The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1912-03-02
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always In such position that no faint
est CLEAN fell upon himself. Not for
a moment, however, did he slacken
his alertness sufficiently for Mrs. Del
aroche to have a good chance to get
to the inner room. He pretended to
search thoroughly several places |
where money or jewels might be
kept, but, even to a woman Of her |
slow wit, 1t was apparent he did so |
In a half-hearted way. Millicent felt
assured the man knew just what he |
had taken from beneath her pillow,
and that he was satisfied with 1t. He
showed that to be true when he gave
up the pretended search without so
much as trying the handle of small
safe in a far corner of the room. Re-
turning to the bedside, he renewed his
warning, throwing so much savage
meaning into his words that Mrs. Del
aroche was certain there was no pre-
tense about that.
Then he walked to the door giving
on the corridor, turned the handle
cautiously, thrust his head through a
second opening, and looked up and
down the hall. Evidently treasured,
he opened the door, stepped outside,
and closed it swiftly and silently.
There was not a sound to indicate
whether he had gone along the corri-
dor. or still stood just outside tho
door. Mrs. Delaroche waited, listen
ing intently in the hope of hearing his
footsteps, but she listened vainly. She
waited perhaps a minute, for she had
no desire to hazard shot from that
terrible thing the burglar had pressed
against her brow. Then her courage
oozed back, and she bounded to the
floor, screaming with all her might,
pausing only long enough to snatch
a peignolr and throw 1t about her
shoulders ere she pulled open the out
er door of her suite and sent her
shrieks shrilling down the long hall.
Her cries, for she was magnificently
constructed animal Of most expansive
lung power, not only echoed far along
the corridor, but penetrated even the
sound-proof doors of the other apart
ments. The disturbance she made
was alarmingly novel to the exclusive
calm of the Hotel Renaissance. Doors
were flung open, heads popped out,
and a dozen inquiries were flung at
her from as many parts Of the hall:
but Mrs Delaroche had exhausted her
conference in framing that one pur-
pose of screaming with all her might
4 until some man of action should speed
to her assistance. She did not waste
any strength in articulation. She sim.
ply screamed, and so eloquent were
her shrieks that although she uttered
no concrete word, only few of them
were needed to tell the more intelli-
gent of her auditors that she had been
robbed, and that what she had lost
was of priceless value to her.
Before the fusillade of her cries
died away in scattering fire of
gasping sobs, half a dozen pajamaed
specters were racing down the CORR
dor in the direction they deemed the
burglar had taken. What account
they would have given of themselves
had they come up with the fugitive IL
conjectural. They were spared thu
disagreeable necessity Of submitting
} their courage to that test, for as the
burglar turned a corner Of the hal
! Emany yards In advance of his pursu
I ers, he was tripped by foot adroitl!
, interpolated in his path, and when h,
, recovered his breath after jarrin,
+ fall, it was to find two men of sturd!
). build sitting upon him as composed!
. as If nature had planned him for {
, conversation chair. The pistol he hal
q carried in his hands throughout tn
pursuit was snatched from his GRASP
I and although he struggled furiously
o his arms were dragged behind hi
a back and handouts were snappe
1 upon his wrists. Then he was dragge
!. to his feet by four insistent arms an
4 impelled with much vigor along tn
4 hallway in the reverse direction t
that which he had followed.
" Unmistakable was the rejoicing &
the pajama squad at the sight of hi
Q captivity. Undeniably heroic was 1t
l. surge toward him. Faces grim wit
r postscript bravery were thrust int
e the prisoners, and voices raging frol
:. mockery to indignation bombarde
a him with questions. All Of which til
prisoner met with sullen silence an
d with looks that made the squad r
d treat a pace or two in spite Of th
frmness with which his captors bel
s him. Mrs. Delaroche's fading scream
e guided the little group to her apar
A. ment, where the hands Of ministerir
l. angels had adjusted her peignoir to il
II normal position upon her Junoesqr
X form and fastened its fluttering ri
n bons in becoming bows. She there r
o ceived the heroes of the man hui
with astonishing composure.
% us this the man who robbed 20
q madam" asked one of the men WI
D. had caught the burglar. He was Il
IA house detective. Stand behind hil
% Jim," he said to his colleague, pc
II ter with the fullback's shoulders.
II 1T must be- said Mrs. Delaroch
,r "but | cannot tell by his face. l d
If not see it. 1t looks like the ma
though. Make him speak"
n Rut that task was heyond the h0u