The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-07-02

Perhaps because Abershaw was so
much upon her mind she supposed
this to be the earl lie was bending
over busy about some task She ap-
preached him where ne stood Ia the
dark shadow, and laid Il hand upon iiiS
arm. lie turned, with Il gasp, bor
rible sound. as If his lungs had burst
within nim lie leaned half against
the wall and half upon the table, ilF
knees too weak to support him and
without voice to speak. Adelaide saw
that be was stranger She knew in
stantIy that he was thief.
The spectacle of his AFFECT terror
Gained her. She stepped around the
table, putting it between them. ana
| she drew across to her eide OF 1t the
| ebony caSlrt which the man had been
: trying to wrench open. not having
found the secret spring which control
led the lid.
You took this from the safe" said
Adelaide. Let me tell you that you
have wasted your time. These genis
are paste"
Give me that" cried the man ii
q hoarse whisper, and the next instant
| his hand was In his pocket. but he
was trembling so that for some sec
onds he could not draw his revolver.
Adelaide knew what the wretch was
after. and she realized her peril. or. at
least the obvious part Of it. She did
not know that danger UNNECESSARILY
greater lay in the ebony box which she
held in her hand.
Yet the box was the source of the
danger in one case just as in the other
If the man should shoot her it would
he for that The trained mind of the
girl worked with a beautiful precision
and pointed to the way OF safety.
u tell you" she said, that this
taing is Of no value"
You lie." he answered. ~ know
what's ia it. Give ii to me"
"%onsense!" she returned 'Tll show
you how much think about it"
The window was open beside her
where the burglar had entered. Sh,
turned toward ii like cash and a
that instant she became aware OF Tx
ticsin. OF the clockWork. her senses
being sharpened TO the utmost acute
ness by the stress OF concentration
Surprise at this sound made her pause
She held the box toward her face
There's watch in it," said he
'You drop that! I'll shoot. Here
what are you doing?"
He hurled himself across the table
toward her. trying to grasp her arms
but she was too quick for him. Sh'
flung the box through the window
crying: There. Go after 1t If you
want it,
The casket struck In the basin o
the fountain at the feet of the statue
Then, indeed the winged Mercur.
for the first time really flew. HI
scared above the level Of the window
accompanied by hundred gallons o
dirty water and deafening. gurglinl
roar.
A shower of glass from the Windows
fell round Adelaide and the burglar
Amusement bereft them Of their wits
They staggered about. uttering mar
ticuate cries, until the girl recovered
some part Of her control and fed
with her strange companion at he
heels. He escaped from the hous
eventually by rear door.
There is no need to describe the tn
mutt In the house nor to dwell upo
the feelings of Abershaw when he dis
covered what his bomb had done an
! what 1t had come so horribly near dc
ing. 1t is obvious, however, that whel
calmness descended upon the famil.
counsels in the course of the next da,
the affair could have only one expla
nation in the light of what Adelaid
knew Somebody had tried to blow
!, up the safe by bomb in the ebon.
, casket. and nobody but Abershaw coul
have motive for doing such thing
; He denied II to the last, but withou
producing any effect upon Lfnwoo'
Farrington's judgment
Mr.. Harrington cherished a warn
affection for his daughter Adelaide
| and the thought of her dreadful peri
i maddened him to the degree that b
was very near exposing the whole al