The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1916-12-14

tried a window. the window through
which had shown the tsntalzing light
II was fastened
Without hesitation she pulled out the
long steel bar with the twisted head,
and began TO insert the sharp end be
tween the Sashcs
"Arcn't-you-afraid" chattered her
companion
No she whispered, not looking up
from her work You know, most per
sons don't know enough about jim
mics Against them an ordinary door
look or window catch is not protection
at all Why with this jimmy even a
woman can exert pressure OF ton
or so. Not one catch in a thousand can
stand certainly not this one"
Constance continued to work, muf-
fling the lever as much as possible in
a piece Of fell,
At last quick wrench and the catch
yiclded
The only thing wrong about it was
the noise There had been no wind. no
passing trolley, nothing to conceal il
They shrank back into the shadow,
and waited breathless Had it been
heard Would a window open pres
emily and ah alarm be sounded?
There was not sound save the
rustic OF the leaves in the night wind
A few minutes later Constance care
fully raised the lower sash and they
stepped softly into the house-once the
house over which Anita Douglas had
been mistress
Cautiously Constance pressed the but
ton on a little pocket storage battery
lamp and flashed it slowly about the
room
All was quiet in the library The
library table was diSordcred. as If some
ono in great stress of mind had been
working at it Anita wondered wha,
had been the grim thoughts of the man
as he pondered on the mass OF stuff. the
tissue OF ialsehoods that the blackmai-
ing detective had handed him at such
great cost.
AT last the cone Of light rested on
little safe at the opposite end.
There IT is, whispered Anita. point
ing half afraid even OF the soft tones
OF her own voice.
Constance had pulled down all the
shades quietly and drew the curtains
tightly between the room and the
foyer.
On the top OF the safe she was pour,
ing some OF the powder in a neat pile
from one of the vials.
What is that" asked Anita, bending
close 10 her ear.
Some powdered metallic aluminium
mixed with oxide OF iron" WHISPERED
Constance IN return. 81 read OF this
thing IN scientific paper the other
day, and ! determined 70 get some of
it But didn't think I'd ever really
have occasion to use it,"
She added some powder from the
other vial.
And that"
Magnesium powder"
Constance had lighted a match
Stand back, Anita" she whispered.
IN the iar,hest corner of the room, and
keep quiet Shut your eyes-turn your
face away
There was flash, binding then a
steady, brilliant burst OF noiseless. pen-
etrating flame.
Anita had expected an explosion. In.
stead she found that her eyes hurt 'She
had not closed them tightly quick
enough
Still Cons,ances warning had been
sufficient to prevent any damage 10
the sight and she slowly recovered.
Actually, the burning powder seemed
to be sinking into the very steel OF the
safe itself, as Il il had been mere ice
Was IT an optical illusion, a freak IT
her Sigh,1
"Whwhat il it?" she whispered in
awe, drawing closer to her friend.
"Ihermit," whispered Constance in
reply, as the two watched the glowing
mass fascinated IAN invention OF a
German chemist named Goldschmid,
II will burn a hole right through steel
at a terrific temperature, 1900 or
more degrees"
The almost burned out mass seemed
to fall into the safe as IL il had been a
wooden box instead Of chrome steel
They waited moment, still blinking
TO regain control over their eyes in spite
OF the care they had used TO shield
them.
Then they ,iptoed aerosl the floor
Ito he Continued)