Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-04-01

| Craig, remembering his own visit to the
room.
Eyes. and / was facing It all the time,
And as went in the noises stopped
| What sort OF noises2'
Sounded like the furniture being drag
ged about-only there was nobody to pull
! the furniture! Everything was Just SO,
| and "A bright fire was burning In the
CRATE, giving n flickering, rosy glow 10
the white walls
"Queerl" Craig exclaimed, without
comment. He felt doubtful OF Crowders
| veracty.
queer? Well, should say! saw
Helderman on the avenue; 1 saw Heider-
| man in the room. / heard that racket
| that some one must have made; l get IN,
and there's nobody to make any racket
and no sign of any Helderman. Yet u
was Helderman In that room-l Woulu
take my oath on it!''
"And 1t was Helderman ON the ave
| nuer scoffed Craig. Really Crowder
YOU ought to have your own double to
track Helderman's, for the same man
cannot be in two places at once
Maybe you'll think that / am gong
dlppy, but I'd swear they were ooth
Heldermen! I've already told you the
pains I've gone to, to prove that ne
hasn't any double"
"How could"
"Don't ask me! don't know how
L
evidently at his wits end and patiences
end also with trying to reconcile such
conflicting theories.
"Crowder, II Helderman has a double,
don't you see how It fits In with my
news that he has been in Florioa'
saw him, man"
Don't try to make mo see anything,
Mr. Rutherford I'm dead sure that TINS
Helderman can make even the imposslole
happen And I'm worrying now for fear
that I've been helping him play MS
game, by Disgusting myself.
"You mean--?
"Yes, the Same old thing. I'm still try
ing to connect him with the biggest
Smuggling scheme that has been worked
in years. But 1 can't get 1t on him
yet"
suddenly, as they looked. the lights
blazed out from the big white house up
on the corner of the drive. Some one
was evidently at home. ,,
"You say that Heldermann's still IN
the South tonlght?" asked Crowder.
Come and see for yourself! I'll gamble
that he is UP In the big house there!
They walked UP to the corner in front
of the house and stood staring. Yes. II
was Helderman who presently chteIeh
the big white room. They saw MN WIN
his restless movements, his strange man
nerisms, all the identifying pecularities
which were so impossible to initiate sue
cessfully. :, e,
"You see, he's at home now Crowder
remarked. ,,o,
IT don't know about that" replied
Craig, vaguely.
what do you meanF asKeu Cro"ue'
impatiently. ,a ,,,+
"I'm going to try your game-and put
It to the acid test" replied Rnthertord,
And before his companion could stop mn,
he had cambered over the renee anu
was dashlng across the lawn ,
az oolS out the dogs! yelled CroWder,
milling out his revolver to protect ms
companion If necessary, and certain 'na'
the beasts would leap out at the lii
truder. -, .oa
And they did. Before Rutherford mad
ualned the door the savage creatures
hurtled around the corner of the mouse,
acrenbling to resecure the footho'd they
had lost while turning. Rutherford shw
his danger; he was unarmed he sPrdmS
IN the door and pounded upon the sollu
panels with his bare fists.
''I ct me inl Hep!" he shouted.
THE door opeted and closed The detect
i've, watching anxiously with hand on the
trigrer hut afraid to shoot for rear or
uoundinr Craig, saw the young man
dragged to safety while the beasts sha'ieu
and growled, disappointed, at the en-
trance Rutherford had played r'sNS
game, but he had won -
The butler recognized craig ana was
very deferential. II,
You should have rung, sir" he said
"I'll have the dogs tied up pelore you
venture out again" .,,
"Is Mr.. Helderman at homer Woulu
like to see him on matter OF great I'M
portance." ,,,,.,o,
said. going to the white room, then turn
ing without opening the door, ana going
upstairs. -, ,.
Craig never took his eyes off the door
and listened intently. Just as CroWuer
had described 1t, the sound OF furniture
beInv pulled about came to his ears. In |
two or three minutes. the man was back
again and threw open the door to the DIG
room, as II looking in there
''I can't understand 1t, sir, ne salu. l
thought that Mr.. Helderman was at nome
this evening, but do not find him. lie
n,,,s+ have stepped out. II you viii leave
nny word, sir, I'll ask him to telephone
you" - ,,,t,,.
craig knew that the man was lying
and had gone upstairs only to gain time'
Nevertheless he made the most OF ms
present opportunities, and looked arouhd
with close scrutiny.
one by which he had entered. The fire.
light hlrted rosily with itself. The chairs |
looked as II they had never been disturb
ed. The little balcony again challenged MS |
ne must have gotten out that way"
he thought.
He backed across the room to point |
where he could command a good view OF |
the wall back of 1t. but could see no |
trace OF door or opening giving access TO
N Even II IL had been used for purposes /
of exit, one would have had 10 do some
hard climbing TO get up TO it, Then u 1
occurred TO him that the noise he had
heard might have been made by some
one dragging chair or ladder up to the
balcony, after using It TO reach there, and
that a concealed door must be some
where about It, He reflected however.
that Crowder was outside watching, and
would thus know the secret Of the sudden
He tried TO peer out Of the
big window, but could see nothingi the