Williams news., 1917-11-29
CHAPTER xI-Continued.


 -13
 Abruptly the door to Craven's room flew open with an echoing bang, and she heard him call her in a voice in stinct with mortal terror.
 Startled, she turned and ran into the adjoining room, pulling up with cry at sight of her father. His face, stricken mask, mottled, ghastly: sweat stood out upon his forehead, his lips trembled, his eyes sick with fear. The hinges of his knees loosened, he swayed.
 In one Quivering hand he held play ing card-a knave of diamonds.
 He enunciated with difficulty. "Wha what" With half frantic gesture he tore at his collar. 'Where did that come from?" he cried hoarsely. "How how did it get in that d. boxT'
 He made a strangled sound, reeled, and fell back heavily into chair, the card f1uttering from his grasp to rest face upward at his feet.
 Daddy, what can do? Whats the matter? If only you'd speak to mei" Kneeling at her fathers side in pas sion of anxiety, she fondled hand inert and frightfully cold.
 His position unchanged, Craven wore every indication of complete physical collapse. A hand-his left-clutched at his coat, above the heart.
 But as Lydia moved to rise and tele- phone for the hotel physician the man stirred. His lips quivered. She bent near to catch their whisper:
 'Brandyi"
 ssI'll order 1t at once."
 But his fingers, knitted with hers, re strained her with singular strength and insistence. 'No-fask on my bureau-'' "Yes, dearest. Let me go and get it, won't you?"
 "No-let me-aIl right now"
 He managed to lift head and shoul- ders from the chair; then again col Iapsed, his fingers relaxing.
 The bureau top in his bedchamber was filtered with a confusion of ar ticles turned out haphazard from Ora ven's dressing case. For moment Lydia searched the disarray, at loss to single out anything resembling a flask. Then a low cry of stupefaction escaped her: in clear space to one side the puzzle box lay open.
 In it's shallow oblong drawer, upon
  and diamond collar stolen from Mrs. Merrilees-or the imitation?
 But immediately the mystery and the wonder of this was lost in her solici- tude, and, another glance discovering a small leather-bound flask, she seized it and ran back to the other room.
 Craven's eyes were open and, she fancied, informed with a look of al- most frightened inquiry as she unstop- pered the flask, dashed a generous amount of brandy into a glass, and turned toward a silver water pitcher. But his husky whisper stayed her hand.
 ''No-straight-"
 She put the glass to his lips, invert- Ing it slowly while he gulped and splut- tered.
 "Morel" he demanded with his first free breath. "A little water-''
 After this second draft, which he drank unaided, he seemed more him. self. For the first time he ceased to clutch his side; a little color crept back into his face. He remained silent, how ever, his gaze bent upon the knave of diamonds at his feet, his countenance darkly perp1exed.
 At i0uSLH LyO1d V0QCurGQ anew, -'What is it, daddy? Can't you tell me?"
 Heart" he muttered, "an old affec- don. Nothing to worry about but that card keeled me over-rather ri''
 'But whar-what does it mean?''
 "You wouldn't understand It's some thing secret, a code signal to me to-l wasn't expecting it in the box"
 That thought he left unfinished mumbling something indistinguishable But his eyes flashed toward his daugh. fer's face, then were quickly averted.
 Tn the box with the necklace, you mean?" Lydia prompted evenly.
 He wouldn't reply directly "Gave me devil of shocki'' After a moment of silence he cried out in accents of ex asperation, "But how in the name o1 God did it ever get there?"
 A knock checked Lydia's reply. Witt start Craven pulled himself together and rose.
 Mustn't let the waiter see me likt this. You let him in-will you?'
 He managed a slow but unwaverin. return to his room. When he was ou of sight Lydia turned to the door, ad mftting the waiter with his heavy tray signed for the meal, and tipped and dis EafSSed the man.
 CHAPTER XII.
 The door had barely closed whel