The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1912-02-06

pany Rodney FASTENED to the dressing
room after making brief apology to
his hostess.
"Fact is. Mrs. Wetmore, I've got to
run home a minute Something i'm
portant I've forgotten. l won't dis
turb Mrs. Flitman, she is having such
delightful time"
When he had disappeared Mrs. Wet
more and her husband exchanged
smile.
"Just the excuse that Maud gave
when she went half hour ago." muir
INJURED Mrs. Wetmore under cover OF
her ian.
Rodney Flitman found a taxicab
and was soon whirling toward his
uptown home. The elevator had made
It's last trip, and the interior Of the
cage and shaft was black and gloomy.
The night Waterman blinked sleepily
at him and, turning in his chair, snored
gently.
When he reached the third floor he
was aware that far above him he could
1AC0k LILO lh1Al oIaSCubO GlACh VA ACCAH
on the stairs above. Somebody, WON
an, was mounting the stairs ahead Of
him, walking softly, too, as If fearful
Of being heard. By some strange freak
of coincidental reasoning Rodney's
thoughts few at once to the woman
and the man who had gone down in
the elevator few hours before These
people were utter strangers to him and
were Of peculiarly singular appearance
dark and foreign looking-and they
had watched Maud closely while she
carelessly discussed the matter Of the
keys to their safe and the late hour
Of their return. He resolved to speak
to Maud about the matter.
Meanwhile the heels clicked upward
rs steadily as he climbed after them
Once when his own feet made loud
sound the heels paused and then went
on more steaithily than before. and
he was careful to tread without a
sound As he reached the eighth door
he heard a door close softly halfway
down the corridor.
His apartment was halfway down
the corridor. He had left a light in
| the hall, Of course, but when he reach
ed suit A, which was his home, the
transom above the door showed black
and forbidding.
The light was out.
| He felt for his bunch Of keys and
then thought to turn the knob. 1t gave
easily, and the door opened into the
| dark hall A faint light from the cor
| ridor streamed In and showed him
that the hall was empty. but that the
ball and chain that controlled the
switch were swinging violently from
! the chandelier.
| Somebody had touched the chain but
an instant ago. His hand found the
incandescent bulb still warm from the
recent light.
A faint, very faint, creepy feeling
stirred the roots OF Rodney Flitnan's
hair. 1t was unpleasant to feel that
there was burglar in his home and
that a thin door was all that separat-
ed him from him.
The Waterman was eight stories be-
low. A violent rapping on the door
or a vigorous shout would bring him
upstairs within five minutes, but in
the meantime the Invaders Of his home
would have fed by way of the fire es-
cape and taken something with them.
Besides, Rodney suspected the burglar
| to be q woman, and he was gallant
enough to desire to give her a chance
to escape. only he wanted her to give
up whatever she had taken.
Perhaps she had already been fright
ened away by his opening Of the door.
II she went to the FIRE escape she would
surely lose her life, for he recollected
now with sort of horror that the iron
stairway was coated with ice.
Resolutely he went forward and
opened the dining room door. BE
heard a quickly indrawn breath like q
deep sigh and the rustic OF silken
skirt and then dead silence in the dark
ness.
Madam he whispered hOarssiy.