The Delta independent., 1914-10-09

over tnlB Alan WrlnkleQ an fnCrous
ulous nose. The hand was the hand Of
Rose. but the phraseology was not in
her spirit. He examined II more close
ly and thought to detect beneath its
semblance OF haste deliberate and
carefully guided pen. He picked up
the envelope to compare the handwrit.
ing Of the address with that OF the en-
,closure-and shook out q trey Of
hearts.
This last was covered, as to its face.
with a plainly-written message.
with the compliments of Seneca
Trine TO Alan Law. We are due In
Chicago at eleven tomorrow morning
and leave Immediately for the Pacific
coast via Santa Fe route"
Comparison between this and the
message purporting to be from Rose
distilled the conviction that the same
hand was responsible for both.
Alan shrugged. So he was to be
lured away from New York and Rose
by this transparent trick. was he? No
fear!
He glanced at his watch. finding the
hour far too early to attempt what he
had in mind.
With plenty OF time on his hands.
he gave the matter serious considera-
tion and concluded to take no chances:
II was Just possible that Trine had
taken Rose with him on his western
trip. after all. In such case the only
possible way OF overtaking the special
would be by air line.
Promptly Alan called up the atla-
tion fields at Hampstead Plains and
got into communication with q gentle
man answering to the surname OF
Coast: the same birdman who had
come to Alan's rescue with his hydro
aeroplane.
Their arrangements werc quickly
consummated. Coast agreeing to wait
for Alan with his biplane in Van Cort.
landt park from midnight till daybreak,
prepared II need be to undertake .
transcontinentai flight.
Thereafter Mr.. Law proceeded to re-
habilitate himself In decent clothing
and his own esteem; after bathing, he
dined alone in his rooms. from q tray;
after dining he slept soundly for three
hours-and may be thought to have
earned at least that much rest through
having been for four hours passen-
ger in hydroaeroplane lost in fogs
that wrapped Long Island and all the
adjacent territory In an impenetrable
shroud
Nor had this been all. Leaving aside
all that had led up to Alan's rescue by
Coast: the forced landing OF the hydro
aeroplane for lack of fuel had taken
MI ar ha -
South bay: search OF hours had fol-
lowed before boat was found to con-
vey Alan and the aviator to the main
land; and motor run OF several hours
had followed that, conveying Coast to
his Hampstead hangers and Alan on
to his hotel in New York.
Another man would have needed
twelve hours in bed at the least to
compensate for such a day: Mr.. Law
awakened in a lamb-like temper when
called at eleven-thirty.
At midnight he committed an act OF
burglary. calmly and with determine
tion breaking his wny into the house
OF Seneca Trine through tho area win
dows and basement.
In this nefarious business nothing
hindered and none opposed him. But
for single lighted window in tho up
per tier (but not. he noted. the window
to Roses bedchamber) and one or two
lights which he found burning dim In
the kitchen Offices and other servants
quarters on the lower floor he would
have thought the house empty. The
silence OF an abandoned place in.
formed It all-below the upper story.
But he was not to be satisfied with
such negative evidence: he explored
the dwelling minutely, room by room,
story by story, passing with little in.
terest through apartments by every
sign dedicated to the tendency Of his
mortal enemy. intent on one object
only-to fnd Rose Trine. that one
woman whom he loved, or else make
sure she was not there.
Ito be continued)
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