The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-08-22
The Latest Adventures of the Wonderful Ceek

chap" he asked in badly-veiled excite
ment.
Cant say till I've been over tn
house"
Cleek was up betimes the next morning
Come and have a game. youngster." h
said in the afternoon to Clifford. and
nothing 10th. the child played hide-and
seek with him in wholehearted delight
IN show you where the lions roar.
he said confidentially. after glancini
swiftly round to see that no one over
heard them.
/ An right: YOU go along and I'll fol
i low
| They tiptoed silently till they reached
| little room on the ground floor at the
end of the passage. closing the door aftei
them.
1t had evidently once been a kind OF
! study or morning room. for its only fur
| niture was shabby old desk. with a
curve deck chair in front of 1t and an
empty safe. the door of which swung
! idly open. its lock rusty with disuse.
| Lions roar" said Clifford mysterious
| ~.
Cleek surveyed the room keenlv. but
| before another word could pass his lips
| the door was flung violently open and
! Ailsa rushed in.
I Il knew you'd come here" she cried.
| with little note OF pain in her voice.
| Cliff. darling, come and play soldiers
with me in the ground. Quick. darling
| Get your hat
deck chair in his anxiety to obey Ailsa' s
invitation. His affection for her was
only too evident
Aisa came close to Cleek.
This is the room where his mother
was found dead and the other two dar-
lings" she cried.
Where were the other two children
found. dear? In this room too
In the chair think" said Ailsa. but
it was John Burwick who found all three.
one after the other. Dear. it's a mys-
tery-a horrible, dreadful mystery"
Cleek took her hands. and looked long
into the upturned eyes Then with
little sigh he turned from her. and
crossed to the window.
Don't let anyone know that I have
been in here Ailsa. but I'd like to stay
quietly by myself if YOU do not mimi
She left him at that and went out of
the room. closing the door softly behind
her.
Left to himself Cleek prowled about
like a restless spirit.
Presently his eye flashed, and he. too.
went swiftly from the room. and sought
out Dollops.
The boy was not far away from his
master
"Dollops." said Cleek quickly. Il want
YOU to do something for me. See if YOU
can fnd me A stray cat or dog. or hen
If nothing else can be found. Put il in :,
basket up in my room. but be silent
about it. I don't want any one to have
the least suspicion of it"
The day passed uneventfully enough.
and Cleek. having amused himself by 60
ing over the house and grounds thor
oughly. returned to spend the evening
with DR.. Cotton. John Berwick and Mr.
Narkom.
The consulting room, which was at
tached to the doctors labora tory. was
comfortable room enough. and the four
men made up a very cheerful party de-
spite the fact that two out of the num- /!
Der were police officers on the track of !
a possible criminal
Presently Cleek jumped up, and put
ting up the eyeglass, the use of which ir- |
ritated Mr.. Narkom beyond measure. he
made restless tour of the room, COM
ing to a stand at last before a door be-
side one of the bookcases. Seeing this
DR.. Cotton also rose and came over to
him. That leads to my laboratory" he
explained. taking a key from his pock-
ct Il keep it locked in case of stray
patients entering when they are not
wanted. and. as YOU can imagine when
I'm on a dissection job 1t would be awk-
ward"
Yes. indeed. agreed Cleek. heartily
following his host into the room.
"Seastly job though. isn't it? Let's get
out doctor. should go mad If I stayed
half an hour in this room
DR. Cotton smiled tolerantly as he fol-
lowed his hack into ha Snftly /
lighted room.
Shortly afterward they all retired. and
halfway up the staircase Cleek encoun-
tered Mrs. Heseltine.
Il went up to see if my blessed bairn
vas safe, she said in answer to the I'M
spoken question in Cheeks face.
Quite right. Mrs. Heseltine'' said
cleek. BY the way l wonder if you
could tell me. I'm bit of a nervous {
fool. I know. but I hate to sleep in
room if any one has died in it. I sup ,
bose you don't happen>to know whether I
any ones died in my room?''
Mrs. Heseltine shook her head l
No, sir What nonsense"
He passed on up the staircase toward S
lis room. TO wait there until the house I
vas asleep. Then. soundless as cat I
md as lghtfooted. he crept out of the
doorway. and with covered basket in t
'4S Hd!!u NdS 10 lHe utSeTteOI
DOM on the ground floor.
Well" said Mr.. Narkom. the next a
morning when. after breakfast, he join c
d Cleek on the stone terrace outside,
what do YOU think. Cleek?"
Il call il case of wholesale murder"
'leek said quietly 7
Good Lord" calculated Mr. Narkom.
is face paling at the calm assertion. Il .
ant think why You have come to that
inclusion
Cleek made no reply for moment but :
is head fluttered up impatiently and his =
ps gave forth a little sigh as of de-
pair. Then he drew his ompanion
own the fight of stone steps leading
lto an ornamental Dutch garden. :,
The sound of motor car arrested his :.
ttention. The limousine Mr.. Mar :,
om?" :.
NO" said the superintendent. II rath-
r fancy it's the doctor just off on his :.
ounds''
All. In that case I'd rather like to I
ee him. I strained one of my tendons O
lst night, and if you could find some
hing to do in that room meanwhile, Mr.
arkom. Id be obliged q
Righto. old chap" returned the 9TH b
: promptly. and without vouchsafing c
ny further explanation Cleek made his a
ay to the doctors consulting room
Funny things sprains are he said :;
fter explaining his misadventure Il II
nocked up against my dressing case tc
Ionder If you'd mind looking at it" He
los