Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-04-24
When Burglar Meets Burglar
CHAPTER II

Cha vskened In sharp panic, hewldered
nv the grotesqueric Of some half-remcm-
S,rsd dream in contrast with the harsh
r,ss OF inclement fact drowsily realizing
Nat since she had fallen asleep 1t mad
some on to rain smartly out of a shrouded
sky.
without the least warning binding
violet glare cut the gloom, the atmosphere
ouaked with a terrific shock OF thunder
md the downpour became heavier.
Ipnalled, the girl spranE from her chair
,nd rroped her way to tho scuttle through
darkness resembling late twilight.
Il was closed.
sonebody, presumably the janitor, had
,hut Il against the impending storm with
anil troubling to make sure there was no
ana ON the roof, for her chair had been
Invisible behind the shoulder of the top
with a cry of diamay the girl knelt and,
digging fingers beneath the cover, tugged
with all her might. But it was securely
hooked beneath and held fast,
Then, driven half frantic, less by the
lsshing rain than by a dread Of lightning
which she had never outGrown, she stum-
Bed back to the glass face of the top
Hght and pounded it with her lists,
screaming for some ono to come and let
do and 10 one answered.
The long, rolling, grinding broadsides OF
thunder made almost continuous accom-
paninent-broken only by the hriefest in
tsrmigslons-tO the fiery sword-play that
sashed incessantly through and through
that grim tilt of swollen black cloud.
Half stunned and wholly terrified. daz-
lied and deafened as we'll, the girl dashed
the rain from her eyes and strove to rec
clect her wits and Erapple sanely with
her plight.
Already she was wet to her saltwater
could no more harm her-but the mad ele-
mental tumult co'-sounded all her senses
her sole conscious impulse was to gain
shelter Of some sort from the sound and
fury CT the tempest.
1t was a bare chance that scuttle on
ZONE one of tho adjacent roofs might he,
At least, not fastened down.
Fighting the buffeting wind, the scourE-
Ing rain and her panic fright, she gained
he scuttle of the roof to the west, but
found It immovable
She tried the next roof, with no better
ioTtune.
Painting, even sohbing a little in her
terror, she scrambled on through sort
o. nIghtmarlsh progress to the next roof
md on and ON to the next and the next.
aid how many roofs she had crossed,
When at length she discovered a scuttls
nat was actually ajar, propped wide to
me pounding flood; and without pause to
sonder at this circumstance, or what
nsht he her reception and how To ac-
count for herself, she swung down into
nat hosptable black hole, found footing
% the ladder, let herself farther down
md by mschance dislodged the iron arm
Importing the cover,
j fell with a bang and a click, and
aly barely escaped crushed fingers by
Esaslhg the rim and tumbling incontl-
i,ntly TO the floor
Happily she hadn't far to fall, wasn't
naft and hastily picking herself up
l!ood half dazed, listening for sounds of
larm within the house.
Solheldently the storm sounded a crisis
series of tremendous. shattering
Sashes' so heavy and so prolonged that
= me world seemed to rock and vibrate,
sg-board.
ms passed; but from the body OF the
.use sally heard nothing. only the
Hsgllaton Of rain on the roof and the
sHaht splatter of drops tricklng from
saturated skirts into the puddle that
q formed beneath the scuttle.
sns stood In what at first seemed un-
slsVed darkness-but for glimpses re-
,slsd by the incessant slash and fare OF
suasiulhs-at one end of short hallway.
us rall Of staircase we'll Three or
Az, sl uoors opened upon this hall; but she
|,ssss'ea no sign of any movement I'm the
Walo@s' and still heard no sound
,,,1'l IlhE-anu now, as she began TO
,sWeeiate her position, almost as un-
gfpy IN her refuge as she had been in
u. ssorn-Sally crept to the rail and
issu down. But her straining senses
s'ea nothing below more than shad-
~ solitude, and silence; which, how
IN isled to convey reinsurance: the
hs'a the open scuttle would seem 10
ss,nsllee mat she hadn't stumbled into an
'elnhabited house.
allhlly she proceeded to investigate
,.rs.efal rooms Of that topmost story
s.bsa quarters, comfortably fur
sl but tenantless.
4 ~ step by timid step she descended
.s,,s next floor, which she found de-
Asnhw three handsomely appointed bed
~ ls' also empty. And slowly, as
Aa ase served, another flight took
b ~ 70 story given over wholly
NC oedchambers with bath, dressing
hsr.i.. ana boudoirs adjoining, all very
Blls 70 a hasty survey
a,,. 'hls again was an entrance hall,
lhs eecess 10 dTawing-room,
anq' az the back Of the house,
llttsriu each apartment 2 In its way
I1rsess the impression of a home
l,.s whose making wealth and good
,l'Isbass9' 9 worked In rarely harmonious
HnAlly the basement proved 70 Be