The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1914-12-29

UCLIcI let It'll uelp Us anu lie tudt
wire as he advises. I'm going now.
You will wake up in a moment. This
priest man told me after l had given
you the message to drop this out of my
hand and the dream would end. So
here goes. Goodbye"
Owen saw Hicks hold out his hand
over a table and drop small black
shiny object upon it. AS it dropped
Hicks vanished and Owen awoke. He
heard sharp snap and saw something
black and shiny on the table. For a
moment the secretary sat quietly in
his chair staring at the table and max
ing sure that he was dreaming no
longer. Then he examined the black
object. 1t was the scarab which old
Mr. Marvin had removed from the folds
of the mummy. An image of the BEETLE
which Egypt held sacred, carved in
black stone Owen had not noticed
the scarab before his short nap and he
could not account for it being in his
room anyway He helped himself to
another half grain of morphine and sat
for half an hour silent and almost
motionless, looking out the window
at the impartial stars.
In few moments Owen donned his
motorcycling suit, up-toed downstairs
noiselessly went out the back door
and was soon trundling his big two
cylinder motorcycle from the garage.
He was careful to push it out of the
Marvin premises onto the highway
before lighting his lamp and starting.
The secretary had taken to the motor
cycle as one of the results of his in
sommia. Someone had recommended
motoring as a sleep inducer. He could
not expect to take the Marvin car
out at all times of the night, as he
could the little two-wheeled motor.
In the small hours Of the night along
deserted roads the solitary rider had
covered many thousands of miles.
This night he traversed the distance
to the aviation field in less time than
either Of the cars had made the day
before.
Arriving at the field just at dawn,
he found it as deserted as the spectral
Hicks had promised, and walked about
without seeing anyone. From the
tool-kit of his motorcycle Owen took
two files of different snaps. and pair
of pliers. He walked briskly and fear
lessly over the uneven ground to the
hangers Ali were closed except one,
and that contained the French ma
chine in which Pauline was to ascend.
|
would be open He knew in advance
that he would find mechanic on
guard and sound asleep. Everything
would turn out as Hicks had told him
and he felt perfectly secure Hit
only doubt was as to his own reality.
The fact that he could attempt MUIR
der in this way and not feel trace Of
worry seemed unreal. Perhaps he
was a dream just as Hicks was Ht
wondered If he were really standing
in front of the aeroplane listening t.
the snores of the French mechanic Of
in bed asleep in his own room. Whose
snores were they, the Frenchman's O.
his own? Morphine plays such quee
tricks.
Whether real or unreal, awake o
asleep, the business of the moment wa
the filing of that wire. Owen recog
= nized it readily and found it not to b
single wire, as he had supposed, bu
slender cable composed OF man
a strands. These strands resisted hi
Id file and even the clipper attached t
so his pliers. After what seemed a
art hours work he had weakened or broB
lat en- enough of the metal threads so tina
M the cable stretched perceptibly at tina
IN, point. To do more might cause tn
ny cable to break at once and betray wha
rer had been done.
a Owen hurriedly returned to his ma
ng chine and dashed back to the hous
list through the beautiful morning air
the Marvin home Servants were stil
ring in their rooms and the gardene
me- was engaged in shaking some sort {
ity powder from a can onto a bare spt
Ter on the front lawn. He glanced up ;
,at Owen without surprise, for these earl
NV rides were known to be an old hab
his of the secretary
he Owen took the machine to the ga
nj age, satisfied that there was nothin
led guilty in his appearance or the gart
ener would have noted it. Steppin
ire out of the garage he met Harry an
w." could not help starting perceptibl
Harry looked him in the eye, and thel
an was nothing for Owen to do but stal
ce steadily back The notion that
! I guilty man avoids the eye of am hone
out person is wrong, as all detectives al
ing others who must match their wi
ON against malefactors we'll know.
ion you are up very early, Owen sa
len Harry, looking at the dust on the m
his torcyclist's clothes
He Eyes, have been for a long ride.
He think the morning air does me good
SO You don't look WELL Owen WI
don't you go to bed today. I'll tai
IAN Polly to the meet"
hat NO thanks. | wouldn't miss seen
low Miss Pauline fly" said Owen firml
Each man felt suspicion of the otht
i. Harry entered the garage, careful
use locked the door. pulled down t
our shades of the small windows and lift
to up the bonnet of the big car Now W
ght his last chance.
ken (To be continued