Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-06-25

ed. On the fifth roof there was moth
ing. but on the roof of the last house.
where the pale woman had answered
the door. he found by diligent search
ing n little gold finger ring set with a
tiny turquoise surrounded by rose dia-
monds. He put it in his pocket with
a strange thrill at the contact.
This last trapdoor was evidently
locked ON the inside. for it resisted all
his efforts. but he was desperate now
and looked about for some tool with
which to smash it in. He was CONT
dent that the appeal for help had come
from the last house and that the in
mates had fed along the roofs, locking
the different traps in their fight so
that help could. not reach them through
the houses intervening between the
last ana the first.
There was an iron rod fallen from
the support of "a chimney stack. and
Harley used it to pry under the edge
of the trap and break the rotten
boards. He was able to reach his
hand inside and unfasten the hook In
another instant he was down the lad
der and running from room to room Of
the house.
Far below in the basement he heard
the sound of q heated argument, and
before going down he paused before
a closed door. He turned the knob,
and it resisted his efforts. A girls
frightened sob was his answer.
Let me ina friend" he whispered
through the keyhole. and the door tim
idly opened after heavy piece of fur
niture had been rolled away.
Harley slipped inside, rolled the
dresser up against the door and faced
the girl in the dim light of the darken-
ed room.
She was little creature with dark,
piquant face framed in misty black
hair. Her red lips We're parted in ter
ror. and her brown eyes sought his ap-
pealingly as she shrank against the
farther wall of the room.
"Oh. who are you" she gasped.
"Are you really a frierd?"
YES" he said practically. "You tel.
ephoned for help?
Yes; l had Just a moment. and
asked for the first number that came
| into my head. They tore the receiver
| from my hand before l could finish.
| oh. 1t is dreadful, dreadful" She sob
bed quietly.
Its all right now" soothed Harley.
| "My partner is coming along now with
policeman. Tell me what happened,
| please"
! II am an artist. i was painting here
| in 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
old pictures that she had. She said
she thought one of them was IN old
master. / went inside, taking my
easel and color box with me. AS soon
! as was inside the door she closed it
| and pounced upon me and searched
i. me for money and valuables. Some
| one called her from another room, and
darted to a telephone and Gales be-
| fore they caught me. Then they be-
came frightened and hurried me up
stairs to the roof and along the roofs
of the other houses until we came to
this first one. dropped tubes of paint
all the way along, hoping some one
might trail me, and droppedsmy little
turquoise ring at this house. The wo-
| man thrust me in here, and / barricad-
ed the door. She has been quarreling
dreadfully with some one in the base
ment, and then you came"
"You are safe enough now" said
Harley. "Hark. What's that? There
was q sudden clatter in the paved
street. the gong Of a police wagon and
| bo of
fed up the stairs and were lost In the
upper regions of the house.
Harley went to the window and
| smashed open the nailed shutters.
"Rogersr' 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 taxicab and es-
corted Miss Deland to her studio. by
| the way, must return this TO you"
he said as he held her hand for n mo-
ment 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. tile
knowledge that she was free. the IN
timaey of their sudden meeting and
the promise Of a future friendship diz.
Zied the cool headed young lawyer.
"Well?' remarked Rogers impatient.
ly as Harley flung himself into a chair
and looked dreamily out of the win
dow. Pretty quick business. ehT'
| YES" agreed Harley. still dreamIly.
mo. 13 was an unlucky number for
that girl" asserted Bob. lighting his
pipe.
"No. 10 is the luckiest number in the
world under some circumstances" con-
tradicted Harley. with a happy sigh