The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1915-04-15

~ NAAA1N ~
change.
still grumpy, but Modified ny tho
silver, Jens let them go up and opened
the door 20 our rooms again. There
stood the cabinet, as outwardly limo.
cent az when II came In.
Logging and Juggling they managed
10 get the heavy piece OF furniture out
and downstairs again, loading II on
the wagon. Then they drove on With
II, accompanied by a parting volley
from Jensen.
In an ~unfrequented street, perhaps
half a mile away. the wagon stopped.
with n keen glance around, the driver
and his helper made sure that no n
was about.
such n shaking up as you've given
me-" growled a voice as the cabinet
door opened. But I've got him this
time!"
1t was the ClutchIns Hand.
Craig gazed into our living room eau
tiously.
Il can't see anything wrong" he said
to m. as ! stood just beside aim. Miss
Dodge" he added. will you and the
rest excuse me II ! ask you to walt
just n moment longer?"
Elaine watched him. fascinated. He
crossed the room. then went into each
OF our other rooms. Apparently moth.
ing was wrong and a minute later he
%reappeared at the doorway.
Il guess it's all right" he said. Per.
haps II was only Jensen. the janltor."
Elaine, Aunt Josephine and Susie
Martin entered. Craig placed chairs
for them, but still | could see that he
was uneasy. From time to time. while
they we're admlring one OF our treas.
ures after another, he glanced about
suspiciously.
what is the trouble, do you think"
asked Elaine wonderingly. noticing
his nne
II can't Just say" answered Craig,
tryinS 10 appear easy.
She had risen and with keen inter.
est was looking at the books, the pic
lures, the queer collection Of weapons
and odds and ends from the under
world that Craig had amasseG In his
adventures.
At last her eye wandered across tho
room. She caught sight Of her "
picture, occupying a place Of honor
but hanging askew.
Isn't that just like a man" she ex-
claimed. such ho~usekeepers as you
are-sLth carelessness!"
She had taken a stop or two across
the room to straighten the picture.
Miss Dodge" almost shouted Ken
nedy, his face fairly blanched. stop"
She turned. her stunning eyes filled
with amazement at his suddenness.
Nevertheless she moved quickly to n
side, as he waved his arms, unable to
speak quickly enough.
Kennedy stood quite still. gazing at
the picture, askew, with suspicion.
THAT wasn't that vay when We lett.
was II. Walter?" he asked.
1T certainly was not" ! answered
positively. There was more time
spent in getting that plcture just
right than | ever saw you spend OF the
room"
Craig frowncd.
As for myself | did not know what
TO make of II.
I'm afraid | shall have to ask you
TO step into this back room said Craip
at length to the ladies'. I'm sorry
but We can't be too careful with this
intruder, whoever he was"
Elaine, however, stopped at the door.
For IA moment Kennedy appeared to
be considering. Then his eye fell on
a fishing rod that stood in u corner.
He took 1t and moved toward the pic
ture.
On his hands and knees, to one
side, down as close AS he could get to
the floor, with the rod extended at
arms length. he motioned to me to do
the same, behind him.
Carefully Kennedy reached out with
the pole and Strengthened the picture.
As he did so there was a flash. a
loud. ~dcafcning report, and a great
pun Of smoke from the fireplace.
The fire screen was riddled and over.
turned a charge OF buckshot shat
tered the precious photograph OF
Elaine.
We had dropped fiat on he floor at
the report. looked about. Kennedy
was unframed and so were the rest.
with a bound ne was at the fire.
place, followed by Elaine and the rest
OF us, There, In what remained ,of q
package done up roughly in newspa-
per, was a shotgun with It's barrel
sawed on about six inches from the
lock, fastened to a block Of wood. and
connected to a series OF springs on
the trigger, released by a little electro
magnetic arrangement ~actuated by
two batteries and leading by wires up
along the molding to the picture where
the slightest touch would complete the
circuit.
A startled cry from Elaine caused us
to turn.
She was standing directly before her
shattered DiCIurp who're II hunp aurv