Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1917-10-25
AUTHOR THE LONE
WOLF" THE BRASS
BOWL, ETC.
coPrRIoHr By LOUIS JOSEPH MncE


me. l quite forgot to tell you: Mr..
Craven wants you to wait for him here,
rather thun keep the appointment ut
the Mnrgrnve."
The Margrnve again!
1.-THE Plnzu." Lydin corrected absent
iy: then In Il breath remembered. "I'm
sorry" she said, rising. but l can't
wait. If duddy's coming here. he'll
get the answer from you personally;
so there's no need" here Mrs. EllswOr'
thy rose in her turn. "And-I left
friend waiting in the tnxi."
IA friend?"
1t was none of Mrs. EllswOrthy's af
fair, but quite automatically Lydia an
swcred, "Nlr. Trait"
"But really hudn't you better waltz
Tn sure Mr.. Craven won't he long
nOw''
/ Mrs. Ellsworthy was moving Slowly
, toward the door, as If she didn't really
expect her objection to avail, an effect
heightened by her manner, which con-
tinued to be perfect, lacking anything
| but gracious interest.
q her determination to wait no longer.
Craven could lose nothing by being
obliged to follow her to the Plaza; and
+. anyway. in all fairness. she owed his
wishes little consideration-he who
, was little enough cOnsidernte to her
! and below in tire taxi all earthly hap
piness waited.
I'm sorry" she repeated mechanic
ally. "Youre very kind; but really
don't think"
At this point she was interrupted by
shrill-tonsued electric bell down.
stairs. Mrs. EllswOrtly started nerv-
ously, eyed the girl fugitively with
what seemed q trace Of doubt, and
dnrtcd toward the door.
1.-THE tclephone!" she said indistinct-
ly "TOrgive me If I"
Her hand caught the knob as If
thOughtlessly; but the slam of the door
cut short her words emphaticnlly
enough to have wakencd her to apprc-
citation. had her act been really
thOughtlcss.
4 For an instant Lydia paused in
nmazement. The thing was incredible,
prrposterous, outrageous!
None the less the door remained Oh
duratcly shut, mutely testifyng that
the incredible was an accomplished
fact.
With little cry of indignation the
girl tried the knob. 1t turned freely.
but without engaging the latch. Inrnri-
ated, she caught it with both hands,
braccd knee against the wall, and
pulled with all the strength of her little
md vigorous young body; but failed to
bulge the door by SO much as hairs
breadth. And the only discoverabIe
keyhole was in the knob itself-a thin
Irregular slit for combination latch
key, lacking which the door, once
closed. could never be opened but only
hewed or battered down.
Examination proved the room a
verituble stronghold It had only the
one door. The sashes OF the two win
hows were guarded with locks requir-
Ing key; through the panes closed
steel blinds with hasps and pndlOcks
were to be seen. There was not q bell
button on the walls and the telephone
on the desk yielded no response to the
girls manipulation of the receiver
hnOi-cvidently an extension cut of
from the main line.
At length Lydia yielded to the newt
able, sat down. composed herself to the
} best OF her ability, and strove to fiji
, tome reasonable explanation to this
, LtrOcious and high-handed act. There
was but three:
, She was the victim of n nightmare.
! Mrs. Ellsworthy was insane.
), Or else Craven had never meant hel
g to restore the necklace to Mrs. Merri
lees!
! Bending forward. an elbow digging
Into her knee, her chin clipped between
knuckles and palm. her mouth muffin
Gus. her eyes smoldering, hot spot IL
e each cheek, motionless. Lydia brooded
o A key grated almost inaudibly in tn
lock. Lydia started; but before sh'
Z could move the door swung open IA
enough to admit Craven, and was q
4 once slammed behind him.
:. A pace or two from the wall the mai
J, pulled up and stared at his daughter
his face dark with temper.
z Slowly Lydia rose and confronte'
+ him. hard eyes challenging his relen,
l. lessly.
8 "What's this" he demanded abrupt
l. ~ in an ugly voice, whats this hea
e about your bringing Peter Trait her
In a tndT'
e "What does this mean" the girl N
a torted. shat you send me here to
z locked up. as though I were a thief
q be held for the policeT
He ignored. II he was sensible to. tn
4. stressed pronoun- II want an answe
y to my question" he said thresfeaingl!
n Il demand an answer to mime" sh
returned. unyielding.
q With an impatient gesture Crave
4. advanced as II meaning to seize hs
and enforce obedience. But haifwa
I. he paused, LET his hand fall. with %
a