Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1915-05-28

little piece OF white material caugh, In
the door He pulled It out II was d
fragment Of white embroidery, and on
It were several small stains The In
spector looked ut them and looked at
HIS fingers His face grew suddenly
grave
Seems 10 me, he muttered, that
there has been some trouble here
Shall have to take liberty. II you II
excuse me Mrs Rheinboldt. think It
would be better II you waited In the
car until send out for you
foo don't think the jewels have
been stolen again she gasped
The inspector made no reply He
had drawn from HIS pocket little
pass key and was fitting 1t into the
lock The door swung open Once
more they were both conscious OF that
peculiar silence which seemed 10 have
In II some unnamable quality. He
moved to the foot Of the stairs and
shouted
Hello, Anyone there"
There WAS no reply He opened the
doors of the two rooms on the right
hand side, where Quest when he WAS
engaged In any widespread affair, kept
a stenegrapher and a telegraph oper.
ator. Both rooms were empty Then
ne turned towards Quests study on
the lefthand side French was a man
OF iron nerve. No power on earth
could have kept back the cry which
broke from his lips
few feet away from the door was
stretched the body Of the secretary
valet On the other side OF the room,
lying as though she had slipped from
the sofa her head fallen on one side
In hideous fashion was the body Of
Miss Quigg, the Salvation Army young
woman French set his teeth and
drew back the curtains In the clear.
er light the disorder OF the room WAS
fully revealed There had been a ter.
rIble struggle, Between whom? How
There was suddenly d piercing
shrek The inspector turned quickly
around Mrs. Rheinholdt, who had dis.
regarded his advice was standing on
the threshold
Inspector she cried What has
happened? Oh. my God
She covered her face with her
hands French gripped her BY the
arm At that moment there Was the
sound Of an automobile stopping cut
side
Keep quiet for d moment" the In.
speetor whispered Ia her car Pull
yourself together madam Go ~ the
other end or the room Don't look.
Stay there for a few moments and
then get home as quick as you Can
She obeyed him mutely, pressing
her hands 10 her eyes, shlterins ia
every limb French stood back inside
the room he heard the front door
open, he heard Quests voice outside
Where the deyil are you. Ross?'
There was no reply
The door was pushed open Quest
entered followed by the professor and
Craig, The inspector stood watching
their faCss quest Cana 10 stead
Of black substance inside, closed II up
placed II against the far. wall, III
twisted the coil stood back near the
door and then pressed the button The
result Was extraordinary The whole
VI the far wall Was blown out and ToI
some distance in front the ground
VAS furromed up by the explosion
Quest replaced the instrument IN his
pocket sprdhg through the opening
and ran for the tower house Behind
him ON It's way to New York he could
see d freight train coming along He
could hear, too. Red Gallaghers roar
NJ anger II was less than nifty Yards.
yet Ms soon MS he reached the shelter
Of the tower the thunder " the freight
sounded In Quests ears He glanced
around Red Gallagher and his mate
we're racing almost side by side To.
wards him He rushed up the narrow
stairs into the signal room tearing
open his coat TO show his official badge,
Stop the freight" he shouted to the
operator quick I'm Sanford Quest
detective special powers from the
chief commissioner
The man moved TO the signal An
other voice thundered In his ears He
turned SWIFTLY around The lrishman's
red head had appeared al ths top Ut
the staircase
Drop that signal Or | II blow you
into bits he shouted
The operator hesitated ds2ed
Walk towards he. Gallagher
shouted Look here, YOU guy this
Will show you whether IN Ia earnest
or mott"
A bullet passed within a few inches
u the operators head He came slow
u across the room Below they could
hear the roar of the freight
This amt your Job" the TrisLman
continued sayagely We want the
cop and we're going TO have him
Quest had stolen a yard or two
nearer during this brief eolloquy Gal
laghar's mate from beaind shouted out
II warning Just second too late, With |
sudden kick, Quest sent the re
VolNer flying across the room and be
fore the Irishman could recover he
struck him full in the face NotWith |
standing his huge size and strength
Gallagher reeled The operator who /
had Just begun to realize what was
happening flung himself bodily against |
the two thugs A shot from the tan
gled mass OF struggling limbs Nhis
tied past Quests head as he sprang
to the window which overlooked the
track ] freight ho' >nst
passed
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