Evening star., 1918-04-14

Lorne go to your beds at the same time
as the others-or, at least. let them
think that you have done so; then come
down and let US out
To this Sir Horace assented. and, tax
ing Miss Lorne with him, went at once
to the picture gallery and joined ms
daughters. with whom they remained
until IL o'clock Promptly at that hour.
however. the house was locked up, the
bride-elect and her sister went to oeo'
the servants having already gone 10
theirs, and stiffness settled down over
the darkened house. At the END OF a
disturbed by the sound OF slippered
feet coming along the passage OUTSIDE
the consulting room. then Key sIppeo
into the lock, the door was opened tho
light switched on and Sir Horace ana
Miss Lorne appeared before the eager
watchers.
Now, then, lively, my men; look
sharp" whispered Narkom. "A man
to each window and each staircase, SO
that nobody may go up or down or IN
of one of you. Confine your attention
to this particular floor, and If you hear
anybody coming. lay low until mes
within reach. and you can drop on
him before he bolts. Is this the a. door OIL
the picture gallery, Sir Horace"
yes" answered Sir Horace, as he
fitted key to the lock. But surely you
will need more men than you have
brought, Mr.. Narkom. ii it Is your IN
tention to guard every WINDOW lnol-
vidually, for there are four to this room
-see!"
With that he swung open the door,
switched on the electric light, and Mar
kom fairly blinked at the dazzling sight
that confronted him. Three long tables.
laden with crystal and silver. cut glass
and jewels, and running the full length
of the room., flashed and scintillated un-
der the glare Of the electric bulbs which
encircled the cornice OF the gallery and
clustered in luminous splendor in the
crystal and frosted silver Of huge CEN
trail chandelier. Spread out on the mid
die one of these a dazzle of splintered
ratnbows. very plain OF living light.
lay caskets and cases, boxes and trays
the newspapers had made so much and
the Vanishing Cracksman had sworn to
make so few.
Mr.. Narkom went over and stood be-
side the glittering mass. resting his
hand against the table and feasting his
eyes upon all that opulent splendor.
God bless my soul! It's superb it's
amazing" he commented. mo wonder
the fellow is willing to take risks for
a prize like this. You are a splendid
ties; but the fish that snaps at you will
find that there's a nasty hook under
meath in the shape of Maverick Narkom
Never mind the many windows, Sir
that's his plan. I'll never leave these
things for one instant between now and
the morning. Goodnight. Miss Lorne
Go to bed and to sleep. You do the same,
Sir Horace. My lay is here,''
With that he stopped and lifted the
long drapery which covered the table
and swept down in heavy folds to the
floor. crept out of sight under it and
let 1t drop back into place again
Switch off the light and GO" he
called them in 1oW s,,plr ,,o;.a
Don't worry yourselves. either of you.
Go to bed and sleep, if you can"
AS If we could" answered Miss
Lorne. agitatedly II sha'n't be able to
know. I shall not succeed. Come, uncle,
come. Oh, do be careful, Mr. Narkom :.
and If that horrible man does come"
I'll have him. SO help me Godn' he
the door IS you go out. This is Forty
Faces Waterloo at last"
And in another instant the light
snicked out, the door closed and he was
alone in the silent room.
For ten or a dozen minutes not even
~" Na-" sr'"-estton of noise dis
turbed the absolute stiffness; then of
II .udder. his ira ned ear caught faint
sound that made him suck in his
breath and rise on his elbow, the better
to listen. The sound came not from
without the house. but from within
from the dark hall where he had sta
tloned MS men. AS he listened he was
conscious that some living creature
had approached the door, touched the
handle. and by the swift. low rustic and
the sound of hard breathing, that it had
been pounced upon and seized He
scrambled out from beneath the ia HE
sntcked on the light, whirled onen the
door and was in time to hear the ire
ritable voice of Sir Horace saw. test;Iy
Don't Don't make an ass Of yourself by your
to have a word with Mr.. Narkom" and
to see him standing on the threshold.
grotesque in baggy suit of striped
pajamas. with one wrist inclosed al in
steel band by the gripped fingers
of Petrie.
why didn't you say 1t was you, sir %
exclaimed that crestfallen Individual,
as the flashing light made manifest his
mistake.
WHEN heard you first and saw you
come uo cut Of that back passage I