The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1915-02-04
! T;.Aeile1 n 1amb.r,Ke temper Wien
called at eleven-thirty.

CdlleO at eleVou'SulTLy.
At midnight he committed an act Of
burglary, calmly and with determine.
ton breaking his way into the house
Of Seneca Urine through the area win.
dows and basement.
In this nefarious business nothing
hindered and none opposed him. But
for single lighted window in the up
per tier (but not, he noted, the window
to Roses bedchamber) and one or two
lights which he found burning dim in
the kitchen offices and other servants
quarters on the lower floor he would
have thought the house empty. The
silence Of an abandoned place in
formed it all-below the upper story.
But he was not to be satisfied with
such negative evidence: he explored
the dwelling minutely, room by room,
story by story, passing with little in.
terest through apartments by every
sign dedicated to the tendency of his
mortal enemy, intent on one object
only-to End Rose Trine, that one
woman whom he loved, or else make
sure she was not there.
He negotiated that last fight Of,
steps which led to the topmost foo,
with extraordinary stealth, advised
thereto by sound, or rather series
Of sustained sounds, which had there
tofore been inaudible to him. Possibly
they had not till then existed; possibly
The man servant whom ha found snas
Ing In chair outside a closed door
had not fallen asleep and begun to
snore until the moment when Alan set
foot upon the lower step of that final
ascent.
Turning the head of the stairs,
Alan paused for little, speculatively
Intent on this man who must somehow
be disposed of before he might solve
the secret OF that shut and guarded
door.
Aside from actual violence no solu-
ton offered to the puzzle-and vio-
lence was abruptly forced upon him.
No sound warned him of the door
that opened at his back as he stood
watching the sleeping guard. A pierc.
ing shrek was the first intimation he
received that his presence had been
discovered. It served az we'll to move
him instantly into action: single
glance overshoulder showed him the
figure of a maid-servant in cap and
~ou,n how m o,,<I, c<fl1 r,ido ord Full ~
southland Alan fell upon the guard
like a thunderbolt. The man had
barely time to jump up and recognize
the alarm: then a fist caught him on
the point of his jaw, and he returned
promptly to deep unconsciousness.
No time now for qualms Of com.
junction on account Of the savage
ruthlessness Of that blow: no time
even to search the fellow for key to
the closed door: already the maid was
taking the stairs in full fight and cry,
four steps and a howl like a warlock's
to every jump.
Backing off, Alan took a short run,
cleared the PROSTATE body of the guard
with leap, and flung himself full
force against the door, his shoulder
striking point nearest the lock. With
a splintering crash it broke inward.
Without dignity or decorum he
sprawled on all fours into the presence
Of Judith Urine.
Poor Mr.. Law" she cried, with a
hooking nod, ALWAYS disappointed!
I'm so sorry-truly ami"
"Oh, spare me your sarcasm" he
begged essentially. Its ridiculous
enough, this whole mad business"
"But l am not sarcastic" she insist.
ed with such sincerity that he opened
his eyes in wonder. believe me,
am sorry for once it is and not Rose
whom you find locked up here! For,
you see, l am locked up, by way OF
punishment-thanks to my having had
pity on you once too often-while my
father decamps mysteriously for parts
unknown"
you don't know where he's gone,
them"
do you?" she asked sharply.
I'm general way. BY special train
to the West"
Taking Rose?"
$50 I'm told"
The woman choked upon her anger,
but quickly mastered it.
HE shall pay for this!" she assever
ated. ~.
Your father? I wish him nothing
more nor less than your enmity," Alan
assured her civilly. But since 1t
seems that he has gone, and Rose with
him, if you'll forgive me, think I'll
be going"
alone"
That one word, uttered with all the
significance that this woman knew 50
we'll how to infuse into her tone
checked him suspiciously on the
threshold.
"Why-yes."
"You wouldn't care for companion
du voyage?" she suggested.
"Oh-really!" he protested.
She held up an arresting hand. Ills
tent" she begged.
From the street below came the un