The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-04-27
THE LITTLE FORTUNE"
By Arnold acknowledgement by F. A. NIunsey Co.

lof the block-an old, tumble
down affair, with cheap tailor
shop in the basement.
She fumbled in her purse for
her key. Just as Grace reached the
bottom of the brown-stone steps
the woman entered.
Ora ), full OF mad reckless
ness, proceeded after her. The
woman dashed up the stairs to
the first landing and entered q
door which stood open facing the
steps.
Grace followed. she saw the
woman rush toward he rear OF
the room, and at once did like
wise. Suddenly she realized that
she was alone. The woman had
slipped through a second door and
the clicking of the key which fol
lowed her exit told Grace that the
door had been locked.
Somewhat alarmed at this turn
of affairs, she hurriedly retraced
her steps to the first door, and
was about to enter the hall when
the clicking Of the key told her
that 1t also had been locked. She
was a prisoner.
She Immediately turned on the
light. The room was long and
somewhat bare. There was a third
door, which she had not tried,
Grace found that 1t, too, was
locked.
Some sounds from the other
side caused her to kneel down and
look through the keyhole.
A fat woman, dressed in a dirty
pink satin dress. was seated on a
divan. her eyes fixed on the door
behind which Grace knelt. The
woman with the satchel stood be-
fore her. The fat woman was just
handing her a roll of bills.
With characteristic energy
Grace cast about her to see how
her escape might be accomplished
She drew from her purse small
gold-handled penknife Richard
had given her as a birthday pres
ent.
The panels of the doors, she
knew, were not over a quarter OF
an inch thick.
She went to the door by which
she had entered and cautiously
pressed the point of the tiny
blade into one of the panels at g
poin about six inches above the
lock. She realized joyfully that
the panel was composed of soft
wood.
Very carefully she began to
twirl the knife about, boring q
tiny hole as 1t went. Her progress
was pinfully slow. After a long
time she found she had enlarged
the opening to the size of half
dollar.
She was just beginning to lost
hope when an object on the fur
Their side of the room caught heI
eye. 1t was long iron poker
with q heavy brass handle, which
stood at one side of the old-fash.
Toned fireplace In the further
wall.
The brass head of the poker
varying In size from the end up
she wedged into the opening with.
out difficulty. 1t fitted tightly
She began to bear down upon the
other end. And then, with 9
splintering crash, the panel gave
way, and section of it as large a.
her hand bent slowly outward.
She dropped the poker to the
floor and thrust her arm through
the jagged hole, then, reachins
down, her fingers closed upon the
key. Even as she turned it she
heard sounds coming from the
hall at the rear-the opening of .
door, then rapid footsteps.
She flung the door wide ant
tore at breakneck speed down the
stairs. She sprang into the vesti
bule. opened the outer door, stun.
bled panic-stricken to the side.
walk. then ran at full speed to.
ward the corner.
- WIS piouu uds llSul. Ou6 0dC
not realized the length of tim,
she had been In the house.
1t was fully an hour before the
woman she had followed appeared
To Grace 1t seemed like six. The
woman stood for several moments
on the steps, cautiously watohine
to see whether or not she was OBJ.
served. then walked to Sixth av
and stood waiting for south.
bound car.
Suddenly Grace observed that
the woman carried, in addition to
the satchel. a large bundle secur-
ed In a shawl strap. And the
cover of the bundle was a bright
yellow and green plaid, was un.
mistakably steamer rug. She i'm.
mediately remembered the word
"Richelieu" which Hartmann had
used 80 vigorously when she had
passed him and the woman on the
corner the night before.
She watched the woman board
the car and then hailed a taxi
I When she got to the pier Grace
II