Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1915-07-27

| 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
vited 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.
In a few minutes he continued
solemnly. this weight is to be lifted
from the minds of all of US. have 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.
l have heard movements in the room
| which belonged to him. | 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"
81 had that girl brought to my office, .
| French remarked, barely an hour ago,
but she slipped away while we were
talking. Say, 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
| clamor of angry voices.
Gee. l bet that's the girl French
exclaimed. Shed been looking up
| the professors address in 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 limbs. He remained in the clutches
of his captor, limp and helpless.
| 81 caught the girl trying to make her
way into the house. the latter ex-
| planned. "She called out and this man
came running downstairs, right into
my arms"
1T is quite all right" the professor
said, in a dignified tone. You may
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
| clinging to her uncle.
What are they going to do to you,
these people?" 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 a few
| questions, only l 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 a blaze of blue
light 1t came at first in a 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 fame. 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 blackened remnants.
"A thunderbolt!" French gasped at
last
| Quest was the first to cross the
room. From the table to the outside
window was one charred, black line
which had burnt it's way through the
carpet He threw open the window.
| The wire whose course he had fol-
lowed ended here with little lump
of queer substance He broke it off
from the end of the wire. which was
absolutely brittle and natureless, and
brought it into the room.
| io annrz fo1farad