The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1912-02-02

an important talk with the million.
aire. admitted Britt readily to Sands
suite.
Britz, sitting in a great leather
armchair in an attitude Of sybaritic
ease, chose a panatela from his pocket
case, and then, with his eyes fixed on
the ceiling and his hands clasped at
the back OF his neck, he gave himself
up to as many moments Of unlnter-
rupted thought as the non-arriyal of
the unconscious host would permit.
He had reached a point In his medita-
tons that for an instant seemed to
open way for an explanation, for
which he had come to see Sands,
when faint rustling in the adjoining
room reached his acute ear.
A ribbon of subdued light between
portieres Of Moorish leather gave pas
sage to his glance. He saw a shadow
flutter at far window and, in the
next instant, rapidly and noiselessly.
he had slid out Of the armchair until
he was on his knees on the rug be-
hind the shelter Of library table
piled high with books. Inch by inch,
soundless, Britt lifted one knee until
his foot rested firmly on the floor;
inch by inch, still without sound, he
raised the other. When he was fairly
on his feet, but in crouching attitude,
he halt walked, half crawled, around
the table by the longer way, until he
was close to the portieres. Britt was
too good a sleuth to make the mistake
of looking between the portieres to
get a glimpse Of the inner room. It
was no part Of his program to be seen
by Sands other visitor, or visitors.
He felt justified in giving way to his
curiosity because 1t might be as much
to the millionaires interests as to his
own-to say nothing of Mrs. Mission
er's, and that Of the public. In fact,
the headquarters man did not waste
much time in such reflections. He
wanted to see and hear what was 60
ing on, and he took the readiest
means Of doing so. Instead Of risking
the danger of being seen between the
parting Of the porueres, he pierced
with his scarf pin tiny hole in the
leather curtain behind which he stood,
and applying one eye closely, he could
see the whole inner room. It was the
millionaires bedroom, and he com.
manded everything except the angle
in which was set the window where
he had glimpsed the shadow. A slight
ly more vigorous twist or two of the
pin enlarged the microscopical aper.
ture, so that he could see even that
detail Of the interior. Britz almost
grunted with satisfaction at. what he
witnessed in the next few minutes.
The shadow man was still at the win
dow, fluttering. fitting to and fro.
rising and falling. 1t crouched out.
side the window in such a way as
showed Britt 1t was on fire escape
or balcony of some sort. The rust
ling sound increased, and it was fol-
lowed by faint "cheep," like a spar.
rows call. A second shadow fluttered
from a point above the window and
melted into the outlines of the first.
Then came slightly rasping sound.
and the lower sash, Britt noticed,
trembled. BY well-nigh imperceptible
degrees the sash was lifted. The next
instant two men noiselessly lowered
themselves to the floor and glanced
hastily about the room. Reassured by
the swift look, they tiptoed along the
walls from right to left; one of them
stopped at chiffonier, the other con-
tinued his little Journey of investiga.
ton until he arrived at the portieres.
Then it was that Britt held his
breath. He held it for seconds that
seemed as tedious as hours, while the
nearer Of the strange visitors, sepa.
rated from him only by the thickness
Of the leather, peered through the
parting between the curtains into the
library where the detective stood.
Britt had not obtained a good view
of the intruder's face, for It was half
hidden by loose fold Of the turban
upon his head that indicated the
strangers nationality. Britz's eyes
still were fixed at the hole, and
by that time the stranger was
out Of his line Of vision. Had
such not been the case, 1t is
possible that even the imper-
turbable Britz would have moved
at least to the extent Of a swift reach
to a side pocket in his coat. For 1t
was about az evil a countenance q
ono could expect to see anywhere,
save under the shadow of the gallows.
In Its rapacity, ferocity, blood thirst.
ness and cruelty Of every degree
spoke loudly. II that savage face had
advanced an inch or two nearer, those
snaky eyes would have seen the man
from Mulberry street who shrank into
himself behind the shelter of the pro-
tecting strip Of leather. But 1t did
not; and, after leisurely survey OF
the interior, the Oriental returned to
the other end of the inner room and
rejoined his companion.
Hardly had Britz begun to let the
air seep out of his lungs, and before
he had INDUCED in the luxury of an
intake of breath, when he became an
interested spectator in the gentleman