Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1916-10-06

be a telephone, and a plan suddenly
had matured In his mind. He stole
noiselessly to the other door of the
dining room and peered again into the
i'll lit rear hall. Everything was quiet
there. The silence at the door of the
den told that Bole was still securely
bound and could not have succeeded
In removing the gag. Jim went past
the den and found another door. He
opened 1t and looked into a kitchen
entry. He went further and found
another door. This opened into a
closet which was dark until the door
was closed again. Then an electric
light burned overhead, and Jim found
himself facing a little desk upon which
a telephone stood. The number Of the
telephone was printed upon a paper
strip under the nickel guard Of the
transmitter. A Chicago city directory
was upon the desk, and Jim, laying
down Bole's revolver, opened the book.
He turned to s.. D. Marlatt's name and
read the telephone number opposite
his residence address. 1t did not cor
respond with that upon the instru-
ment.
This residence, then, was not Mar
latt's.
Jim lifted the receiver and called the
number given In the book as Marlatt's
office. Sibert and his men could not
have visited Marlatt's office and gone
away before he got there. II they
went to the Office at all they must
have arrived after Marlatt and his
companion had taken Jim away In
that cas- Sibert might be at the office
now. Jim heard the burr of the ring
ing signal, but twice before some one
at the other end of the wire answered.
1t was not Sibert's voice unless it was
much disguised.
"Who is this p Jim asked.
The voice repeated Marlatt's Office
number. II the man at the other end
was a spy he was being cautious. II
he was one Of the secret service men
he evidently believed that one of Mar
latt's agents must be calling. Jim
spoke quickly. as Mr.. Sibert there?'
"Mr. Sibert there?" The man at the
ObAS Oho 6CCIhCo 1OL " udFc ucdIu
the name.
IF he is there tell him this Is James
Ashby, whom he met tonight. Tell
him to come to the phone, and I will
prove It,"
Describe Robert Wendell!" The
voice at the other end altered sudden
ly to Sibert's.
Jim complied quickly. sibert In
terrupted him after an instant "Well,
Ashby, what is it,"
81 am at -" Jim read the num-
Der of his telephone to Sibert. ut is a
large, fashionable house, Sibert. 1 de
not know what the names of the peo-
pie are or where 1t is, but I believe it
is not Marlatt's."
"One of my men is now calling CEN
trail on another phone to find out where
you are talking from. Go on" Sibert
directed.
81 went to the office from the sta
tion."
81 supposed so,' Sibert commented
grimly.
81 would have waited for you, but l
saw a light. Some one was up there.
l went in and was attacked. There
were two men, Sibert. They knocked
me out and carried me away. They
carried away everything they wanted
from the office too. / was tied when
I came to myself, but I got loose. I'm
free in the house now, and they don't
know it." Swiftly he related what he
had seen.
Sibert gave him directions CURLY.
1--WE know where you are. You're
about a mile north of the river and
two blocks from the lake. We will be
there within ten minutes. If they've
guards outside, as you say, we can't
surprise those inside. You are to
watch what they do with their lists
and other papers, and If they try to de-
stroy them stop them. Take a chance.
After you hear a disturbance outside
you can count upon our coming in
within thirty seconds. Understand ?"
81 understand"
The receiver at the other end was
hung up. Jim sat still, listening. Some
n was passing In the hall-a man by
the h~eaviness Of the tread-and then
there was silence. Nothing indicated
that any one had heard the talking at
the telephone, but Jim waited in the
closet before he opened the door. Find
ing the rear hall empty, he crossed to
the dining room. He hid toward the
center of the big o now, contenting
himself with listening to the voices Of
those In the salon and not trying to
see for fear himself Of being e
With Sibert and his men coming the
essential thing was to keep himself
free to act when the crisis came. The
work of the men and the women in the
salon seemed to be proceeding in the
same manner as a few minutes before.
Then the tall man. who was directing
the others, stepped into the hall. He
IT,