The Arvada enterprise., 1914-05-21
CHAPTER XIII.
The Tables Are Turned.

AS soon as the door was closed be.
hind the messenger Thorne laid his
cigar down on the table. Then he
picked up the dispatch from the sec
retary Of war which the messenger
had Just brought in and folded it very
dexterously. Then with pair of scis-
sors which he found in a drawer he
cut Off the lower part Of the secre-
tary's dispatch containing his sigma
ture. He put this between his teeth
and tore the rest into pieces. He
started to throw the pieces into the
waste basket but after moments
reflection he stuffed them into his
trousers pocket. Then he picked up
his coat from the back of the chair
and took from the inside breast peck
ct another document written on the
same paper as that which had Just
come from the secretary OF war.
Spreading this out on the table he cut
on the signature and quickly pasted
to 1t the piece of the real order bear
ing the real signature. He carefully
wiped this pasted dispatch with his
handkerchief. making an exceedingly
neat job OF it.
| AS he did SO he smiled slightly
| Fortune, which had dealt him so many
rebuffs had evened up matters a little
by giving him this opportunity. He
had now in his possession a dispatch
bearing the genuine signature OF the
secretary of war. Even II he were in
terrupted the chances were he would
still be able to send it. So soon as
he had doctored the dispatch he sat
down at the instrument and once
more essayed to send the message.
| Now during all this rapid bit of ma
n1pulation Thorne had been under
close observation. for Arrelsford and
Edith Varney had come from the com.
missary generals office. where they
had concealed themselves while
Thorne examined the porch, and had
stepped back to the nearest window
and were intently watching. Fortu-
nately his back partially concealed
his actions and the watchers could
not tell exactly what he had done. al
though 1t was quite evident that he
was in some way altering some kind
of dispatch.
Just as Thorne began to send the
message Arrelsford accidentally
struck the window with his elbow.
making slight sound. The instant
he did so. he and the girl vanished
from sight. Once again Thorne re-
leased the key. and his hand moved
quietly .but rapidly from the instru-
| IN ha
was in his hand he sprang to his feet,
whirled about. leaped to the gas
bracket and turned of the light. The
room was left in darkness, save for
the faint illumination OF the moon
| light through the windows.
Immediately he turned off the light
he ran to the doors leading into tho
hall. They were provided with heavy,
| old-fashioned bolts which he shot
swiftly. locking them on the inside.
Then with the utmost caution he
edged around the wall until he came
to the first window. He waited With
his left hand on the catch of the win
dow. and with his right advanced his
revolver. After a moments pause he
! threw II open quickly and stepped
out on the balcony. 1t was empty as
before.
He must have made mistake. he
thought, since no one was there, and
he blamed the whole incident to his
over-agitated nerves. Indeed, what he
had gone through in the preceding
two hours would have shaken any
mans nerves. might have broken most
mems. He was annoyed at having
wasted precious time. and turned to
the table again. stopping on his way
to relight the light.
Once more he seized the key. He
could telegraph equally well with
either hand. He did not lay down his
revolver on the table this time, but
kept It in his right hand while the
fingers OF his left hand touched the
button. He had scarcely made "A dot
or a dash when there was sudden
flash OF light and the sound OF an ex.
plosion. that OF n heavy revolver.
mingled with the crash OF shattered
glass. Captain Thorne's fingers fell
from the key and Jet OF blood spurt.
| ed out upon the table and the papers.
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