The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1916-03-13
NEXT WEEK, THE MAXWELL MYSTERY"

| the window. for tho first time :
alizing that her presence In tina
house. however innocent wouldn'
DO easy 10 explain 10 one Of I
polceman's incredulous idioayn
craay.
But nobody knew. n was onli
$3.50 by the clock in the Kitchen
II was reasonably improbabl. tina
tho faithleEs servants would com'
back much before midnight. and
she need only wait for tho storm
60 pass 10 return across tho roofs
None tho less II was quite with
out definite design that Sally re
traced her way 20 that suite 81
rooms IN the second story which
seemed 10 be the quarters OF tbs
mistress OF tho establishment.
And when the girl pursued h-i
investigations 10 the point OF open
Ing closed doors she found clothes
presses containing wardrobe q
cope with every imaginable emery
ency--frocks TO rayiHh any woman,
heart.
Her heart achef with n rcawak
ened sense OF the cruel unfalrneai
OF life. Her flesh crept with ths
touch OF her rain.soaked clothing
And in her thoughts temptation
stirred like n whispering serpent.
Its only for an hour No one
need ever know. I'll leave every
thing just as found II. And I'm
so uncomfortable"
She hesitated a moment longer
but only a moment Her frs, move
was TO turn on hot water In the
shining porcelain tub.
Half an hour later. deliciousiy ca
ressed by garments 81 soft white
silk, she sat before the dressing
table. drying her hair In the warm
draft % an electric fan.
And when she could DO no more
10 beautify her person. Sally turned
again TO tho clothes presses. by now
30 far gone IN self-lnduigence that
she could contemplate without q
qunlm lens venial experiments with
tho law.
"And what I need she'll never
miss. besides. I can send back
everything In tho morning. anony'
fnousiy. by parcel post It's only
borrowing"
Tn. testimony OF small gili
clock startled her when. at length,
she stood ready for the next step In
her nefaftons 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 "a
tho topmost floor. where. perched
upon the iron ladder. she tried her
patience sorely with n stubborn
seuttie cover before recalling the
click that had accompanied its clos
inE--ths click 81 spring latch.
hut this last. when located
proved equally obdurnte. Now she
must leave BY the street And nov
she remembered the policeman who
kept nightly Wall at the avenue
crossinEi
At the foot OF tho stairs Sally
paused She could zee nothing; she
had heard no sound: her hands had
touched nothing moro startling than
tho banister rail. and yet
Tha, there was something wrong
In that house. 90 strangely deserted
was evident beyond dispute. She
stood facing tho dining room door.
the door 10 the librAry on her left.
Thru tho former opening her vision.
ranging nj random. detected n slen.
der beam OF artificial light nc
thicker than lead pencil.
For a momcn, the girl fingered
fascinated by that slender. swerve
less ray. then. slowly. holding her
breath. she crossed the threshold
OF the dining room. following n,
light back TO its source--a marrow
crack In the folding doors communi
eating with tho library.
Tho gtrl stole 90 the folding door
and put an eye 10 the crack. Ar
electric chandelier was on fuli.hlaxs
above tho heavy center table q
mahogany. beyond which stood Z
desk OF Tho roll top type--clo.ed
Above. the wall was decorated with
trophies OF ancient armor: between
them hung huge canvas. the por
trait OF n beautiful woman beauti
fully painted. And Immediately be
meath the portrait stood youns
man. in profound abstraction. star
Ing at tho desk.
He rested lightly against IN,
table. his back square 10 Sally
view. revealing n well.turned heai
matched with dark hair. and IN,
line OF one lean. brown cheek. sh,
was frankly disappointed. Fo
some reason she had expected {,
discover burglar OF one or mn
other accepted type-either n dash
ing cracksman IN full blown even
ing dress. or n common yeEg, Il
tho rags and tatters of tramp
But this man wore unromantic blu
serge upon person neither fas
cinating nor repellcnt.
But that he was OF n truly Grim
inal disposition she was not per
mltted long 10 doubt. for in an
other moment he strobe alertly {,
the wall and grasped the handle OF
shortbladed Roman sword. III
thrust the point OF tho sword be
tween tho writing pad and the edg,
OF tho roll top. forced the blad,
we'll in. and bore all his weigh
upon tho hAft OF this improvise,