The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1914-11-13


uloqs nose. The hand was the hand OF
Rose, but the phraseology was not in
her spirit. He examined 1t more close
Iy 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 shock out u trey of
hearts.
This last was covered. as to it's face,
with a plainly-written message.
with the compliments OF Seneca
Urine to Alan Law. We arc 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 BIO
lured away from New York and Rose
by this transparent trick, was he? No
fear!
lie 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-
ton aud concluded to take no chances:
It was just possible that Urine 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 avia-
ton fields at Hampstead Plains and
got into communication with gentle
man answering to the surname of
Coast: the same birdman who had
come TO Alan's rescue with his hydro.
aeroplane.
Their arrangements were quickly
contaminated. Coast agreeing to wait
for Alan with his blplane in Van Cort-
landt park from midnight till daybreak,
prepared II need be to undertake
transcontlnenta flight.
Thereafter Mr.. Law proceeded to re.
habtlitate himself in decent clothing
and his own esteem; after bathing, he
dined alone in his rooms. from 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 III n hydroaeropIane lost in fogs
thut wrapped Long Island and all the
adjacent territory in an impenetrable
Ahroud.
Nor had this been all. Leaving aside
all that had led up 10 Alan's rescue by
Coast: the forced landing OF the hydro
acroplane for lack OF fuel had taken
place OH the south shore OF the Great
South bay; search of hours had fol-
lowed before boat was found TO con-
vey Alan and the aviator TO the main
land; and Il motor run OF several hours
had followed that. conveying Coast to
his Hampstead hungars 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 day: Mr. Law
awakened in q lamb.like temper when
called ut eleven.thirty.
At midnight he committed an act OF
burglary, calmly and with detcrmina'
ton breaking his way into the house
OF Seneca Urine through the area win
dowS and basement.
In this nefarious business nothing
hindered and mono opposed him. But
for single lighted window in the up
per tier (but not, he noted, the window
10 Roses hedchamber) 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, Tho
silence OF an abandoned place In.
formed 1t alI--below the upper story.
But he was not to be satisfied with
such negative evidence: he explored
the dwelling infinitely, 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 find Rose Urine, that one
woman whom he loved, or else make
sure she was not there.
lie negotiated that last flight OF
steps which led to the topmost floor
with extraordinary stealth, advised
thereto by N sound. or rather series
Of sustained sounds, which had there.
toforo been lnaudible to him. Possibly
they had not Til then existed; possibly
the man servant whom he found snor.
ing ina chair outside a closed door
had not fallen asleep and begun to
snore until. the moment when Alan set
foot upon the lower step of that final
ascent
Turning the head of the stairs,
Alan paused for little, speculaliyely
intent on this man who must somehow
be disposed of before he might solve
the secret of that shut and guarded
door.
Aside from actual violence no solu'
ton offered TO the puzzle-and vio-
lence was abruptly forced upon him.
i No sound warned him of the door
- - .. $ 4 \