The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-06-24
THEFT---By Cecil Hayter

Jun leIt tne mouse. lie mad barely
reached Coin Court when a loud
telephone ring echoed across the
stiffness OF the sitting room. lie
crossed TO the instrument. picked up
the receiver. and smiled as the stri-
dent voice from the other end Of the
wire reached his ear.
"Dornton speaking"
Yes? What's the natter"
Did you. or did you not. collar
the man you suspect?" demanded
the official.
NO: he wasn't at the reception"
said Dun languidly. He went to
bed just before nine O'Clock. and is
still there"
Dornton groaned
Mrs Belford's pearls have disap-
peared." he said hoarsely. "On my
special instructions. she did not wear
them tonight. Left them securely
locked up in safe in her room.
Stolen under my very nose. A nice
muddle We seem TO have made OF
the whole thing between US" His
angry indignation and disgust vi
brated over the wire.
Good night" said Dun. I'm OF
10 bed" lie dropped the receiver
and left u dangling from its hook
Dornton tried several times after
that TO ring him up. but naturally
got no answer.
The early evening editions OF the
following days papers contained
fiorid accounts OF the theft OF the
famous Bolford pearls.
Dun lounged about in his sitting
room. yawning over the papers. In
spector Dornton called at the house
three times. only TO be met by the
bland. slanting-eyed Chinaman with
the stolid assurance. Him not at
home. No tellee when him come
back. No tellee at all"
At dusk that evening Duff let him
self out OF his house transformations
ly by means OF a secret door In his
laboratory wall and the convenient
roof OF his garage just below. from
which he dropped into the back OF
his courtyard. and. secure from any
possible observation OF DoTnton or
any OF his men. slithered out OF
sight over some ratings shutting his
domain on from the muddy Thames.
Something like an hour later he
turned into the vestibule OF a big
set OF modern flats just of Park lane
and assembled TO the second floor.
lie rang the electric bell OF a Fat
numbered 80, waited patiently. rang
again. received no response. then
took a key from his pocket. fitted IL
TO the patent lock. eased the door
open and closed II again behind him.
A thickly carpeted corridor.
Ranked by doors on either side. was
revealed by the light OF the electric
torch which Dun snapped on. One
by one he opened the doors with
cool deliberation, and made com
prehensive search OF each room.
There were locked drawers. cup
boards and recesses. but Dun made
M attempt TO unlock them; he sim
ply prised them open with the first
implement that came 70 hand-a
poker from the drawing room FIRE
place-and strewed the contents on
the floor. He turned up a carpet or
rug here and there. ana neglected TO
replace them. Then he opened a
window. outside which there ran an
iron ladder. presumably fire.
escape. which led into a back yard
and returned TO the drawing room.
where he sat smoking innumerable
cigarettes.
At IL o'clock he lit brand new
paraffn-oil bicycle lamp and set IL
on the carpet near the door. At
halfpast II he carefully adjusted a
silk mask over his face. turned up
his coat collar and fastened II snug
ly round his chin. damned the brim
OF his soft felt hat low down over
his eyes. and stood eXpectantly alert
near the threshold OF the open draw
ing-roOm door