Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-10-29

don's in the car. f@nd Prince Peter
Jubilant. just back &rop, the Danvanian
embassy. He had gone there In his "
Wallets clothes and insisted ON seeing
AnaStasin. whose cousin hG pretended
to be. The maid had permission from
Nine. Rudovics to go out on, Friday
evening: Valda would pretend. some
slight indlsposition, keep her room al
day. and leave the house. well vellet
In Anastasia's hat and cloak. Ate
ward the woman would do her best 10
follow unobserveu. AID a rendezvous
would be made somewhere in tho l
neighborhood after dark. With Scarlet a
Hummer IN waiting. Then II was not
likely that Valda's absence would be-
discovered till morning. and by tllatsll
time She and her lover would be ltarSf'
on their way to Scotland. So
AS for Mirko's presence In the housH
Anastasia had been able to say'nothinE
definitely. but she did know that since
morning one Of the rooms had been
closed on the plea that part Of the
ceiling had fallen. and no one was to
20 in until workmen should have come
to repair the damage. On hearing t.iIs
Peter had been thoughtful enough to q
inquire the position of the locked room,
and had learned II was at the back Of <
the house on the second floor. and yon
the right of the corridor which ran
down the middle OF the three upper
stories.
Good" exclaimed Christopher. II
thought they'd put him there, for
Knocking on the wall would do no good
1t he tried 1t. There's an empty house
on the right. you know. The one on
the lofts occupied. 1 can imagine old
Rudorics inviting the prince Into tho
room. AS IL for secret meeting with
some emissary from Dalvania. then
quietly turning the key. Rather smart s.
idea that about the fallen ceiling. And
as the rooms at the back, and the oId-
fashioned wooden shutters (Which all
the houses i'm Queen Annes Gardens
haHc) are probably nailed fast. your
poor brothers as much q prisoner
III he were ut Portland"
Next morning at 10 o'clock. Chris.
topher Race was at the door of Mesers.
leonard and steele, estate and house
agents. at the moment when 1t opened
FOR business. lie informed the .lnanta- I
ger mat he had been empowered by
Mr. James Race, of Hyde Hampton TO
take No. So Queen Anne's Gardens, Tor
three years tthc shortest term per-
miSsible). IL Immediate possession could
be given. N-,.. FsfFA.
The agent thought there would be 1T
tic difficulty about this. and became
certain OF 1t when there wasrnoE att
tempt at cutting down the high rent
asked for the old house. unlet for sew
crai years. A telephone message was
sent to the owner. papers were sign
Cd check In advance for the quar-
ters rent was paid: and presently
Christopher found himself I'm possess
sion OF the keys Of SO Queen Anne,s
'iardens. the house adjoining the Dali
Fahian embassy on the right hand side
About 10 o'clock that night. having
given all necessary instructions con-
cern'ns Scarlet Runner to the chauf-
feur he trusted, Christopher unlocked
the front door OF his unclcs newly ar.
CURED town house, and walked in He
had with him. In a golfers bag. q pick.
AK. one or two other handy tools and
an electric lantern. To begin with.
he chose the back room on the secanI
MOOR which, according to his calcu.
tatfons, was separated froE. Prime.
Mlrko's prison only by tho house wall
win small hammer he tapped lightly
omce. twice, without receiving. an. an.
swer' Then he was rejoiced by are.
hponsfve rapping on the other sIde
Al nrSt the knocks seemed to him
desultory and Irregular. but i'm a moss
meht nc realized that words were b..
,mS ,ormed ny taps and spaces, accord
'"S 10 the Morse code Of telegraphy.S,i
Long ago Christopher had learned Il
at Gton, whom he and another bow ia a
sought means OF secret communical
tion. Evidently tho occupant of the
room beyond the wall had learned II.
too. $3.50. - /.
~ eou iuIHutcS the TWO men, thus
aiFidcd ny bricks and mortar, were able
10 come 70 an understanding Chris
topher was assured that he was talk j
Ing with the Prince, and Mirko was Al
FORMED that he was talking with Chris
.opher Race Also Christopher was
able roughly to communicate his Man
TO tho prisoner, and learned to his de-
tEht that there was u food prospeot8
OF success. Mirko indicated the nosI!
u'h or large wardrobe which stood
ah nus room against the dividing wall,
ana suggested that Chrlstopher's Dor!
ms operations should be conducted be.
nina H. When tho bricks should he
'oosohed' Mirko would pull out tho
wardrobe and be ready to push 1t back
INTO place In case OF danger. -
Al night long Christopher worked,
refreshed with bread and wine from ~
bnS; and by carly dawn no had dug %
nole through which he could speak To
me FRINGE. Until this moment he had
outlined his plan but vaguely, and what
"'rRo heard now amazed him. go TX
While London slept. and the old
houses In Queen Anne's Gardens kent
their wooden oyelids closed. four pers
sons. who had stepped out Of a closed
carriage round tho corner, wnlked
Quietly to the door OF No. So. There
were three MON and ono woman: and,
bell they were nlmos. immediatelv nd
mitted into tho dark. unfurnished
house. - $50.
us al weil--so far?" asked BIoisa
.,sus Whispering In the dim corr
All la weil--so far" answered Chris:
topher Race. '.''}
II was not until after 10 o'clock IN
we morning that the absence Of littIe
covered by Nine. Rudovics for she was
II late riser by habit. and the girl had
posed as an invalid the day before
Under Vnlda's pillow a note had been
snpped have gone ava. toSmarry
l'rince Peter. OF Dalvanta. We love $
tach other" And that news had sent
me ambassador in haste to the door Of
me closed room, whore no work had
yet been begun upon the fallen cell
ing" -.
tie unlocked the door and knocked
ny way or courtesy. two men-tall DALI
lie l