The Washington times., 1913-09-24

II of footsteps without, but I
heard nothing until the handle
OF the vestibule door was turned
and it swung creaking inward.
whoever it is cannot get in until you
open the door," said reassuringly.
He has key. Hide-oh, quickly
Upstairs
But / tell you I wish to meet him."
i answered.
Both of us could hear jingiing OF
keys in the vestibule-
For Heavens sake" she pleaded, i'm
pulsively placing her hands on my shoul-
ders and looking at me in abject terror
The brown eyes won again. / stepped
swiftly toward the portieres that screen
ed the hall, prepared to make dash
upstairs; but 1t was too late.
A key turned in the lock of the inner
door, and it swung open a couple OF
inches For a couple Of seconds the
door remained stationary, while the
owner Of the key was engaged removing
1t from the lock. The interval was long
enough to enable me to run swiftly to-
ward the rear of the library, the soft
carpet making my footsteps practically
noiseless.
There was a pair of heavy sliding
doors at the end of the room, evidently
opening into another apartment; but be-
fore 1 reached them I caught sight OF
another door that seemed to lead into
the hall. thus making second entrance
to the library. Then the hall door swung
wide, somebody entered, and i heard IT
close again
Ny hand was on the knob of the door
that opened to the rear part of the hall.
/ turned it softly and opened up crack
Of two or three inches. This end OF the
long hall was in comparative gloom.
Putting my eye close to the crack /
could see the figure of the tall man
standing under the light i could not
see the girl, but / imagined that she
was on the threshold of the library. He
was removing his coat in a leisurely
fashion, after which he turned and
tossed il carelessly on the old-fashioned
hall stand. His hat followed it. Then
ne stepped into the library
As he entered the room / quietly va
Gated if, at the other end, and stood
breathiess in the hall. j did not care
close the door behind me, but left it as
IL stood, half open. The hall, however,
was no place for concealment; it was
mere makeshift
upstairs" she had told me. Evil
Gently that was a place which Vinton
was unlikely to visit. / resolved to
make try for it, but to do SO 1t was
necessary to reach the foot of the
staircase, and that was opposite the
main entrance to the library.
I heard the creaking of a piece of
e. -
he had seated his huge bulk in one
of the chairs. Up to this time no word
had been spoken. l tiptoed~ carefully
along the hall toward the staircase.
As / neared the portieres he said
sharply:
who has been smoking?"
] held my breath. The cigar which
] had lighted on the porch was still
between my teeth.
"I have" heard her answer.
The steadiness of her voice aston
ished me. Then i could hear him sniff
ing.
TT smells like cigar" was his next
remark.
IA was a cigarette" she said firmly
He laughed shortly.
When did you pick up that trick?'
he inquired. Its new to me-
II smoke when 1 choose" she re-
piled. Have you any objection?"
Not in the least" There was q
faint irony in his voice. "Only''-he
was shifting again-"only it smells
like cigar"
I had been stealing softly forward
during this colIoquy. and was now at
the edge Of the curtains. Inch by inch
;eared forward until / caught a
glimpse Of her figure. She was stand
ing with Ter back toward the por-
there's. close to them, and one hand
had rarity drawn them together. Her
intent was plain. II was to give me
chance to make the stairs.
STOPPING low, / swung around the
newei post and went swiftly up the
heavily padded stairs. / placed by
feet close to the wall and the banis-
iers, SO as TO avoid any creaking OF
the treads. but near the top there was
dry old board that groaned in spite
of me.