Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-03-02
CHAPTER TX (Continued.)


4, Of OH The lock as bin tempered
with an. not tonight. I've 'ad my eyes
m This ere 'ouse all the evening. l
think I'd better find Barnett an take
look round it.. ~ p,rott
III go round it with you. salu l. ,
Brookes hesitated moment' snsti
he said: Every we'll m'Lord'' ana he
opened the door wider ana went III,
followed him. The light Oh MS IAN
tern cut but small wedge IN the uarh.
ness of the big empty hall: ne urew
the door to behind us. notlceu al ouu
UNPLEASANT smell - not eXactiy nius'y
but rather like it. couin not plaGe
1t. though was sure that had shlel.
It before. Then l stumbled over
basket standing yard or so ihs'oe
the hall. L.,
Rrookes turned the light of his IAN
tern on it; and we saw that IL was
about two feet square and the ild was
shut, In the lid was an odd little Trap
door about four inches square ana thal
was open. 1850. r,.a
"It's a runmy looking basket. I've
never seed one with an extra 10 IKE
that" said Brookes; and then he ADDED
ut do smell - like as If 1t 'ad al an
animal in It,"
eyes: but what animal?' ! said.
81 cant rightly call it to mind SAID
Brookes. AS he spoke took step TOT,
ward and tripped over wire stretched
across the hall, about six inches from
the floor: and on the instant shrlli
bell started ringing quickly, high up
In the house. :,
electric burglar alarm said
Brookes.
He stepped forward to take look at
the wire my foot had struck, his own
foot struck another wire running paraE
iel To II and set another shrill bell ring
ing. ,.,.a
We stood quite still. l was waiting
for some one to call to us from the
top of the house. was sure that some
one would call. But no one did, nor
was there any STIR Only the shriil
bells rang
Brookes swept the light OF his Ian
tern over the floor of the hall 1t was
manned out into squares by network
of wires. =,
"If there amt few" he said.
"Rather silly to have the house full
OF UuTSidl dldi nix eaA'A
hear them" l said.
"That's lust it." said Brookes; and
noticed that we were both talking IN
whispers.
Then he shouted: us there any one
upstairs It's the pleece!"
There was no answer One OF the
bells stopped ringing; the otner rang
on. ~,
"well, we'd better look into It,"
said ,.
Stepping over the wires. we went
round the hall trying the doris. All OF
them were locked and there were no
KEYS in them. Then Brooke's 1901
struck another wire and set announcer
bell ringing. 80 4. .,o
Then we came to the stairs. At the
foot of them we were brought up short
by barricade of barbed wire.
"Why, hang it all! The house is for
tifled against assault! This isn't bur-
glars" I cried.
"It's rum start" said Brookes.
"And nobody would fortify an empty
house" exclaimed
"Hush, thought I card somebody
movin.'" said Brookes; and then ne
shouted: Hi! You there upstairs! It's
the pleece. Your front door wants lock-
ing"
His voice went echoing away up the
stairs. about the landings and died
avay at the top of the house. There
vas no answer. Then the last alarm
stopped ringing; and all was very sui:
It was oddly creepy too. The SHAFT OF
liGht from the lantern left lot OF dark.
ness about us: and there was the odo
smell.
1--WE must try upstair," I said.
Brookes turned his light on the bar.
rfcade: and saw that it was set OF
barbed wire screens; about five feet
high, half of them hinged to the banis-
ters. half to the wall. They were over
lapping one another By drawing the
nearest toward one and pushing back
TO the next to it, passage was open.
ed through the barricade. 1T was not
very difficult to make ones way along.
But It was slow going, and 1t only let
ono man Through at time. 1t was
practically impossible for woman, II
she were wearing skirt. Moreover,
one was helpless inside 1t, since one
mad to keep ones arms to ones sides.
or mn above ones head A man on the
0lRnC OF SIdlIS dDoNV tohN
down any number of men, through the
banisters, before the barrlcade could
be forced. He would have been out OF
sight to any one standing in the hall.
It was plainly enough meant to stop an
assault in force: and it was an odd find
in Garthoyle Gardens.
started to get past It and worked
my way gingerly through the screens;
It was not very difficult and / did not
tear<my coat. Then held the lantern
to light Brookes through it. He caught
his thicker coat once in one of the
barbs: but he disentangled 1t without
tearing the cloth.
We had Just come through when
heard a faint rustic higher up the
stairs turned the light Of the lantern
on them and ten steps UP it fell on
snake - snake with big head rear
ed above It's coils. II was so unexpect'
ed and everything was so odd. that'lt
looked to me as big as a ships hawser
gasped and ! heard Rrookes gasp
"Over the banisters.' ] cried.
Brookes was over them in iiffy.
threw the lantern at the snake. slipped
oyor flap, p,ySaIP and landed on ton Of