The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1916-09-04
The "Crevice''

Caliban had been left behind, for
gotten! Enilys panic and haste must
have been great indeed to cause her
,, to forsake the pet she had so tenderly
loved! Much as he detested the spite
full little creature, he could not leave
it to starve. for her sake.
Morrow tried the kitchen door, but
found it securely locked from within.
The catch on the pantry window was
loose, however, and Morrow managed
to pry 1t open with his jackknife.
With a hasty glance about to see
that he was not observed, he pushed
up the window and clambered in, clos
ing it cautiously after him. He STUN
bled through the semi-obscurity and
gloom into the kitchen; instantly the
piteous cry ceased and Caliban rose
from the cold hearth and bounded
gladly to him. purring and rubbing
against his legs. Mechanically he
stopped and stroked it; then, after
carefully pulling down the shades, he
lighted the lamp upon the Uttered
table. and looked about him. Every
thing bore evidence as had the living
room, of a hasty exodus. The fire
was extinguished in the range, and it
was filed to the brim with flakes of
light ashes. Evidently Brunell or his
daughter had paused long enough in
their flight to burn armfuls of old
papers-possibly discriminating ones.
On the table was the debris of
hasty meal. Morrow poured some milk
from the pitcher into saucer and
placed it on the floor for the hungry
kitten; then, taking the lamp. he start
ed on a tour of inspection through
the house Everywhere the widest
confusion and disorder reigned.
Morrow turned aside from the door
Of Emily's room, but entered her IA
theirs. There save for a few articles
of old clothing strewn about, he found
comparative order and neatness. The
simple toilet articles were in their
places. the narrow bed just as Jimmy
Brunell had left it when he sprang up
to admit his nocturnal visitor.
On the floor near the bureau on
which the lamp stood. something white
and crumpled met Morrow's eye; he
stopped quickly and picked it up. tt
was a large single sheet of paper, and
as the operative smoothed it out, he
realized that it must be the message
which had been hurriedly brought to
Brunell in the early hour before the
dawn. The paper had lain Just where
he had dropped it, crushed from his
hand after reading the warning it con-
tanned.
Morrow turned up the wick Of his
own lamp and stared curiously at the
missive. The sheet of paper was ruled
at intervals, the lines and interstices
filled with curious hieroglyphics, and
at a first glance it appeared to the
operatives puzzled eyes to be a mere
portion of page of music. Then he
observed that old figures and letters,
totally foreign to the notes of a printed
score, were interspersed between the
rest. and moreover only the treble
clef had been used.
"Oh, Lord" he groaned to himself.
ITS another cryptogram, and | don't
believe Blaine himself will be able to
solve this one!"
He stared long and uncomprehend-
ingly at it: then with a sigh of baffled |
interest he folded it carefully and
placed it in his pocket AS he did so,
there came sudden sharp report from
outside, the tinkle of a broken window
pane, and bullet, whistling past his
ear, embedded itself in the wall behind
him!
Instinctively Morrow flung himself !
fiat upon the floor, but no second shot |
was fired. Instead, he heard the muf-
fled receding Of flying footsteps from
the sidewalk, and an excited cry or
two as neighborng windows were
raised and curious heads were thrust |
out
Hastily extinguishing the lamp, Nor
row felt his way to the kitchen, where's
he pocketed Caliban with scant cere-
mony and departed swiftly the way
he had come. through the pantry win
dow. BY scaling a backyard wall or
two he found an alley leading to the
street; and making detour of sever
al blocks, he returned to his lodgings,
to find Mrs. Quinlan waiting in great
excitement to relate her version of
the revolver shot.
Morrow listened with what patience
he could muster, and then handed
Caliban over to her mercy.
It's Miss Brunell's cat" he explain
ed. You'll take care of it for day
or two, at least, won't you? l expect
to hear from her soon, and I'd like to
be able to restore it to her"
Well, l amt what you would call
crazy about cats" the landlady re-
turned, somewhat obviously, "but |
couldn't let 1t die in this cold I'll
keep it OF course, till you hear from
Emily. Where did you find it?'
over in their yard" he responded,
with prompt mendacity. Il was in the
neighborhood and heard the shot fired,
so | ran in to have look around and