The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1915-03-19

he necessary to IuIl at least half-a-
dozen nails What could it mean? Was
on the point of discovering some new
terrible and mysterious plan? let the
board fall back into place. I spread
the carpet back again carefully. put
the sofa in it's place. and in the morn
ing sent for Koupriane."
Rouletabille interrupted.
You had not. madame, spoken to
anyone of this discovery"
ITO no one
Not even to your step daughter.
NO. said the husky voice of
Matrena, mot even to my step-daugh-
ter
"Why?" demanded Rouletabille.
Because" replied Matrena. after a
moments hesitation, there were al
ready enough frightening things about
the house. 7 would not have spoken
to my daughter any more than l would
have said a word to the general. Why
add to the disquiet they alreay suf-
fered so much. in case nothing devel-
| oped?"
And what did Koupriane say?"
I'VE examined the floor together Sc
| cretly. Koupriane slipped his hand
under more easily than I had done, and
ascertained that under the board, that
! is to say, between the beam and the
ceiling OF the kitchen there was hol-
low where any number of things might
| be placed. For a moment the board
was still too little released for any
| maneuvsr to be possible. Koupriane.
when he rose. said to me, You have
happened. madame, TO interrupt the
person in her operations. But we are
prepared henceforth. We know what
she does and she is unaware that we
know. Act as though you had not no
ticcd anything; do not speak of 1T to
anyone wlatever-and watch. Let the
| General continue to sit in his usual
place and let no one suspect that we
have discovered the beginning of this
attempt II is the only way we can
plan so that they will continue. All the
! same he added. I Will give my agents
orders to patrol the ground floor anew
during the night. 1t would be riskine
/ too much to let the person continue
her work each night She might con-
tinue it so we'll that she would be able
to accomplish i1-you understand me-
But by day you arrange that the rooms
on the ground flor be free from time
to time-not for long. but from time
he said and the way he said it fright
ened me more than ever. However.
carried out his pro ogramme. Then. three
days later. about O'Clock, when the
night watch was not yet started, that
Is to say at the moment when the po-
lice ware still all out in the garden OF
walking around the house, outside. and
when I had left the ground f1ool
perfectly free while / helped the Cen
raj to bed, / felt drawn even against
myself suddenly to the dining-room.
lifted the carpet and examined thu
floor. Three more nails had been dra wr
from the board, which lifted more
easily Low. and under II, could see
that the normal cavity had been made
still widerg'
When she had said this. Matrena
! stopped as If. overcome, she could net
| tell more.
"WeIIr' insisted Rouletabille.
well, I replaced things as I found
them and made rapid inquiries of the
police and their chief; no one had en-
tered the ground floor. You under
stand memo one at all. Neither had
| anyone come cut from it."
How could anyone come out II nc
one had entered?"
"I wish to say" said she with a
sob, that Natacha during this space
of time had been in her chamber. in
her chamber on the ground floor
"You appear to be very disturbed
madame at this recollection. Can you