The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-03-13

} And when she could do no more
r to beautify her person, Sally turned
, again to the clothes presses, by now
, so far gone in self-indulgence that
she could contemplate without Q
qualm less venial experiments with
, the law.
And what I need she'll never
miss. Besides, can send back
everything In the morning, anony
mously, by parcel post. It's only
borrowing"
The testimony of a small gilt
o'clock startled her when, at length
1she stood ready for the next step in
her nsfarious career-the hour
hand was passing ten.
Sally put out the lights and went
to the door. She stole forth thru
the hallway and up the stairs to
the topmost floor, where, perched
upon the iron ladder, she tried her
patience sorely with a stubborn
scuttle cover before recalling the
click that had accompanied Its clos
ing-the click of spring latch.
But this last, when located
proved equally obdurate. Now she
must leave by the street. And now
she remembered the policeman who
kept nightly vigil at the avenue
crossing!
At the foot of the stairs Sally
paused. She could see nothing; she
had heard no sound; her hands had
touched nothing more startling than
the banister rail, and yet
That there was something wrong
in that house, so strangely deserted,
was evident beyond dispute. She
stood facing the dining room door,
the door to the library on her left.
Thru the former opening her vision,
ranging at random, detected a slen-
der beam of artificial light no
thicker than a lead pencil.
For moment the girl fingered,
fascinated by that slender, swerve-
less ray; then, slowly, holding her
breath, she crossed the threshold
OF the dining room, following the
light back to it's source-a narrow
crack in the folding doors communi-
eating with the library.
The girl stole to the folding doors
and put an eye to the crack. An
electric chandelier was on full.blaze
above the heavy center table of
mahogany, beyond which stood a
desk OF the roll top type-closed.
Above, the wall was decorated with
trophies of ancient armor; between
them hung huge canvas, the por-
trait Of beautiful woman beauti-
fully painted. And Immediately be-
meath the portrait stood a young
man, in profound abstraction, star
ing at the desk.
He rested lightly against the
table, his back square to Sally's
view, revealing a wefl-turned head
matched with dark hair, and the
line OF one lean, brown cheek. She
was frankly disappointed. Fol
some reason she had expected to
discover a burglar of one or an
other accepted type-either a dash
ing craftsman In full blown even
ing dress, or q common yegg, In
the rags and tatters of a tramp
But this man wore unromantic blue
cinating nor repellent.
But that he was of q truly Grim
inal disposition she was not per
mitted long to doubt; for In an
other moment he strobe alertly to
the wall and grasped the handle Of q
short-bladed Roman sword. He
thrust the point of the sword be
tween the writing pad and the edge
Of the roll top, forced the blade
well in, and bore all his weight
upon the haft Of this improvised
jimmy: Promptly, with a sound OF
rending wood, the top flew up.
:. At this the man released the
sword, which fell with a thump tc
the rug at his feet. and, bending
over the desk, explored its rack OF
pigeonholes and drawers. One Of
the latter eventually yielded the OBJ
ject OF his search; he took from Il
first small automatic pistol, which
he placed carelessly to one side
then a small leather-bound book
This found, he turned across the
room beyond bookcase, thus van
ishing from the field of Sally's
vision.
| Now was her chance to slip down
stairs and away. But she simply
had to know the meaning of those
noises he was making.
/ They were difficult to diagnose
an odd whirring sound broken by
repeated muffled clanks. But in
the end she identified those sounds
beyond mistake; the man was fret.
ting the combination of a safe, paus
ing now and again to try the handle
For what, indeed, had he forced
that desk If not to find the com
bination?
) In due course the noises ceased
and the malefactor reappeared
bringing with him a morocco.bound
box of good size. She had nc
doubt whatever that this was a
jewel case.
i For now the miscreant was fac
ing Sally as he bent over the table
and fumbled with the lock of the
case. A moment later, finding the
case to be fast locked, the burglar
turned back to the desk to renew
his rummaging-in search OF a
key to fit the case, she guessed
But his business there was inter.
rupted when a second man
hurled himself upon the back OF
the first. In a twinkling the two
went headlong to the floor.
l C.II