The Washington herald., 1914-01-18


cheek and seemd to listen
She heard you" whispered the in
spector.
"She didn't: she may have received
a suggestion from some one who IS at
goodness knows what distance from
this; she never heard me. I'll prove
1t to you presently. Unless I'm mistak-
en-, this is the. most remarkable case
of hypnosis by suggestion that I've
ever witnessed"
Maggie Harris descended those four
flights of stone steps, holding herself
very upright, well in the center, with
as much assurance-in Inspector Ellis
words--as il she had been in posses
sion of all her senses When she
reached the frst-foor landing, pausing
in front of Mr.. Montagu's fat, taking
key out of the bosom of her frock.
with il she opened the door, as stead
lily and surely as if she had been wide
awake. We had followed hei-a Curl
Gus quartct-from step 10 step, with
out her once looking round.
Where did she get that key from!
inquired Wheeler, as the Montagus
door yielded to her touch.' There are
only two other keys which fit that lock
besides Mr.. Montagu's: one I've got,
and the other is in the Office
That's a master key which she has,
murmured Ellis. THE man who is
handling her is an artist Hes seen
that shes provided with proper tools,
and nothing's easier, if you know how
to set about it, than to provide one
self with a master key which will open
every door in block of London flats.
DR.. Riderman had hurried through
the open door, and | was at his heels.
Behind me was Inspector Ellis, with
Wheeler in the rear. One thing we
noticed at once: the girl had not
switched on the light
That shows the state she's inAlight
and darkness are the same, to her
As he said this the doctor himself
switched on the light.
Maggie Harris passed from the sit
ting-room to the bedroom. Some lit
tie time before Mrs. Montagu had been
Ill in bed. | had visited her on sew
eral occasions, but had seen nothing
TO suggest that a safe was in the room.
Yet the girl, who, | should certainly
say, had never been there before, went
straight to il. There were twin beds
in the room; the wall between them
was covered with hangings. Maggie
drew one OF these aside, touched a
spring, and a hinged panel few back
behind was a small safe painted green.
She did something to the lock, very
much as a blind persons feels for the
Braille type with the tips of the fin
gers, then she inserted something into
the keyhole. went through some fur
ther mysterious performances with the
tips of her fingers. turned with the
greatest OF ease the something which
She had put into the lock. and the safe
was open. Within was small black
leather bag-we were within a te"
feet OF her and could see it plainly,
! She opened il, took out little paper
parcel, canvas bag, and a packet OF
papers; shut it, closed the door of the
safe. returned the hinged panel; then
wheeling around, moved straight to-
ward US. She came so close to me that
! had to draw back to prevent actual
contact. Her head was erect, her eyes
open, but the pupils were fixed | had
seen hypnotized persons before that
night; recognized that | was looking
at one then. We held our breath and
she went by. though il we had made
/ a noise il would have made no differ
ence. DR.. Riderman proved it by ex'
claiming, Just a she was passing into
the sitting-roOm:
| Young lady, Miss Harrisr'
Obviously unaware that a sound haC
! been uttered. she continued her prog
ress across the sitting-roOm. passed
through the hall door. and shut 1t II
! our faces That was certainly un
looked for. Inspector Ellis, for one
was visibly disconnected.
After ALL" he cried. the whole
thing may be a trap. What fools VT
shall look, If she's locked it from tht
outside she may be clear away witt
her spoils before we can get out.
| Yes: but as il happens it isn't LOCKED
on the outside" observed Wheeler. H,
showed it by pressing back the latch
and the door was wide open.
Ellis was first on the landing, bu
we were soon after him There wa:
the girl. two flights above us. We re-
entered my fiat. the girl in front, We
four behind.
Now. what's 10 be done asked FL
lis. That piece OF sugar paper She:
carrying is a parcel of diamonds. A:
YOUR friend said. Miss Lee, there ma!
be SI5.ooo worth. There's money il
that canvas bag which she's got in hei
left hand: BY the looks OF it. quite Z
decent sum. Those papers she's car
rying may be valuable securities
Hadn't we at once better make surf
that they're safe:"
IF by that you mean" | replied, tina
you'd like to take them from her,
will remind you that what we want Il
do is to make sure of the scoundre
who has engineered all this. The onl!
way to do that is to catch him witt
that stolen property i'll his possession
We want to establish her innocence. Il
make it clear that she's the helpleS:
victim of a ncfarious plot, and wha
is not least, remove her from his III
f1uencc.'
"All / want to do is to make SUR
that the valuables arc safeguarded,
said the inspector.
''I1l make sure of that | told him
Il promise you that nothing which sh'
has taken from Mr.. Montagu
fiat shall pass out of mine withou
your knowledge. If you like, yot
might leave a man here to keep an ey'
on things; | don't think it would b.
Ia bad idea if you did. But you've only
seen the first act of the drama Bt
here in good time tomorrow. and
| fancy you'll see the second act-ant
the end What you'll have to do will