The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1916-06-03

gering into the NAV OF the open vault.
and with throaty and beastlrke cry
OF triumph swung the great steel door
shut, even as the partly dressed VIII
son ran gaping in through tho library,
door Yet Legar took time TO throw
back the tumbler lever and spin the
dial before turning 90 confront that
wide-eyed servant. Then. hearing
other approaching steps. he dove
through the second door, scurried like
a pelted hound through shadowy
rooms. slipped eel-like through a
quickly opened window and escaped =
to the street,
There he ran for n dark-bodied car ,
standing IN the deep tree shadows,
and with gasp OF relief flung himself
up into the cushioned seat n
AS he did so a masked figure sitting
crouched close back In the hooded
gloom OF that seat suddenly threw out
a hand and garroted the startled LEI
gar against the leather upholstery, on
which he began TO writhe like a cater 4
pillar on a cabinet pin. But with an
equally deft second movement the
man in the yellow mask snatched tho
oblong MANILA paper from his oppo>
nents hand "a D.
This" blandly announced the man
OF mystery as his garroting fingers re-.
Taxed and he stepped down TO the runs
ming board. lis one of the rare mo-
ments when | have the pleasure OF
trumping your acct"
And the all but apoplectic Legar lay =
back gasping for breath as that stran-
ger dropped lightly from the speeding
car and vanished shadowlike into tho
night.
AZ the homo of Enoch Golden, In the
meantime. the terrified Wilson had re-
gained both his feet. his presence OF
mind and a presentable portion of his
dignity. His frantic shouts for help
had brought the rest of the servants
docking TO the library, and his equally
frantic efforts TO describe what had
taken place did not add 20 the peace
OF that little group from below stairs.
u tell YOU. Tibbins, Miss Margory's
locked in that vault, and there's no
one in the 'ouse as knows 'ow 70 open
iG"
Cries OF horror burst from that sud
denly arrested circle
Someone telephone for the policel"
cried the second man. as Wilson
shouldered out through the group
swarming and gcsticulating about tho
vault door Yes, the police!"
lie had the instrument in his shak-
ing hand when tho door opened and
David Manley stepped quickly in, with
Tito, the green-bodied parrot. on his
arm,
What's wrong here?" was the new
comers sharp demand
It's Miss Margory. sir" began tho
quavering- butler.
We'll, what about Miss Margory?"
She's locked In that vault, sir, and
no one in the 'ouse knows the combi-
nation"
Good Cod" cried Manley. sudden
ly transfixed. Then no ran 10 tho
vault door. iiinging tho others aside
F1inging OF his coat. he bent over
the dial The silent group cireied
about him. And still he worked,
worked with every nerve on edge,
every SENSE alert. for time. no knew,
was precious. i
Il said silence therel" he called
out sharply for HIS whole mind was
directed to the faint click of metal
against metal In front OF him. But
louder than before the green.bodled
bird on its broken perch repeated it's
cry
"Twenty-one - thirty forty-two-
sixty was the shrill and monotonous
cry OF the parrot. with one ego cooked
ceilingward
Manley suddenly wheeled about.
What In Gods name does that par
rot mean? Watt II IL
IL must be''-But instead OF finishing
that declaration he repeated tho
birds cry. Twenty-one, thirty, forty
two, sixty"
In the next breath he was facing the
vault door, with his trembling fingers
turning and spinning the glimmering
dial.
Then, without breathing. and with
colorless face. his hand grasped the
tumbler lever. And not ono OF that
group moved as he put on that lever
the pressure that would tell the tale.
10 was Celestine the parlor maid
who Endorsed her Latin temperament
by falling back In a dead faint az the
metal door swung open. But no one,
at that moment was thinking OF Celes-
tine.
It's all right" Manley called from
the darkness OF the inner vault she's
alive-she1l be around In a minute
only somebody get some waterl"
Ito be ContinUod.D