The Washington times., 1913-09-26
Now Read On
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CHAPTER VII.

7 WAITED little while, listening to
make sure he had gone. and then
began cropping about the table to
see If there was lamp. My hand
nnaily found what proved to be an cleo
had the place illuminated.
The room in which 1 had sought con-
cealment from the tall man was large
although not more than half the size
OF the great library downstairs. AT
sort. but as 1 viewed it further it
seemed to be a curiously incongruous
combination of office, study, museum
and laboratory. 1t was not at all like
become in an inspection of it that l
did not think OF Vinton, and forgot my
own feeling Of shame at having PLAYED
what seemed a pusillanimous role dur
ing the last half-hour
The table was a very businessliKe
piece Of office furniture. Upon it were
q large writing-pad. a number Of books.
a basket for letters at one end and a
cabinet Of three small drawers whose
markings indicated that they contained
a card-index. AT one side Of the table
was typewriter-stand with machine
upon IT: at the other a debating phono-
graph.
One end of the apartment, that nearer
to the door, was entirely covered with
shelves inclosed in glass cases. They
contained a mineral collection and in
Vulnerable small pieces of pottery and
carved images, some of the latter
shelves ran along the side of the room
the side that formed part of the outer
wall of the house-their continuity being
broken only by large fireplace set
with andirons. but bereft OF any logs
Or signs OF a recent fire.
One section of these shelves was en-
tirely given over to monograph cylinders.
There were literally thousands of them,
grouped into subdivisions that were
marked with letters and numbers. /
judged that the card-index related TO
them and that they were kept as records
of some sort 1t seemed an odd fashion
in which TO preserve records.
Out of curiosity l took one of the
cylinders from a shelf and slipped it
into the phonograph. turning the switch
and placing the receivers to my ears.
The voice was that of man. by the
accent evidently a fellow-coUntryma {;
but the words were French, a language
which do not understand. / replaced
the record on the shelf after listening
for a moment. and resumed my tour Of
the room
The shelves beyond the fireplace con-
tanned a motley collection of electrical
instruments, tools, few books on
chemistry, more minerals. some stuffed
birds several trays OF old coins, a
tumble OF various kinds Of metallic ore
arranged without apparent order. nau-
tical instruments, including a collection
of conpasses which contained specimens
had never seen before. plaster
etatuettes, miniature models Of boats,
and dozens of other objects of which
knew not the use. and which seemed
to be arranged without order OF dis
elimination. The disarray OF this part
Of the room Was in sharp contrast to
the precision with which the collection
Of talking machine records was grouped
and indeXed. The farther end of the
apartment, next TO the windows, which
was given up 10 a chemical laboratory.
On the opposite side was a work bench
with an electrically operated lathe and
an exceedinly fine outfit of instruments
Tor working in metals.
wandered back to the table and
picked up a leather-bound volume that
bore the outward appearance Of
ledger. 1t was not record of accounts,
however. but apparently contained the
results of series of chemical expert
ments. There We're many mathematical
calculations on its pages and some words
that / could recognize. although all the
written matter was in French.
Then j suddenly remembered the girl
downstairs. whose presence in the house
the strange conglOmeration of the room
had for the time completely driven from
my mind ! went out into the hall and
called:
Miss Donaldson,''
There was no reply, and ] repea ted
the call in a louder tone. Still no an
swer.
As / went down the stairs I noted
that Vinton's hat and coat were missing
from the stand She was not in the hall.
When ! reached the foot Of the stair