The evening world., 1916-06-19

could find some cigarettes" and then.
recognising Mahlin as the servant
who had admitted him, what the
devil are you doing with those books?
And why. haven't you told my aunt
that had arrtved7"
II really beg pardon. sir" said the
supposed servant humbly. but was
Just giancing over the volumes, sir.
They are highly interesting, sir.
will notify your aunt Immediately.
SIR" and he backed toward the door.
We'll. don't waste any more time
about 1t, them" said L,eyland, "and
you can tell her that I'm going to
stay here for while and have a
smoke"
Dropping into a chair. he lighted a
cigarette. An instant later a crush
Ing blow descended on his head and.
with groan. he slumped from the
chair on TO the floor. where he lay
with outspread arms, breathing
stertorously.
Needless Of the unconscious body
at his feet. Mahlin had resumed M
scrutiny Of the books whom he hearS
outside the door the voices Of Mrs
Delmar. Hope and Cleo. They were
ascending the stairs. They were COM
ing to the study. He glanced hastily
about him. The only means Of es-
cape was through the single door
He was trapped. His only chance Of
avoiding discovery lay in concealing
himself until the unwelcome visitors
had departed Leaving the books on
the table. he blew out the lamp and
slipping into one Of the window re-
cesses drew before him the heavy
curtains. Scarcely had he done so
when the door opened.
Why. the rooms dark" exclaimed
Mrs. Delmar. Il can't understand II.
| certainly gave orders to have the
lamp lighted" and. stepping TO the
light.
Good heavens! What's this7"
cried Hope, catching sight Of Ley
lands body.
Mrs. Delmar gave a cry OF horror.
IT'S Francis! It's my nephew. Is
he dead? oh. is he dead? What's
happened to him?"
NO. he's not dead" said Hope, OK
amining the unconscious man. "bu,
he's had terrific clip on the back
OF the head. Looks as though some
one had hit him with a life -preserver
He's coming around, though. He'll
be all right in a few minutes"
Here are the books on the table,
said Cleo. recognizing two OF her
fathers beloved volumes. Poor Nj.
Leyland must have boen looking 1T
them when
She stopped abruptly. for from be-
hind the curtains had come a muffleI
sneeze.
Some ones hiding there-behind
the curtains!" she whispered. grip
ping Hopes arm.
Crossing the room on velvet feet,
) Hope suddenly jerked aside the heavy
draperies. As he did so. Mahlin, who
, had slipped black mask over the
upper portion Of his face. leaped dt
; him like a panther. Locked in each
others arms the two men swayeI
> out into the middle OF the room.
They hit cabinet filled with porce-
lain and II went over with a crash.
, They caromed from the wall TO the
table and from the table to the wall.
Cursing, grunting, snarling. strain
ing, more like animals than men,
they reeled through the doorway OF
the study into the upper hall.
rug slipped from beneath them
and sent them 10 their knees, but still
J., they battled on. Nearer and nearer
their desperate struggles brought
:, them to the top Of the stairway.
, Hope, who was on top now, had his
I fingers on Mahlin's throat. The house
was in an uproar now. Guests. ser
, wants ana musicians, attracted by
!. the piercing screams OF Cleo AMI
!, Mrs. Delmar. rushed from the ball .
I, room and stood crowded in the door
: below, watching the struggle at the
y head of the stairs as an audience
! watches mock struggle on the
- stage.
y Now the two were poised at the ton
hn
| chorus OF screams from Cleo and Mrs
d Delmar above and from the assem-
a blsd guests below. they rolled, with
q terrific humping, down the marble
V stairs. SO intertwined that one could
not be distinguished from the other
= they burst into the ballroom. the
a frightened guests giving way before
. them. Painting from exhaustion they
n rocked and swayed across the pol
ished floor, recled for n sickening mo
a ment against the low balustrade In
q front of the open French window. AND
,r then, amid a cry OF warning from tn,
onlookers, plunged outward ano
: downward into the darkness. A ter.
rifle crash OF broken glass told the
Mortified listeners that they had fall
u. en- through the roof Of the conserva.
n tory below.
n Throughout the desperate encoun.
,o ter Cleo had remained at the top o.
:" the stairs, petrified with fear foi
;" Hopes safety. clinging convulsivel!
IA to Mrs. Delmar. AS the two figures
plunged through the open window
l. she gave a chriok OF horror.
ls He's killed. Hes killed! l know
- he's killed." she walled, and raj
10 blindly, madly down the stairs.
Seeing that the coast was now mo
:, mentarily clear, Morton and Olga
], who had followed the others upstair
~ without themselves being observed
and had witnessed the whole Of tn
iv desperate struggle. slipped into tn
=, empty study with the intention o
getting the books, which they ha,
a. seen, only a moment before, lying Of
"a the table. But they stopped in aston
A. ishment. The books had disappeared
(To BE Continued,)