Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-03-02
ALICE DEVINE
BY EDGAR JEPSON
By he Co
By EDGAR JEPSON
DOWNRIGHT 1916 BY The Bobbs- Merrill Co


basket smelt of that snake | said.
That's what it was. 1t must live in
that basket like as if it were a ken
mel It's the queerest watch dog I
ever see likewise the nastiest to
tackle" said Brookes.
| thought for a minute or two. then
said: II don't believe it is a watch
dog 1t would be too difficult to handle.
No. 1t doesn't belong to the house. It's
been brought here. | believe it was
brought last night in that basket
But who'd bring a snake in bas'
ket?" said Brookes.
Probably the people you saw como
away from the house last night
But what would they bring it for
MILFORD? 1t amt thing to joke with
1t looked to me regular boar-constric-
tor. like you sees at the Zoo" said
Brookes.
Burglar alarums and barbed wire
are no good against snake. 1t can
crawl anywhere. It's not a watch dog.
It's just the other thing what d
you coll it?- an instrument of destruc-
ton said.
That's a rummy idea" said Breokes
1--WE seen it in a story called what
was it called? The Black Mans Ser
want. A snake was used to commit a
murder in it. Somebody else has been
reading that story I said.
81 always says as them detective
stories does lot of arm - especially
to growing boys said Brookes. you
think as 'ow it's meant for Mr.. Vicenti
when e comes 'ome "a kind Of I'M
pleasant welcome like"
81 don't see any reason to suppose
that he has gone away. You don't for
tify a house like that and then clear
out of it. He may be kept a prisoner
in some room by the fear of that
snake" I said
Then he'd ave called to us when
called to i'm" said Brookes
at does look bad" said
"This jobs too big for you and me
to 'andle, m'Lord." said Brookes. An
about it the better
Cali right I said. "I'll go round to
the police station and tell him about 1t
while you keep watch on the house"
THANK you, mLord: that will save
time" said Brookes.
l went briskly 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 it was rum start. OF course,
since his work lies in Mayfair, 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: It had not come down the stairs
Perhaps my throwing the lantern at it
had frightened 1t up them After a
short conference with Brookes, the in
spetcor also decided that to explore
the house in the face of snake behind
the wire entanglements was not
night Job. He would wait for the day.
light I offered to help, to bring gun
and shoot the snake for them; and the
inspector accepted my oIer at once.
He decided that four o'clock would be
soon enough to start the examination
of the house.
I went back to my house awoke Mo-
wart and told him to wake me at half
past three and have some coffee ready
for me-, Then I went to bed Mowart
called me at half past three; and while
I had my bath and dressed, took some
coffee and biscuits out to the inspector
and his men Then / had some coffee
and biscuits myself. | put on pair of
shooting boots and thick Heather gait.
ers, took 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 Rrookes drew
up the blinds: and the light streamed
in. 1t looked in the daylight very Or
binary hall indeed, but for the network
Of wires that covered the floor. All the
creepiness had gone with the darkness
but not the smell. There was no
snake in It. The inspector examined
the basket: and we found that IT was
not a special make. but just an ordin-
airy basket with a piece cut. rather
roughly. out of it's lid, and fastened to
it with hinges Of string to make little
trap door
81 don't think we're going to get any
thing out of this aSnatoor work
said the inspector; and he set the bas
ket down.
The doors Of the rooms opening into
the hall were locked, and there were
no keys in Nem. The door leading in
to the back Of the house was also lock-
ed; and there was no key in it.
We went to the staircase, which was
in a good light from the hall window.
The snake was not on the bottom fight
Of stairs. I wormcd my way through
the barricade; and | was at bit uncom
Portable while ! was doing it and glad
to get to the other side. n the snake
had come at me while was in the mid
die OF it, | should have been helpless
| could not possibly have used my gun.
I walked Np to the landing and drew
up the blind. There was no snake on
the second flight
The inspector and the policemen
came through the barricade: and We
went up to the second floor.
I stood on the top Of the stairs, look
ing about me. when Brookes. who
stood just behind me. cried: There he
goes. mLord, At the end of the pas
sage"
In tho diml,- Iphlef corridor facing