Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1916-01-07
CHAPTER xxxVlll.
The Hidden Thief.

AS ne tuTHeQ from tne room NA3f6
these late exciting scenes had &C.
Cured, there was one-Count Fred
erck-who gazed back with loc I
inquiry to the solitary occupant 0
tarried there Kitty Gray, wra 4
in her own anxieties, did not catch
this look OF solitude, but as they all
passed out and left her to her own de.
vices, robbed now even Of the aid Of
her faithful servant, she cast herself
upon a couch in sudden access Of ap.
prehension.
Then she paused, her breath held,
her heart sitting her lungs for just an
instant 1t seemed to her that she
felt in the couch beneath her some
suspicious movement--yes, II must be
so, She sprang across the room to
the door, her first instinct that Of
fight, but halted and found conceal
ment beyond the first curtain Of the
alcove Her eyes were fastened on
the cover e the couch which but now
she had occupied.
Yes, she saw the lid move, saw a
hard appear beneath its edge-saw
a man slowly crowd himself out from
this hiding place within the body of
the couch 1t was the face of one of the
apache banda face that she saw
turned questianingly into the room,
which evidently he thought now va
cant. Surely Blake had abundant re-
tainly he himself did not tarry. A
moment, and he was out Of the win
dow and passed from sight as had
his fellows.
There was no time for Kitty to call
for aid, even had there been aid which
she could have summoned She
wasted no time In utilities, but her
own fashion Of self-help, resolved to
lose no opportunity to end certain Of
these complexities. Without time for
thought she sprang after the man, no
definite plan in her mind. AS she did
so, she called out once more, almost
by instinct, upon tho one friend who
thus far had not failed her. "Ro.
leau." she cried, Roleau!"
But the faithful Roleau did not hear
his mistress summon him. BY this
time he was in the front part of the
hotel, himself In charge of the officers
Of the law.
On his way to the station house In
charge Of the gendarmes he weighed
deliberately the chances Of success
one bold man might have against
these others now torn by indeclsion;
for certainty tho gendarmes them
selves had come out OF this with none
too much glory, and were in no too
good conSait Of themselves. They
walked loosely heads down, dreading
what lay ahead, 1t was no great feat
for Roleau, half guarded, to spring
away from them at speed, and once
more to gain the front of the hotel.
He passed rapidly to the desk.
"Padron," he said to the clerk who
stood there, himself irresolute, "the
captain has asked me to inquire of her
excellency-" and he did not step to
specify as to the nature of that In
curry. He sprang to the stair, un'
deferred, ran down the hall and once
moro found open the door OF the room
which but now he had left
He entered eagerly, gazed about
him and stood dumfounded for a
moment. There was no trace Of his
mistress. The room once more us
altogether empty.
To hiu there was only one conelH
sion possible. Certainly his mist 3
had not come out by the front q i
therefore she must have passed Ut
by Wonder window, which had offered
exit to the intruders. The next mo-
ment Roleau himself was through the
same window and hurrying down the
fire escape which he saw now gave &C.
cess to the street. BY the time the
captain of the guard and his hurrying
men we're close on his track at the
hotel desk, Roleau once more was
free
The scene OF action Of all this was
now but transferred from the rear
to the front of the hotel, where, not
apprehending the presence of others,
the parties of this drama met with
out plan. Count Frederick had halt
ed, reluctant to leave the young girl
in such time of distress. Count
Sachio, looking about him for some
sign Of the man who he knew had
the coin he coveted, also stood ir-
resolute at the curb. Kitty, pursuing
the flying thief-and after her now
Roleau-paused as they saw others
ahead 1t seemed to Roleau when he
first caught sight Of the excellency
whom he served that she was wait
ing for someone, holding back for