The evening world., 1914-03-09

Mr.. Smart" said my secretary nsrv-
ously.
And there was smoke coming from
one Of the back chimney pots this
morning." added Britton.
Two abreast we filed through the
long. vaulted halls. Rudolph carrying
q gigantic lantern and Max q sledge.
II have not the keys" said old
Conrad Schrniek sourly. This door
has not been opened in any time. It
Is no use"
ut Is no use." repeated his grizzly
sons, leaning against the mouldy
walls with weary tolerance.
"Then how did tho woman and her
dog get into that part Of the CASTER"
I demanded. Tell me that"
They shook their heads, almost COM
passionately, as much as to say. 1T
IL always best to humor q mad man."
"And the baby" added Poopendyke.
turning UP his coat collar to protect
his thin neck from the draft that
smote US from the halls.
smash those padlocks, Max," I
commanded resolutely.
I'll bet he can't do IT," said Brit
ton ingeniously.
Very reluctantly Max barred his
great arms, spit upon his hands, and
with a pitiful look at his parents pre-
pared to deal the first blow upon the
ancient paddock. The old couple
turned their heads away and put
their fingers to their ears springing
like things about to be whipped.
Now. one-two-three!" cried I.
The sledge fell upon the paddock
and rebounded with almost equal
force. The sound Of the crash must
have disturbed every bird and bat in
the towers Of the grim old pile. But
tho paddock merely shed few scabs
of rust and ratified back into its Gus.
tomary repose.
"See!" cried Max triumphantiy. 1T
cannot be broken" Rudolph, his broad
face beaming. held the lantern close
to the paddock and showed me that u
hadn't been dented by the blow.
TT 10 very fine lock-" cried old
Conrad. with . note Of pride in his
voice.
1 began to feel some pride in the
thing myself. 1T Is, indeed" I said
TRY once more. Max"
1t seemed to mo that he struck with
great deal moro confidence than be-
fore, and again they all uttered ejac.
ulations Of pleasure. caught Dame
with her fingerA
, them angrily. "what does ali THU
mean? You are deceiving me. all OF
/ you. Now. let's have the truth--every
word OF tor out you go tomorrow
/ the whole lot Of you. insist on know
/ ing who that woman Is. why she Il
here In my hou-my castle. and
. everything. do you understand"
Apparently they didn't understand
!. for they looked at me with all thu
: stupidity they could command.
I "You try. Mr.. Poopendy'ke," said
giving II UP In despair He soush
= to improve on my German. but
lively refused to he intelligent.
. "Give me the hammer" said .
: last Ia desperation. Max surrendere
= the clumsy, old fashioned instrumer
. with q grin and I motioned for Their
all to stand back. Three successlv
= blows with all the might had In m
body failed to shatter the lock. where
. upon my choler rose to heights hith
!. erto unknown. I being a very milo
}. hammered. placid person and AYERS
. to anything savoring OF the tenn
: pestuous.
I delivered . savage and resound
Ing thwack upon the broad OAK pane
-. of the door, regardless OF the destruC
!. tiveness that might attend the enor
= II any one had told me that couldn
: splinter an oak board with a siedge
!, hammer at a single blow ! Shout
> have laughed In his face. But as
: turned out In this case i not oni
y failed to split the panel. but broke O
. the sledCr handle near the head, put
!. ting II wholly out OF commission 70
!. tho time being an we'll as stingin
y my hands no severely that l double
up with pain and shouted words tina
. Dame Schmick could not put into ne
y prayers.
The Schmicks fairly glowed Wit
: toy! Afterwards Max Informed m
that the door was nearly six inche
v thick and had often withstood IN
J. assaults of huge battering rams, bac
In the dim past when occasion 1T
duced the primal baron to seek safet
y IN the east wing. which. after al
y appears to have been the real, simon
% pure fortress.
As we trudged back TO the lowe
J. halls, defeated but none the less In
10 pressed by our failure to devastat
II our stronghold. l was struck by II
., awful barrenness' OF the surrounding
Herr Schmick." said ]. abrupt
y hating my party In the centre OF u
a hoM W~hat haa hanna of thu rul