Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1915-10-30

was surprising, even TO Crewe, how
swiftly and how deity he worked.
We need not describe the process
nor his methods. In a marvelously
short time, considering the difficulties.
the small steel door gave way before
his efforts and fell ajar. mutilated, but
not beyond repair.
He turned with an expression of
pride in his eyes, but Crewe showed
him ruthlessly aside without COM
ment. Then he peered into the COM
partment, the interior of which had
been thus disclosed.
There were many things there, some
Of undoubted value. Rickett, peering
over Crewe's bent shoulders, rubbed
his hands together and licked his lips
expectantly.
He saw Crewe thrust an arm IN
side; but to Ricketts, amazement it
was a small book, bound in silver,
with locked clasp, that he selected,
instead of the more valuable articles
that he might have taken. Then he
turned around and, holding the little
book tightly in both hands, said:
Force that clasp for me, Rickett."
Bobcat did SO; and Crewe, without
so much as glancing again at the
book, dropped 1t into one of his peck
cts. Then he returned his attention
to the compartment, handling each
article that he touched delicately, and
restoring each to its place after he
had examined 1t.
Presently he raised the lid of a
small, oblong, silver box, and Rickett
saw him take something from it; but
he could not see what 1t was.
Bobcat parted his lips to ask a
question, but he stopped, startled,
without uttering sound-for another
sound, proceeding from the room
by which they had entered the suite,
smote upon their ears; and Crewe
seized his companion by the wrist
and dragged, rather than led, him
through the bathroom and across the
dressing room into the boudoir.
There, outside, somebody was rat
Ting the door-knob; second person
was pounding upon the door itself; a
voice from the opposite side of the
door was saying:
You'd better open up, Crewe. You
can't make getaway this time.
We've got the house surrounded" 1t
was Enthusiastically the voice of Mar
line.
$50 you are stool-pigeon, are you.
Bobcat?" Crewe said to his COM
panion in a voice that could not have
been heard ten feet away, but which
was yet distinct. "StoOl-pigeons are
the lowest criminals alive, and should
Be kept locked up. Who did you tip
Off to this play tonight?"
Baxter n MARI. Oh, for Gods
sake, Crewe, don't"
"Shut up" Crewe snapped off the
lights as he spoke.
Then he moved swiftly away from
Bobcat, passed into the dressing-room
and closed and locked the door after
him. There he again turned off the
lights, passed on into the bathroom,
locked that door and the one beyond
II, and so found himself again in the
bedroom which Lorna Delorme had
occupied since her infancy.
He moved quickly across 1t to as
sure himself that the door which
opened upon the wide and spacious
gallery was locked.
1t was.
He turned the key, opened the door
a crack, and listened. Then he smiled
a little and relocked the door.
Already Bobcat Rickett had ad-
mitted the officers to that other room.
He could hear the yeggman endeavor-
ing to explain something, possibly the
disappearance Of Crewe.
And much to Crewe's surprise, he
also heard the voice of Mr.. Delorme.
Crewe had dressed himself with
great care in preparation for this very
moment, which he had anticipated,
and for which he had planned.
But for the absolute necessity of
securing the small, silver-bound book
from the safety compartment in Lor-
ma Delorme's bedroom, he might not
have undertaken It. But the book was
necessary, and only an expert yegg
could have forced the small door be-
hind which 1t was hidden.
While passing through the rooms
after he left Rickett, he tore off the
blouse he had been wearing.
The act disclosed Tuxedo coat and
a wide expanse of immaculate shirt
front. While he listened at the door
that gave upon the gallery he picked,
with shapely finger-nail, at the up
per edge of the blemish that so dis
figured one side of his face.
It came loose at once, and he pulled
II away altogether; for the blemish
was a manufactured one, made of
translucent rubber. very thin and col
ored with great delicacy. in exact imi-
tation of the birthmark it was intend
ed to represent. It was easily and
readily adjustable, and even more