The Ordway new era., 1912-04-05
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cling had been very skilfully cut away
Just beyond the gas Jet, and heavy
gauze substituted. strengthened with
boards at the back and painted an ex-
act copy of the real wood. Lying there.
the man could dimly see into the hall.
but owing to the gauze being right
back of the gas Jet 1t was impossible
for those who passed by to see any.
thing suspicious. unless they were
particularly looking for 1t.
1.-THE man simply lay there and
chose his own time for throwing that
shadow on the wall. The gauze at one
small point was very. very thin. the
box was showed up nat against 1t. and
the shadow appeared on the opposite
wall. being light or heavy according
to the time Of day. and according to
whether the gas was on full or not.
The man who arranged that little ap.
paratus must have been a genius, In
his own way. The idea. OF course. was
to frighten everyone from the house.
and then to buy in the place for the
society"
Young Danvers drew a long breath.
He had stood motionless during Rand's
revelation OF his fathers criminality,
but now he pulled himself together
sharply.
II thank you, SIR" he said. for tell.
ing me the truth. II you will excuse
me now l will return to my mother
and sister," He turned away. but al.
most Immediately came back to ask.
with an anxious face: do you think It
safe for US to continue living here, Mr..
Rand"
NO." replied Rand. "for as long as
q member Of the society is left alive
they will watch this place and try to
get revenge for what they will prob.
ably regard as an act OF treachery on
the part OF your mother. The house Is
heavily guarded tonight. but should
advise you to go quietly away In the
early morning."
When he had gone I whispered to
Rand:
"Camorra?"
"Yes"
Rand"
"What!"
"You know what-how did you
know?
II didn't. but there was Just one
thing was sure OF when you finished
your tale Of the shadow and that was
that 1t must be thrown from the other
wall. and rs there was absolutely moth.
ing to be seen on the opposite wall. It
must be that some one was working
the thing from behind the wall. Just
as n matter Of interest l looked up
the record OF some famous Italian
criminals. for I was sure that some
Italian blood lay there. II you will
remember our conversation, you will
sec why"
shook my head.
well. Miss Danvers' typo Is the
italian type. knew that you espe-
cially admired Italian girls. How often
have I teased you when you have
looked after some black.eyed little
sweatshop worker? Then. the boy
having light eyes and hair and q
swarthy skin: you'll hardly find any
race but Italians and negroes in
which tho coloring OF the skin persists
after hair and eyes have had north.
ern stamp. Eugenics. you see.
Nov. who is most superstitious
among the nations OF Europe? Tho
Italians. Who would. most probably,
have the Imagination to evolve such a
piece OF deviltry as that shadow?
Italians. Who manages to kill on OBJ
noxious people suddenly. SO that they
appear to die natural deaths? Hush!-
Yes. I'm afraid SO. Well. aren't 81.
cilians famous for that? And where is
the stamping ground Of tho most ini-
nm aAhl
In Sicily. And isn't Italy getting too
hot for them? And where would be the
best place to transfer their most i'm.
por,ant documents and possessions?
To new country. whose government
Is such q fool that It does not rigidly
inspect all comers? Eh? Well, there
you have the train OF reasoning"
"And the candles. Rand? What were
they for?"
why. don't you sec? had made up
my mind that somebody behind the
wall was casting that shadow. and I
smoked him out. Tom and I lit those
candles. after We had discovered the
little place in the laundry wall where
he got into the wall. and we opened
that place. put the candles In and
wedged piece Of tho furnace poker
q piece Of iron rs long as your body
and two inches thick-across the little
space between the walls where the
person who had made It came down
and out. You get the idea? The man
up above could not get down and put
out the candles and in short time
he would be sufYocated. unless he had
the nerve to call out for help. II he
had. the whole house would have heard
him and his life might have been
saved. I was expecting a figh. any
moment. We gradually got five OF our