Meade County news., 1916-05-25
CHAPTER Xxx.
of With the Old.

dark mystery, she nerved herself
against protracted vigil. The obscuI-
ity on every hand seemed ali'e with
stealthy footsteps, whisperings, muir
murings, the passage of shrouded
shapes of silence and of menace. Her
eyes ached, her throat and temples
throbbed, her skin crept, her scalp
tingled. She seemed to hear thousand
different noises of alarm.
The only sounds she did not seem to
hear were those-if any-that accom-
panied Lanyard's departure and re-
turn. Had he not been thoughtful
enough, when a few feet distant, to
give warning with the light she might
we'll have greeted with cry of fright
the consciousness of presence near
her, so silently he moved about. AS
lit was, she was startled, apprehensive
of some misadventure, to find him
back so soon, for he hadn't gone three
minutes, long though her nervousness
had made that period, seem.
"It's quite all right" he announced
in hushed accents-no longer whisper
ing. There are just FIVE people in
the house aside from ourselves
servants, asleep in the rear wing.
We've a clear fleld-if no excuse for
taking foolish chances! However,
we'll be finished and off again within
ten minutes. This way"
AS he spoke the light of the flash
lamp was blotted out. An instant later
the girl heard little clashing noise OF
curtain rings sliding along pole, and
this was thrice repeated. Then, follow.
ing another brief pause, switch
clicked, and, streaming from the hood
of portable electric desk lamp, pool
of light flooded the heart Of vast
place of shadows.
Reviewing 1t swiftly, the girl found
herself In an apartment whose doors
and windows alike were cloaked with
heavy draperies hanging from floor tc
ceiling in long, shining folds. Immense
black bookcases lined the walls, theil
shelves crowded with volumes in ricf
bindings; from their tops pallid, sculp
tured masks peered down inquisitively
leering and scowling at the intruders
A huge mantelpiece of carved mar
BILE, supporting a great, dark mirror
occupied the best of one wall; beneath
it wide, deep fireplace yawned, insult
ficiently shielded by a screen o.
wrought brass and crystal. In the mid
die of the room stood library table
of mahogany; huge leather chairs ant
couches encumbered the remainder oi
its space. And one corner, that to the
right of the fireplace, was shut off by
high Japanese screen of cinnabal
and gold.
To this Lanyard moved confidently
carrying the lamp. Placing 1t on the
floor, he grasped one wing Of the
screen with both hands. and at cost OF
considerable effort swung 1t aside, un.
covering the face of huge, old-style
safe, of which the body was buried In
the wall.
For several seconds-but not for
many-Lanyard studied this problem
intently, standing quite motionless,
head lowered and thrust forward
hands resting on his hips. Then, turn
ing, he nodded an invitation to come
nearer.
my last job" he said, with smil
ing countenance oddly lighted by the
lamp at his feet-"and my easiest,
fancy. Sorry. too, for I'd rather have
liked to show off bit! But this old
fashioned tin bank gives no excuse fol
spectacular methodist"
"But," the girl objected, you've
brought no tools"
"Oh, but have!" And fumbling IN
a pocket, Lanyard produced a pencil
Behold" he laughed, brandishing IL
She knitted thoughtful brows. Il
don't understand"
"All l need-except this"
Crossing to the desk, he found q
sheet OF note paper and. folding It, re.
turned.
"Now." he, said, give me five min.
utes."
Kneeling, he gave the combination.
knob a smart preliminary twirl, then
rested shoulder against the sheet OF
painted iron, his cheek to its smooth
cold cheek, his ear close beside the
dial, and with the practiced fingers OF
a master locksmith and an authority
on strong-box construction, began to
manipulate the knob.
Gently, tirelessly, to and fro he twist
ed, turned, raced and checked the com.
bination, caressing It,, humoring 1t,
wheedling it, inexorably questioning
it in the dumb language his fingers
spoke so deity. And in his ear the
click and whir and thump Of shifting
wards and tumblers murmured articu-
late response in the terms Of their
cryptic code.
Now and again, releasing the knob
and sitting back "a his heels, he would
bend grave scru9ny To the dial. note
the position Of the combination, and
with his pencil jot memoranda on the
folded sheet Of paper. This happened