The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1915-07-31

i Said GraveIy. "He 10 Dead!"
met them in the hall He. too. seemed
to have lost to some extent his Gus
tomary equanimity.
Come this way. my friends" he In
sited If Craig keeps his word, he
will be here now within few min
utes. This way"
They followed him into the library.
Chairs were arranged around the table
in the middle of the room and they
all sat down The professor took out
his watch. 1t was five minutes to
ten
I'm a few minutes" he continued
solemnly. this weight is to be lifted
from the minds of all of US. Ihave come
to the conclusion that on this occa-
sion Craig will keep his word. ! am
not sure, mind, but / believe that he
is in the house at this present moment.
have heard movements in the room
which belonged to him. l have not
interfered. l have been content to
wait"
HE has at least not tried escape
Quest remarked. French here brought
news of him. He has been living with
his niece very quietly. but without
any particular attempt at concealment
or any signs of wishing to leave the
city"
Il had that girl brought to my Office"
French remarked, barely an hour ago.
but she slipped away while we were
talking Saw what's that"
They all rose quickly to their feet.
In momentary lull of the storm they
could hear distinctly girls shrill
calling from outside, followed by the
cIamor of angry voices.
| Gee! bet that's the girl" French
exclaimed Shed been looking up
the professors address in a directory"
They all hurried out into the hall.
The plainclothes man whom they had
left on guard was standing there with
his hand upon Craig's collar. The
girl, sobbing bitterly, was clinging to
his arm. Craig was making desperate
efforts to escape Directly he saw the
little party issue from the library, how
/ ever. the strength seemed to pass from
. his IlDDS- he fcIildiuSu III tHc SlotShSo
of his captor. limp and helpless.
Il caught the girl trying to make her
way into the house. the latter ex-
plained "She called out and this man
came running downstairs, right into
my arms
st is quite all right the professor
said, in dignified tone. you may
j release them both. Craig was on his
way TO keep an appointment here at
| ten o'clock. Quest. will you and the
inspector bring him in? Let US re-
sumo our places at the table"
The little procession made its way
down the hall The girl was still
/ elinging to her uncle.
What are they going to do to you.
these people9" she sobbed. They
sha'n't hurt you. They sha'n't,"
Lenora passed her arm around the
girl.
"Of course not. dear" she said.
soothingly. Your uncle has come of
his own free will to answer few
questions, only ! think it would be
better if you would let me-
Lenora never finished her sentence.
| They had reached the entrance now to
the library. The professor was stand
ing in the doorway with extended
hand. motioning them to take their
places at the table. Then, with no
form OF warning. the room seemed
suddenly filled with blaze of blue
light. 1t came at first in thin fash
from the window TO the table, became
Immediately multiplied a thousand
times. played round the table in
sparks. which suddenly expanded to
sheets OF leaping. curling flame. The
roar of thunder shook the very foun-
dations of the house-and then silence.
For several seconds not one of them
seemed TO have the power of speech
An amazing thing had happened. The
oak table in the middle Of the room
was a charred fragment. the chairs
were every one blaekened remnants.
a thunderbolt,' Preach gasped at
last.
Quest was the first to cross the
room. From the table to the outside
window was one Shared. black line
which had burnt its way through the
carpet. lie threw open the window
The wire whose course he had fol-
lowed ended here With q little lump
OF queer substance. He broke IL OF
from the end Of the wire. which Was
absolutely brittle aud nstureiess. and
brought Il into the room.
what q IT," Lsnora fsiterec.