The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1913-08-30

II were q tube OF green paint anu green
| tracks to follow up ladder that led tc
, trap in the roof. 1t was fastened
4 from the outside.
4 Harley set his shoulder against II
4 and strained. Again and again he ex
erted all his strength, and at last the
h rotted wood gave way, and he hurled
\ the door aside and emerged hot anc
Il brea thless upon the roof, where ne
picked up little white handkerchief
He went along the fat roof of the
Il adjoining house and saw that the traI
H was fastened from the roof side. Or
/ the roof Of the third house was a tube
zof black paint on top of the locked trap
q On the fourth house was small tub'
10f green paint, and the trap was lock
Led. On the fifth roof there was moth
hing, but on the roof Of the last house
where. the pale woman had answered
btsthe door, he found by diligent search
ding little gold finger ring set with
tiny turquoise surrounded by rose dia
monds. He put it in his pocket will
IA strange thrill at the contact.
This last trapdoor was evidentl!
locked on the inside, for it resisted al
his efforts, but he was desperate nov
|Ssand looked about for some tool witt
|Thich to smash it in. He was conf
lent that the appeal for help had COM
from the last house and that the in
1ates had fled along the roofs, locking
{ lie different traps in their flight 81
hat help could not reach them through
EEe houses intervening between tn
ast and the first.
lJThere was an iron rod fallen from
the support of a chimney stack, ant
MARLEY used it to pry under the edg
I5o& the trap and break the rottel
Eboards He was able to reach hi
lhand inside and unfasten the hook. II
Eanother instant he was down the lad
IAaer and running from room to room o
the house
Far below in the basement he hear
fs5the sound of heated argument, ant
Ebefore going down he paused befor
- closed door. He turned the knot
fSnd it resisted his efforts. A girl
Sightened sob was his answer.
Let me ina friend" he whispere
fhrough the keyhole, and the door tim
id1y opened after heavy piece of ful
t3niture had been rolled away.
Harley slipped inside, rolled tn
f1fesser up against the door and face
ll,o girl in the dim light Of the darker
&56 room.
She was little creature with darl
III '{.}jlouant face framed in misty blac
kair. Her red lips were parted in tel
II III, and her brown eyes sought his az
~ 6lingly as she shrank against tn
IEfher wall of the room.
oh, who are you:" she gaspet
y nFe you really friend:"
fes," he said practically. "You te
onned for rshelp?"
ea; / had just a moment, and
Tor the first number that cam
my head They. tore the receive
"a s:sasss E ::aoI. "a zffniGj
- II IS dreadful. dreadfulr' She sob
quietly.
It's all right now," seothed Harley.
Ny partner is coming along now with |
j policeman. Tell me what happened, |
please"
az am an artist. l was painting here |
II the court-the row Of old time
houses attracted me-when a woman
came out OF the other end house and
asked me to come in and see some very
bid pictures that she had. She said
3he thought one of them was an old
master. l went inside, taking my
easel and color box with me. AS soon
IS was inside the door she closed 1t
ind pounced upon me and searched
me for money and valuables. Some
,ne called her from another room, and
darted to telephone and called be-
fore they caught me. Then they be-
came frightened and hurried me up
stairs to the roof and along the roofs
81 the other houses until we came to
this first one. I dropped tubes of paint
Ill the way along, hoping some one
might trail me, and dropped my little
turquoise ring at this house. The wo-
man thrust me in here, and barricad-
ID the door. She has been quarreiing
with some one In the base
ment, and then you came"
"You are safe enough now,'' said
Harley. "Hark! What's that?" There
was a sudden clatter in the paved
street, the gong Of police wagon and
the sound of many voices. Footsteps
ded up the stairs and were lost in the
upper regions Of the house
Harley went to the window and
smashed open the nailed shutters.
lRegersr' he called sharply, and Bob
Rogers and several policemen ran up
the steps Of the house. In five min
utes they had cornered the pale faced
woman and her confederate in the end
house and placed them under arrest.
Harley sent for a taxicab and es-
corted Miss Deland to her studio. by
the way, l must return this to you,'
he said as he held her hand for mo-
Aent in farewell, and he slipped the
little turquoise and diamond ring on
her engagement finger.
''It doesn't belong there" She blush
ed warmly and transferred it to the
right hand.
Harley's heart sang within him as he
returned to the offices. where his part
ner awaited his return. Something In
the touch Of that soft little hand, the
knowledge that she was free, the in
timacy Of their sudden meeting and
the promise of future friendship diz-
zied the cool headed young lawyer.
"Well?" remarked Rogers impatient
ly as Harley flung himself into chair
and looked dreamiiy out of the win
dow. ''Pretty quick business. eh?"
"Yes," agreed Harley, still dreamily.
"No. 13 was an unlucky number for
that GIRL" asserted Bob. lighting his
pipe.
"No. 13 is the luckiest number In the
world under some circumstances" con-
tradicted Harley, with happy sigh.
Diarrhoea Quickly Cured.
81 was taken with diarrhoea, and