The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1915-04-01

and swept on to the next obstruction.
At . O'clock the last door in the east
antechamber gave way before our reso-
lutte advance. and stood victorious
ana dusty in the little recess mt the tor,
of the last stairway. Beyond the TWEEN
tieth century portiereS ut Il thirteenth
century doorway 'ay the goal we
sought. I hesitnted briefly before
drn win: them apart and taking the
final plunge AS IL matter OF fact.
was beginning to feel ashamed of my
self, Suppose that she really had a
headache: What an nnrOuth. puSil
mnimons brute 1
just then ever, a> my hand fell upon
the ,'urtnlnn. ,hp! were SnHichpd aside
and found n. self staring INTO the
vivid u,n:I1ed face ot the 'ady whr
had deljeh ne ana would continue to
do so If NY suddenly active pew'ep
lions counted toi anything
SAN nothing but TIE dark indig
nnnt, impplionS eyes. They fairly
withe!rd me
| In some haste. attended by the most
disheurtcning nervousness. tried X
| find my cap to remove 4 in the pres
e1lcA ~ rONA ny. Unfortunately | was
obliged to 1e,ense the somewhat cum
berSome rrowl1ar had been carrying
about with 1ne, and it dropped with a
sullen thWack upon my toes. In mo
ments OF gravity am always doing
something like that. The pain was
terrific. but | clntched ut the forlorn
hope that she might at least smile over
my agony.
II beg youu pardon" began, and
ing cap. 1t was most disconcerting.
so you would come" she said very
coldiy and very levelly.
lit was necessary, madame" re-
| piled as best could. You detietl me
think you should have appreciated
| my position. my mOtives-er-my"-
She silenced lne-luckily. heaven
knows-with a curt exclamation.
"Your position: 1t Is intensely Ma.
poleonic." said she. with fine irony.
Her gaze swept my horde OF painting.
wide eyed house breakers. What a
noble victory"'
1t was quite time for ME to assert
myself. Rowing very stif1y. re-
marked:
Il regret exceedingly to have been
forced to devastate my own property
in such a trifing enterprise. madame
The physical loss is apparent-you can
see that for yourself-but. Of course,
you have NO means Of estimating the
mental destruction that has been go
been hacking away at my poor, dis
tracted brain so persistently that it
really had to give way. In measure,
this should account for my present
lapse OF sanity. Weak mindedness is
not Il crime, but an atl}iction.'
She did not smile.
We'll, now that you are here, Mi.
Smart. may be SO bold as TO inquire
what you are going to do about it?'
reflected. II think, if you don't
mind, I'll come in and sit down. That
WAS a deuce of a rap | got across the
toes. am sure TO be a great deal
more lenient and agreeable it I'm ask
ed to come in and see YOU. incidental
~ thought I'd step up to inquire how
your headache is getting ON. Better, /
hope?
she turned her face away. suspect
cd smile.
IF you choose to bang your Old
castle to pieces in order to satisfy !,
masculine curiosity. Mr.. Smart. have
| Ii; Il
me ayain-still ominousIy, to my dc
spair. Confound it ALL she was such
n slim. helpless little thing--and all
alone against Il mob of buriy rutlians
will you be good enough to send your
your army away. or do you prefer to
have it on hand in case | should take
it into my head to attack you:"
Take EN- away. Mr.. Poopendyke,"
commanded hnrriedly As they crowd
ed down the short, narrow stairway
remarked old Conrad and his two Sons
standing over against the wall. three
very sinister figures
II see. madame. that You do not dis
miss your army ! said, blaudIy s;r
castle.
oh, you dear old Conrad" she cried
catchin. sight OF the hitherto submcr4
ed SchniclS. The three Of them bob
bed and sciaped and grinned from cal
TO ear There could be no mistakins
the intensity of their JOY. Don't loot
so sad, Conrad. know you are blame
less You poor old DEAR
| have never seen any one who look
ed less sad than Conrad Schmick.
rather peremptorily ordered him be
low
~ will attend to you presently--a
of YOU said |. They did not move
:, do You hear me?" | snapped angrily
They looked stolidIy at the slim youn!
lady.
She smiled. rather proudly, l thought
lyon NAV 90 Conrad l shall not nee,