Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1912-02-23

theless, he had battered himself that
he usually made pretty thorough
search for anything he wanted; but
what he saw through that tiny pin
hole in the leather portiere showed
him that he was the veriest tyro in
that sort of thing. The two visitors
went through the millionaires furnt
ture and other possessions with min
uteness that would have made a fine
tooth comb look like q garden rake
There could not have remained any
thing-any nook or corner, any crack
or crevice, not anything larger than
bacillus which they happened To
covet II an article no bigger than q
pinhead had been the object Of their
hunt their untiring scrutiny would
have brought It to light. Yet so deity
had they searched that. granting them
a minutes respite, the7 could have left
the room without any traces Of thes
activity.
Their search seemed fr1itless urt1
'eney arrived at desk under hang
! ing incandescent lamp, at which Britt
assumed Sands was In the habit OF
writing his more personal letters
From one Of the pigeon-holes. one OF
the intruders drew something that
cracked slightly as the man stuffed It
into the folds of his tunic. From
neighboring compartment of the desk.
the second stranger drew another ind.
which be In turn hastily hid In the
same way. With lightning rapidity.
they went through every part Of the
desk. In that same instant Britt felt
rather than heard footstep behind
him. and, jerking a glance over his
shoulders. saw Sands advancing upon
him angrily. With q quick uplift OF
his hand, the detective stopped the
millionaire In his tracks, and then
drew him quietly toward the portiere
and motioned for him 10 look through
the hole in the leather. Sands bent q
little. and then glanced wonderingly
into the bedroom. He raised face
Of astonished inquiry to Britt. He was
answered by another silencing ges'
ture from the sleuth He looked once
luOA0 III oubu luC liu1 uOlC Just AZ
time to see the Hindoos straighten
themselves from their crouching at
titude over the desk and turn toward
the window. His hand thrust itself
into his coat pocket, he slipped into
the opening in the portieres with
single stride. and, ieveling an auto
matte pistol that looked more like
block Of steel than anything else. he
cried: Hands upl"
The men did not turn; instead. they
leaped for the window. followed by
Britt and Sands. Quick as they were.
they were not quick enough for the
Headquarters man. Launching hin
wiry form as a tiger springs. Britz
pistol In hand, hurled himself between
the foremost Indian and the open win
dow and seized him In his strong
grasp. Sands. almost as rapid in his
movements in spite Of his bulk, hung
powerful arm about the throat OF
the other intruder. and with his other
hand closed the window with q crash
Britt and Sands dragged their pris
oners to the other side of the room
and forced them down upon couch.
Then the sleuth, slipping his pistol
back into bis pocket, seized the Indian
Sands was holding by the throat, and.
more as an order than q request, ask
ed the millionaire to bind the cap
tives.
Il think / recognize you. my dear
young friends" he said. you are
two OF the dark jugglers who had fun
with me in Central Park and River.
side Drive last evening. think it's
about time for me to return the COM
pliment with a merry little jest Of my
own" Turning his head to the mil
lionaire, he said again: "If you have
any silk handkerchiefs to spare, Mr..
Sands, please use them as handcuffA
These gentlemen are accustomed To
silk, and | would not like to use any
thing cheaper on them than they used
on me. l suppose II We trussed them
up with cotton or hemp. they'd die oa
modification"
The detectives sarcasm was lost
on Sands until he thought to recount
in a few brief words his abduction In
the park and the struggle for life that
had followed It, II was evident that
in spite of the detectives GOODNESS. he
had some feeling on the subject. In
fact. his manner toward the now COW.
ering Hindoos was more or less TO
vengeful. Sands fell In with the hui
NOR o; the situation. and In a very
few minutes the Fasteners were
bound with silk handkerchiefs as Soft
yet strong. as any scarf they could
have produced in the bazaars OF Cab
cutta or Cawnpore. When the task
was done, and It was done pretty neat
ly. Britt relaxed his hold on the halls
struggling mems threats and pushed
them against the back Of the sofa up'
til they half-sat, halliday there. head
to head. Then he stepped back, rest
ed his hands on his hips. and eyed
them mockingly.
Gro BE coNT1NUED)