The Huttig news., 1912-05-11


 was nodding sleepily. Rritz jerked open a door of the carriage.
 Jump in. quick" he cried. and Fitch. who long ago had learned to carry out Rritg suggestions without stopping to ask questions. sprang Into the cab Rritz slammed the door with violence that awoke the coachman. Before the driver could utter word of protest the athletic detective reached the hox beside him in single leap pushed him off with a shove that landed the amazed iehu on his hands and knees on the sidewalk, seized the reins. snatched the whip. and put the horse to a gallop As he sped away. he hastily changed the whip 10 the hand that held the rib bons. and, whipping from his pocket card that read. "Detective-Eieuten- ant Britz. Police Headquarters" he flung 1t at the prostrate coachman with the words: Gall there tomor. TOW for vonr rig"
 Then. with the horse straining at the traces in indignant surprise, Rritz drcve at hreakneck speed down the ayenue. turning sharply at the first convenient corner and heading east toward tho mysterious brown stone dwelling wherein he had held his in te4esting interview in regard to the ways of the Orient with the Eastern sage
 The galloning horse and he sway ing carriage shook the echoes of the silent streets, and at several avenue crossings traffic policemen started to halt the Central Office man. But in each instance the detective shouted: I'm Britz, of Headquarters, and that averted interruption as he dashed on toward the Swami's house at top speed Arriving there, he hastily handed the ribbons to patrolman who chanced to be at that end of the heat and followed closely hv Fitch he ran I'D the steps and rushed the hutton of the elecric bell. Inside the house. the burr-rr of the little gong sounded pisfcingly Britz and Fitch listened imnattcntly at the outer door Of the vestibule for responsive steps, but none came. Then the detective recalled the thickness of the rugs and carpets ip the house. and did not at once conclude no one was within ntii he had rung the hell several lines in vain he did not accept the tacf that the house either was nnten- snted, or was occupied by persons who did not see fit to answer A word 10 the hiuecoat on the sidewalk. ac- companfed hy a fash Of shield on the detectives waistcoat, had told nlih me visit was matter of police business. Then Rritz ran down Inc steps and tried the basement door. The defective was equally unsuccers- fnt In his demands to obtain a re- sponse to his ring of the lower hell. lie ran up the steps again and once more pushed the button of the cleo tric call. No answer come. Rritz turned the handle of the door. To his astonishment, it turned freely. and at gentle push the door swung in. ward. The Inner door of the vestibule was aiar Britz and Fitch entered cautiously. Their feet fell silently on the heavy Oriental rug They found themselves in complete darkness The glimmer from the street lamp did not penetrate mo Q than a toot or two beyond the inne" dCnr. Rritz uhjsked ont his electric torch and turned it's miniature head ieht on the paSsage and on the area leading to the upper part of the house
 He3o.s he called "Ts anybody in on
 Silence as heavy and oppressive as the darkness beyo7d the radiance of his little pocket lamp answered him again. The two men. the defective slightly in advance, walked quickly along the hall to iha door at the rear. where Rrit2 parted the pnrtieres and looked Into the big room In which he had interviewed the Eastern scholar. Its appearance was much the same as 1t had been on his preceding visit. save that as his practiced eye dweit more consistently upon 1t. he noted the disappearance of many small arti. cles. particularly B porphyry Buddha that had sat within a little shrine upon the wall The apartment had the seeming of having been subjected to surface stripping by persons about to leave it in a hurry Few of the sol emn books that had heen scattered about the room remained Among the Oriental objects still in the room was the narghileh from which the sage was fond of drawing a smokers con- solation
 Gone. eh." said Fitch. in an un. dertone
 Rritz nodded.
 Think We had better look up stairs2' asked the doctor
 With another swift nod the detec. tive turned on his heel and led the way from floor to floor until they reached the top of the house They glanced into every room and explored the larger apartments thoroughly All were empty Here and there they found evidences of hssty packing. In various rooms were queer iumhles ot the East and West-linen collars with single hairlne stripes of delicate tipts lay beside Oriental scraps of mani fest finpneSS On one rack bunr q