
bearskin rug in the library. came
into the suite. and at sign from
Britt. seized the shrinking Orientals.
One by one the prisoners we're lifted.
neck and heels. and taken to the pa
troll wagon Britz. of course, could
have had the bandages about their
feet removed. for It would have been
perfectly safe TO let those sturdy po-
licemen escort them to the sidewalk
In the ordinary way; but Britt was
only human. Tho memory of the grip
In which those very men had held him
In the ride along Riverside Drive. OF
the smothering solitude of the desolate
apartment house. and the struggle
which had followed, came to him in
the moment when he was on the point
of ordering the unfettering OF the
captives. With, a grin that struck
terror to their cringing Eastern souls
he said to them:
You two artists are SO fond OF silk
that I guess I'll let you wear those
ornaments little while longer"
When the Hindoos were gone. Britz
phasis:
| IF you experience change OF
heart. Mr. Sands, shall be very glad
to hear from you In regard to what
you found on your dark friend, Of
course. since you are In your own
rooms. and since the article was evil
IDENTIFY stolen In this place by the fel
low, | cannot compel you, without a
great deal of trouble. to let me see
1t. II is not at all certain II would be
worth my while to take that trouble
but II may dawn upon you before very
long that 1t will be we'll worth your
while. Mr. Sands. not only to let me see
the thing. but to tell me everything you
know about It, Good night. Mr.. Sands" "
And there was something ominous
In the military click OF the detective's
heels as he walked across the ecb ding
marduetry to the elevator.
CONTINUED next week.)