The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1912-03-08
CHAPTER xxII.-(Continued.)

ITO head off the Hindoos,' cried
Britt. Let's get a cab" But the
last taxieab on the Renaissance stand
had been chartered an hour before
by sWarthy man who seemed to be
In great haste. That much Britt
learned from the inspector in charge
of the stand. Britt and Fitch round.
ed the corner of the hotel Close to
the curb stood a private coupe The
coachman doubtless on long wait
was nodding sleepily. Britz jerked
open door o. the carriage.
Jump In, quick" he cried, and
Fitch, who long ago had learned to
carry out Britt suggestions without
stopping to ask questions, sprang into
the cab. Britz slammed the door with
a violence that awoke the coachman.
Before the driver could utter a word
of protest the athletic detective
reached the box beside him In single
leap, pushed him off with a shove
that landed the amazed iehu on his
hands and knees on the sidewalk,
Seized the reins. snatched the whip,
and put the horse to gailop. AS he
sped away, he hastily changed the
whip to the hand that held the rib
bons, and, whipping from his pocket
a card that read, Observation-Disclosures
ant Britt, Police Headquarters" he
flung It at the PROSTATE coachman
with the words: Call there ton1or.
row for your rig"
Then, with the horse straning at
the traces in indignant surprise, Britz
drove at breakneck speed down the
avenue, turning sharply at the first
convenient corner and heading east
toward the mysterious brownstone
dwelling wherein he had held his In
teresting interview In regard TO the
ways of the Orient with the Eastern
sage.
The galloping horse and the sway
ing carriage shook the echoes of the
silent streets, and at several avenue
crossings traffic policemen started to
halt the Central Office man. But in
each instance the detective shouted:
I'm Britt, of Headquarters" and
that averted interruption as he dashed
on toward the Swamis house at top
speed. Arriving there, he hastily
handed the ribbons to patrolman
who CHANGED to be at that end Of tho
beat, and, followed closely by Fitch,
he ran up the steps and pushed the
button of the elecric bell. Inside the
house, the burr-rr of the little gong
sounded piercingly. Britt and Fitch
listened impatiently at the outer door
OF the vestibule for responsive steps,
but none came. Then the detective
recalled the thickness Of the rugs and
carpets in the house, and did not at
once conclude no one was within.
Until he had rung the bell several
times in vain he did not accept the
fact that the house either was unten-
anted, or was occupied by persons
who did not see fit to answer. A word
to the bluecoat on the sidewalk. &C
companied by a flash of a shield on
the detectives waistcoat, had told
him the visit was a matter Of police
business. Then Britx ran down the
steps and tried the basement door.
The detective was equally unsuccess'
full in his demands to obtain re,
Spouse to his ring of the lower bell,
He ran up tho steps again and once
more pushed the button OF the elec
trio call. No answer come. Britz
turned the handle OF the door. To his
establishment, 1t turned freely, and
at a gentle push the door swung in
ward. The inner door OF the vestibule
was ajar. Britz and Fitch entered
cautiously. Their feet fell silently on
the heavy Oriental rug. They found
themselves in complete darkness
The glimmer from the street lamp did
not penetrate more than foet OF two
beyond the inner door. Britz whisked
out bis electric torch and turned Its
miniature headlight ON the passage
and on the area leading to the upper
part OF the house.
"Hello," he called. rs anybody
In"
Silence as heavy and oppressive d
sh> yn.i~~s. bnyond thu ra1io nra al