The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-06-10

(Ccruinue<s-)
 @ It was just five minutes sbefOre the hour of when AndHew;stn his cupola room. extin guished his light, which had shone from the ktower windows like a, beacon. Cre9gane lurking within the shadows of clusteSed strawberries sas hundred yards fIso1na the mansion, sheayed a sigh of relief. Then, as the ca In of the place Eenla ianed 11nbroizen.s he began stealtHilyf to make his way toward the massive bulk of the house
 Marshalla hadS established himself in a Wind6w seat of the library, from which he had anAextensfve view of his surroundings.
 aFthe1s down the room toward the rear. the aTdove, in which was the safe, Showed sss t1raperies of4eportieres along the line of the opposite, wall Facing him, little further toward the front was the wide doorway into the hail. through which twas to be seen a part Of the stairway. The softly burning hall light cast it's. ill llullirsa ton over the stairs and hall itself. and shone through the doorway into the library. though the radiance here was dimmed So that objects weresonly barely yisi-s b1e in shadowy, wise. From time ste fine the detective had undertaken cautious round of sthe house to make sure that nothinaA Gf a4nefariouss sort was anywhere under way. But as the appointed hour of Andrews promised Burglary approached he held his pc sltion immoxabIy inTthe window seat, where the drawn hangings hid him well while permitting his espionage. 1shen faint sound from the stairway caught his ear, and. he Epeered forth in anxious expectancye sfg
 Presently a soft noiseAne at hand caught the attentive ears of the detec- live. A gentle creaking sound followed and Marshall was speedily aware, out of his professional experience, that the window further downs thetroom was be- ing ak4fuIIy opened.
 Then askef9 al 6rka1 ofA silence, a. pencil of light the beam offan electric torch, shone from betweena the hang angs of the rear W in dow. The light moved slowly to and fro, taking its survey of the room with leisurely thoroughness that again provoked Mar shall to ap eciatfon of Ethe nlarauder,s adept methods. Then, at last, the radiance rested for a. second time on the a1eove. and there continued for an kpsreciabIe period ,N The Ifghtsvanished There was no sound, but Marshall knew that the thief was stealing on silent feet through the shadows of the room. that he had come to the safe, that he was ready sto-ges,s a glow of light became faint1y evisfbIeewithfn the recess.
 The detective preparetfsfor action by pulling a blackjack from Ms pocket He parted the curtains and wo411d have assyed from his retreat, when again I..4as = 4. ---sS-.~A sound He waited, in tense silence,
 eyes rowing, for he was uncertain as to the direction whence the noise had issued. Then. his glance caught sight of form moying% Eaowiy, on the Stairway. Tn the first instant he per eeived with a start of astpnishment, that the new intruder on the scene was a woman, in the next, as the face was lifted so that the feeble light of the aIlsIannp fell full on it, he Nrecognized Mrs. Wainwright, and his earlier feel ing of surprise was lost in total dis may
 For athe@HoEaanss nannees was plain proofsof guflt-ef what guiItsthe spying man could hazard no guess, but guilt none the less. Her gait was not merely slow, it was stealthy, with the awk- ward stealthiness of one wholly un- accustomed, and the gaze that darted here and there so hurriedly was fur tive, laden with fear of discovery. These evidences were re-enforced by the shudder that now and again shook her visibly. Marshall was appalled, by this latest development in the mys- tery that beset the man he sought to serve.
 The soft gleam in the alcove became discernible to her. At first glimpse of it she halted, and a smothered gasp o1 terror broke from her lips. She stood rigid, looking straight before her with dllated eyes. Then, at last, she sWayed RIittle. tensed swiftly and went for ward again. When she was come to the aIcove she pushed the draperies apart and reso1utely stepped within. The portieres closed behind her. Mar shall crushed back an oath of amaze ment.
 Yet for a brief season the detective 1zzs held inactive by stark bew1lder- nent. Then, to his astonished ears game a hushed sound of whispering From beyond the curtains of the alcove. It was incredible. monstroass that this should be. Nevertheless, the truth was paIpab1e. There was no outcry, no shriek for help from the woman, no flight by a safety seeking housebreaker. Instead there was only whispering, this secret conference in the dead of night between the thief and the mistress of