Grand Forks herald., 1917-02-16

ket?" said Brookes.
Probably the people you saw come
away from the house last night"
But what would they bring 1t for,
m'Lord? 1t amt thing to Joke
with. 1t looked to me a regular boa
constructor. like you sees at the zoo"
said Brookes.
Burglar alarms and barbed wire
are no good against snake. 1t can
crawl anywhere. It's not a watch
dog. It's just the other thing-a
what-d -d'you-call-it?-an instrument of
destruction" said.
That's rummy idea." said
Brookes.
i've seen it in story called-what
was 1t called? The Black Mans Ser
want snake was used to commit
murder In 1t. Somebody else has been
reading that story" l said.
II always says as them detective
stories does q lot of 'arm-especially
to growing boys" said Brookes. "You
think as 'ow it's meant for Mr.. Vi
cent? when e comes 'ome-a kind of
unpleasant welcome like?
Il don't see any reason to suppose
that he has gone away. You don't
fortify a house like that and then
clear out Of it. He may be kept a
prisoner In some room by the fear of
Then he'd ave called out to us
when l called to 'im." said Brookes.
ut does look bad said.
This jobs too big for you an me
to 'andle, m'Lord," said Brookes. "An'
! the sooner let's the inspector know
about 1t the better"
"All right" I said. "1'll go round
to the police station and tell him
about it. while you keep watch on
the house."
Thank you. m'Lord: that will save
time." said Brookes
went br1skly round to the police
station and told the inspector what we
had found at Number 16 He did not
seem greatly astonished, though he
said that 1t was rum start. OF
course, since his work lies in May
fair. he Is used to queer things.
He put a sergeant in charge of the
station and came back with me at
once. Brookes had heard no sound
In the house while had been gone
The inspector opened the door little
way and swept the light of his lantern
round the hall. We could not see the
snake; 1t had not come down the
stairs. Perhaps my throwing the Ian
tern at 1t had frightened it up them.
After a short conference with
Brookes, the inspector also decided
that to explore the house in the face
Of snake behind the wire entangle-
ments was not a night job. He would
wait for the daylight. I offered to
help, to bring a gun and shoot the
snake for them; and the inspector ac-
cepted my offer at once. He decided
that four o'clock would be soon
enough to start the examination Of the
house.
I went hack to my house. awoke
Mowart, and told him to wake me at
half past three and have some coffee
ready for me. Then / went to bed.
Mowart called me at half-past three;
and while had my bath and dressed.
took some coffee and biscuits out to
the inspector and his men. Then 7
had some coffee and biscuits myself
I put on a pair Of shooting boots and
thick leather CATERS, took a gun. and
went round to Number 16.
I found the inspector. Brookes and
two other men ready at the door
led the way in, with my gun ready
The hall was very dim. but Brookes
drew up the blinds: and the light
streamed In. 1t looked in the day
light very ordinary hall indeed, but
for the network OF wires that covered
the floor. All the creepiness had gone
with the darkness, hut not the SMELL
A'ASA y =" oo io nc III ne lnSDeC-
tor examined the basket: and we
found that 1t was not special make
but just an ordinary basket with a
piece cut. rather roughly, out of it's
lid, and fastened to it with hinges of
strings to make little trap-door.
Il don't think we're going to get
anything out of this-amatoor work"
said the inspector; and he set the bas-
ket down.
The doors Of the rooms opening in
to the hall were locked. and there
were no keys in them. The door
leading into tn eback Of the house
was also locked; and there was no
key in It.
We went to the staircase. which
was In good light from the hall
window. The snake was not on the
bottom flight of stairs. I wormed my
way through the barricade; and I was
bit uncomfortable while I was do
Ing 1t and glad to get to the other
side. II the snake had come at me
while was in the middle Of 1t.
should have been helpless. I could
not possibly have used my gun. l