Evening star., 1911-08-20

Fenton had handed them back to of the gang itself
Fenton cursed himself for his stupidity.
But all this surmise. He wanted to make sure,
and hurried back to the of the Nocross Apart
ments, and found that by accident the outer door
had not latched He crept up four flights approached
the door OF Flint apartment put his ear to the keyhoe
and listened
hoarse burst of laughter greeted his ears. There
no doubt of it, Even now doubt with blood on
their hands they were dividing the spoil.
WHAT could he do2 Nothing it seemed; and yet
" he would not leave the place. He walked down
stairs trying to think OF some plan to retrieve his
bunder On the floor below he looked about saw
door without nameplate, tried it. and found it was
carpet the floor. 1t evident the fiat vacant
He groped his way along the inner hall long straight
passage toward the rear, and emerged finally, after
humping into several corners, into small kitchen
family Illuminated by the moon. Through the windows
he fire escape He left his precious silk hat the
washtubs, and lifted the SASH crawled out and
tIousy asCended the iron ladder. The windows of the
kitchen above, however dark, and they were
fastened. There could be nothing done that way, and
he returned Cruising about little voyage OF dis
covery, he found candle end and few matches the
kitchen shelf He struck light and sat down on top of
the tubs to think
He had not waited long before he heard footsteps
the floor above; then there rattle in the shaft
and he heard the dumb waiter descending.
Holding his lighted candle in one hand Fenton
opened the sheet iron door and the rope running
He held the candle nearer, and looked up. The dumb
waiter now visible slowly descending. He watched
it. with his heart in his mouth 1t to the level of
his eyes, and he that both shelves empty The
moment he surprised to two feet. patent
leathered shining in the candelght standing top of
the apparatus. Slowly the waiter moved down, creak
ing Pantaloons appeared coat then hands carefully
working at the rope Another minute and the lower
half of the body had disappeared into the hole and he
confronted by the astonshed eyes of Elhurst alias
Sproule
The little car stopped Sproule looked as queer as an
actor in Punch and Judy show, like curious
ackn-th pulpit, though too amazed, too fearful ap
parently, to speak. Fenton stood with the lighted
T1a
tall hat rakishly upon his head. The
dramatic There instant of fine sustained
pense, and then the gentleman who had
of the world spoke.
"By Jove! its the chap | gave that tweed suit to-
For Heavens sake help me out and be quick about it,"
THERE was indeed need of haste for above were now
heard cries of rage and anger, hurryng footsteps,
and finally bang the door of the shaft the kitchen
overhead Sproule made quick dive from his perch
and landed in Fenton's This extinguished the
little light
The cries, meanwhile, had increased in vigor, and
someone began violently pulling up the dumb waiter.
Sproule landed the kitchen floor, released himself
from Fentons arms, then silently shut the door of the
shaft. There riot overhead
"Wait till | lock the front door! Are the windows
boted? You watch the windows and they don't
come in that way. No. hold on. Fasten them and
we'll wait in the passageway Is there key to this
eonfounded door Yes all right Now then windows
Fenton fastened the kitchen windows and Joined
Sproule in the hallway. The kitchen door locked;
then Sproue went to the door TO the stairway and
that it was also fastened. The clamor up stairs had
ceased least it could not be heard from where they
stood But in another moment they heard men rushing
up the stairs pounding the hall door above, then
smash as it was broken in.
"What's that?' Fenton asked anxiouslv.
@By Jove believe they'r pulled said Sproule. II
got out just in time
"The polce?" Fenton inquired breathlessy.
There has been plain clothes man following me all
the evening. | thought had thrown him off the
scent at the Knickerbocker, before up here.
ha thara fhp Aatttn
90 down. If only O'Shea doesn't peach me! Here