The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1916-09-14
FIFTH lNSTALLMENT.

The explosion OF the bombs which
the old nihllist had secreted In his
cellar had literally torn the house
asunder Yet by one of those whims
which so frequently characterize the
action OF high explosives. though the
front OF the house had been trans
formed into a heap OF debris. the
rooms at the rear remained intact and
almost uninjured Thus It happened
that Morton and Olga. standing be.
hind the curtain which hung at the
entrance to the dining room. though
hurled TO the noor by the force OF the
explosion. had escaped with a few
bruises, while Stephanski, who had
been I'm the front room, only a few
feet away. now lay dead amid the
debris-killed by the very bombs
with which he had planned to kill
others. On the other side of the
room. half buried beneath heap OF
fallen plaster Hope was stretched.
Morton and Olga. still screened by
the curtain behind which they had
concealed themselves when Hope
broke into the room. had scarcely re-
gained their senses when they we're
dumfounded 20 hear outside the house
the voice OF Cleo.
I'm sure Mr.. Hope is in there.
Hook" they heard her say.
Here he is. Hook" she cried.
Here's Lieutenant Hope, under all
this plaster. He's so white and still
I'm afraid he's-he's dead"
"oh, Jarvis. Jarvis" she walled.
kneeling beside him.
II was some minutes before Hope
recovered his senses ufIiciently to tell
connected story. MY car broke
down when | was coming back from
the Presidio," he explained: that's
what delayed me. When | reached
the hotel they told me that you had
started for here alone. Just as |
reached here ! thought I heard you
screaming. ! knocked at the door,
but they wouldn't open II. so I broke
II in. In the front room ] met the old
Russian with the white whiskers. He
said he hadn't seen you. was lust
starting 10 search the house when A
fellow with a black mask on stepped
out from behind a curtain and showed
pistol in my face | heard a woman
scream Just as he pulled the trigger.
There was a noise as though a ten.
inch gun had been fired under me.
Something hit me on the back OF the
head and don't remember anything
more. Now it's your turn. Cleo. What
on earth induced you TO come here
alone and how dtd you eseape?"
So Cleo told how she had waited
at the hotel until long past the hour
at which Hope and Hook had prom.
ised to rejoin her; how. fearful OF
missing Stephanski and thus losing
the opportunity TO examine the book.
she had gone to the house in the Edge
mere road alone: how she had been
seized, bound and gagged: how a
masked woman had threatened her
with torture II she did not reveal the
key to the cryptogram how. upon
hearing Hopes motor, a man. also
masked. had carried her into the eel.
lar; how she had succeeded in Kidding
herself OF the gag; and how Hook,
prowling about at the rear OF the
house. had heard her screams and had
dragged her from the cellar in the
very nick OF time.
And the book7" inquired Hope,
eagerly. did you have chance to
examine II before they attacked your"
Yes" said Cleo, Il went through II.
page by page, from cover 20 cover.
There was nothing in IT,"
Well" said Hope. as Cleo and
Hook aided him 10 his feet, there's no
need to be discouraged. II isn't like
ly that we would have found the
formula In the first book we looked
in. anyway We still have eleven
chances left. The l-ing to do now is
20 get In touch Will the people who
bought the other books. Let's see"
and he took from his pocket the
page from Dawson's ledger, the
next name on the list is that OF an
old friend OF mine Mrs. Reginald
Delmar. She's the wife OF the British
consul In San Francisco;
Little they dreamed, as they de-
parted from the shattered house, that
two shadowy figures lurking behind
curtain had overheard every word OF
their conversation. Stlll less did Nor.
ton and Olga dream that the Japa.
nCse. Satsuma. Crouching IN the dark.
ness outs'da Que OF the broken win
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SIIRGE0N REuIUEc MEAN, NAM