The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-07-18
AN ADVENTURE OF NCLE SANS DETECTIVES

Once during the evening ne had
drifted into the library, which hap
pened to be empty Of guests, and had
10 md the host peering out OF a win
dow n a commands a view Of the
town.
Il trust you will pardon my pre-
occupation" said the banker. turning
again to his guests, Il seem to have a
way OF feeling lonesomest when I have
most company"
McCord. the plain clothes man, had
vacillated between his hotel, the rail-
way station and those streets that
the back ends OF establishments that
might contain safes worth rifing. Oc-
c~asionally his eye fell upon the lights
In the house OF tho banker on the hill
and wandered to the chief financial es-
tabi!shment Of the town. Yet all was
SO screne in this eddy OF the world
that the hour Of solitude that followed
II O'Clock seemed such an age that II
drove him 10 bed.
As the time drew on toward IL there
wns no sign Of life In the village. The
lights In the drug stores. the restau-
rants. had one by one wlnked them
selves out The owl car OF the trolley
line that ran through the village had
deposited its last lat jewellers at II 80.
The swinging arc lights Mt h street
intersections occasionally sputtercd Mt
fully and glsred again. a dynamo
whirred ~distantly al the electric light
plant.
Gard. the special agent Of the De-
partment of Justice. was n OF tho
few men in the town who were awake
in addition TO those who a been
guests OF the banker and who had
fingered 10 an hour which was almost
unprecedented In New Beaufort. They
would have gone home at II, but the
banker insisted that they remain for
further entertainment on the part OF
his New York musicians.
one song called forth another and
the uuality of the music proved 20
much more pleasing than that or tneir
customary local talent that they Tor
got the passing of time. The speciai
agent sat on a hill near the Somp'o"
home and smoked a pipe.
II was ~ O'Clock before the party
finally broke up. Those OF the towns
neonIe who had come in their automo-
hiles were being tucked into the u"h-
neaus and those who had walheu up
the gray macadam drive were JUST
setting out on foot when the clatter a.
OF a bunch OF giant flrecrackers caiieo
their attention to the village below
From the bank building was seen SUD
denlv TO burst a cloud OF smoke. whhe
a momen later a skylight was broken
and n tongue Of flame leaped forth.
Fire, Fire" came the shout from
a dozen voices.
Gard had seen more than a the
guests OF the banker. As he moReu
his pipe and watched the village be-
low the lights in the windows OF stone
Ores. and the silent cottage OF lOr-
ance, the assistant cashier, he had
seen an automobile. with no lamp
showing, creep through the quiet back
street. purr stea.thily into h alley
back Of the bank and stop behind a
small building that shut off his view
Half an hour passed and the darkened
machine reappeared from behind the
Intervening building. turned into the
thoroughfare leading TO the southeast
and disappeared In the distance at ar
ever increasing rate Of speed.
When the eXpls ding cartridges In
the cashiers drawer at the bank gave
the first warning of the fire the clamoi
OF the alarm followed. OF the dis
persing Group on the hill every one
ran for a nearer view Of the fire. Tht
musicians. the servants. the mastel
of the house himself, all hurried int
the village to make part OF the ex
element that prevailed. Stone Crest
the lights Of its entertainment still
giSwinG. was left deserted.
Gard. the special agent. again acte,
differently from his fellows by failinl
"a do the thing which others did. III
crossed over from the hill on which
he had smoked and hastily entered tn
bankers house.
Arriving he seemed to know eXact,.
what he wanted. He hurried through
the rooms of the house, swapping OF
Still more lights until he found tina
apartment which seemed to be tn
personal retreat Of the owner. Her
he evidently had business.
Standing in the middle OF the moo
he looked about. Thrown carelessl
into a window seat he saw two heav
books Of the appearance OF ledger.
These he secured and placed on
table in the middle OF the room with