Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1916-02-23

~
Aa4zA-
"Mr. Smith"
and freed the safety catch before
opening the door.
"A thousand thanks, my dear
count"
For what? Doing myself a serv'
ice? You make me ashamed"
II know" agreed Lanyard. deprecia.
tory; ''but that's the way ana little
devil-you really can't trust me-!
Adieu, NJ. lie Comte."
"Au revoir, monsieur!"
Lanyard watched the car round the
corner before turning to the entrance
of Troyon's, simultaneously keeping
his weather eye bright. But when the
motor was gone the street seemed
quite deserted and as soundless as
though it had been the thoroughfare
of some remote village rather than an
artery of the pulsing old heart OF
Paris.
Yet he wasn't satisfied. He even
shivered bit, perhaps because OF
the chill in that air of early morning,
possibly because a shadow of premo-
milton had fallen athwart his soul.
Whatever its cause, he could find no
excuse for the sensation, and shaking
himself impatiently, pressed the but
ton that rang bell by the ear of the
concierge, heard the latch click, thrust
the door wide, and re-entered Troy
on's.
Here reigned a silence even more
marked than that of the street, 81
lence as heavy and profound as the
graves, so that sheer instinct prompt
ed Lanyard to tread lightly as he
made his way down the passage and
across the courtyard toward the stair
way; and in that hush the creak OF a
greaseless hinge, when the concierge
opened the door of his quarters to
assure himself Of the identity of this
belated guest, seemed little less than
downright profanity.
Lanyard paused and delved into his
pockets, nodding genially to the
blowzy, sleepy old face beneath the
guardians nightcap.
Sorry to disturb you, monsieur" he
said politely, further impoverishing
himself in the sum of five francs in
witness to the sincerity of his regrets.
Il thank monsieur; but what need
to consider me? It's my duty. And
what is one interruption more or less !?
All night they come and CO."
Good night, monsieur" Lanyard
cut short the old mans garrulity, and
went on up the stairs, now little
YEARLY, of a sudden newly conscious
Of his enervating fatigue.
He thought longingly of bed, yawned
involuntarily, and, reaching his door.
fumbled the key in most unprofes-
sional way; there were weights upon
his eyelids, q heaviness in his brain.
But the key met with no resistance
from the wards, and in trice, appre-
ciating this fact, Lanyard was wide
awake again.
No question but that he had locked
the room securely on leaving after his
adventure with the charming somnam-
bulist
Had she then, contracted the habit?
Or was this only proof of what he
had anticipated in the beginning
bit of sleuthing on the part OF Roddy?
He entertained little doubt as to
the correctness of this latter surmise
as he threw the door open and
stepped into the room, his first action
being to grasp the electric switch. But
no light answered.
"Hello!" he exclaimed softly, re-
Numbering that the light could read
lily have been turned off at the bulbs.
whats the good Of that?"
In the same breath he started vio-
lently and swung about.
The door had closed behind him.
swiftly but gently, eclipsing the faint
light from the hall, leaving stark dark
ness.
His first impression was that the in
truder-Roddy, or whoever 1t might
be-had darted past him and out, pull
ing the door to in the act.
Before he could consciously revise
this misconception he was fighting for
his life.
So unexpected, so swift and sudden
fell the assault that he was caught
completely off guard-between the
shutting of the door and an onslaught
whose violence sent him Keeling to the
wall, the flight Of time could have
been measured by the Pickering of an
eyelash.
Two powerful arms were round his
body, pinioning his hands to his sides,
his feet were tripped from under him,