The Washington herald., 1912-06-02

sawswhere in a certain place the lining
showed signs Of stitching, as though
something had been sewn inside the
pocket. De thrust his hand there.
lhere was an opening, but it was
empty He tried the other side, but in
vain. Then he began slowly 10 realize
that tins search of his was doomed 10
end IN failure. There was nowhere else
to look He glanced at his watch. Al
though It seemed to him that he had
been in the little room for hours, he
had indeed been there for barely hve
minutes
He moved toward the door, opened il
softly, and listened outside in the cor
ridor. There was no sound Of anyone
stirring, no sign of life or movement
anywhere. He returned to the room
and renewed his search. One BY one
he lifted up the different articles of
clothing and felt in the pockets. His
search was rewarded with the discov-
cry OF a single halfpenny in an odd
waistcoat pocket He left the clothes
alone then and went through the pa
perS once more, with a similar lack of
success. Softly he opened ali the draw
ers, ransacked the wardrobe, searched
every inch Of the room. When at last
he desisted, It was because there was
nowhere else to look, nothing else to
attempt He stood up in the middle of
the room and drew a little Breath. He
had found nothing, nothing had tran
splred to compensate in any way for
the risk which he had run. Yet there
was one consolation. II was scarcely
possible that Ruby Sinclair could be
more successful than he. The paper
which might make her fortune and ruin
him was not here.
Deane turned at last toward the door.
There was no need for him to prolong
the risk he ran. He would return to
his room, and leave the hotel later in
the morning.
He took few cautious steps toward
the door. Suddenly he stopped short
and held his breath. Very slowly he
turned his head. and listened intently.
Someone was stirring in the next room.
There was a connecting door, hidden
by curtain, and even as he stood there
he heard the handle shake as though
It were being turned. He leaned for
ward and turned out the electric light.
Standing there in the darkness he dis
tinctly heard a key inserted in the lock
Of the hidden door. He heard il softly
opened and the curtain pushed back.
There was someone else IN the room,
someone else whom he could not see,
someone else who also took an interest
in the effects of the murdered man!
There was an interval of several sec
onds-it seemed minutes-it might well
have been hours. Then the stealthy
footsteps came toward him A little
stiff rustic of drsperies proclaimed the
sex of the intruder. Without a seconds
warning, the electric light flashed out
all over the room. The girl would
have screamed. but Deane, who was
prepared, leaned forward, and his hand
suddenly closed over her mouth. She
looked at him with dilated eyes.
YOU she exclaimed Your
Good Cod p he answered. "Wini-
fred Rowanp'
Their mutual surprise was something
paralyZing. They drew apart and look
ed at one another as they might have
done at ghosts.
What do you want here?" he asked
hoarsely.
Was it his fancy, he wondered, or
did her lips curl for moment in some
thing like mockery?
Il came to repay a debt" she whis-
pered. Il came to ind the paper which
you are afraid may fall into someone
else's hands. l came to search for It,
but it is not here"
And l." Deane answered
You have found it, perhap'?' she
exclaimed
He shook his head 1t IS gone"
Perhaps he never had i" she whis-
pered.
Deane shook his head. He was being
led away by the excitement, the tense
ness of the moment-the unexpected
ness of the whole situation. He show
ed it to me-" he answered, only just
before that night
"Ahw
The monosyllable seemed to leave her
lips dry. She moistened them with her
tongue, and moved a little toward him.
There was something in her face which
he could not recognize. And then, be-
fore further speech was possible, they
heard something which, coming so un-
sxpectedly against such a background
Of silence, terrified them both. An elec-
.ric bell somewhere close at hand was
ringing out its sharp summons into the
night.
What is that" Deane asked quick
Someone is ringing from one Of the
numbers opposite" she answered. Get
,ack to your room quickly. They have
heard US talking. Someone will be in
lere to search"
But you| he objected
Il am safe" she answered. 7 am
IN duty on this floor. l have some
hing to do in the next room. QuickP
He slipped from the door. The little
tide corridor was as yet empty. For a
iecond or two he listened intently.
There were no footsteps as yet audible
n the main corridor. In half a dozen
wifi strides he reached the door of
us own room, turned the handle, and
,assed inside. Almost Immediately
here were footsteps in the corridor
outside. The bell of the. room opposite
vas answered. Again silence The
seconds grew into minutes, and the
minutes passed. away. Then his door
vas suddenly opened from the outside,
oftly and silently. Winifred Rowan
TODD there on the threshold Of his
oom, with the handle of the door still
n her hand. and to his fancy there was
ominous m the way she
ooked at him.
You need search no more" she said.
/ have found the paper"
He held out his hand. The reward
5 yoursw he declared.
She drew away from him. Il shall