Omaha daily bee., 1916-10-23
CHRISTOPHER IS STUNNED BY THE EXPLOSION.

ishing chauffeur forgot his anguish
in this new excitement.
The obstruction, whatever 1t might
be, was mysteriously invisible, but IN
moment Christopher had stumbled
over thick wire tightly stretched
across the drive at height of twelve
or fifteen inches above the ground
Had Scarlet Runner been going ut an
ordir pace there would certainly
have IN an ugly accident.
AS Christopher pitched forward,
and righted himself hurriedly. the
chauffeur cried out, and would have
broken into excited questioning; but
Race silenced him with raised
finger of warning.
Telling the chauffeur to stand by
Scarlet Runner, unless called, Chris
topher began to climb a slight emf
hence, the wind and rain in his face,
as his feet squashed through the soak
ed, spongy grass. Mounting to the
top, he came into full sight of the
house, above the shrubbery and some
low growing trees. AT the extreme
western end was row of three light
ed, diamond-paned windows on the
ground floor. The room within was
hidden by semi-transparent green
curtains All the other windows in
that wing were black as this one had
been a moment ago; for the bedrooms
Of the old-fashioned house doubtless
depended upon candles for light, and
remained in darkness when their oc-
cupants were absent.
This light which cast its white
beam up and down, shining out
through thin white curtains, was
neither the light Of candle nor of a
lamp. 1t was a strange, will-o'-the-
wisp of light and seemed to con-
firm those strange thoughts in Chris
topher Races brain. AS Christopher
noiselessly approached the lighted
panes he suddenly saw, as in vision,
what was passing on the other side.
A man, with small, wiry figure
and half-mask of crepe or some
black material hiding the upper part
of his face, was tiptoeing, catlike
about the room, guiding his move
ments by means of a dark lantern
He had evidently just satisfied him
self that there were things worth hay
ing in the room, despite the risk of the
thin curtains, and, having locked the
door of an adjoining room, he placed
on the floor by the dressing table q
partly-filled bag of plumber, already
secured, before moving towards the
door leading out to the corridor. Here
he suffered disappointment. Flash.
| ing his lantern up and down the oak
he found no bolt, no key In the lock
For second he hesitated; but there
was litter of jewelled gold brushes
and bottles and boxes on the dressing
table (such luxurious things as Ameri-
can heiresses cen afford to carry about
when they travel), and men of his
/ profession must be accustomed to such
risks, such disappointments, in old.
fashioned. carelessly conducted
houses. Having flashed a ray of light
over the tempting display on the table
he advanced to the window and softly
opened it, that his way of escape NIGH
be ready If needed.
"Ill let him gather up the spoil and
then. as he comes out, I'll nab him
and yell to my chauffeur" thought
Christopher.
For brief moment he had forgot
ten the Nuremberg watch, and all the
conflicting interests entangled round
it; but as the long beam of light ones
more lit up the dressing table he hnd
the best reasons for remembering il
again. There it lay, piainly visible, a.
the dark, moving arm advanced tt
push the crowding gold toilet things
aside. The lean hand grabbed It up