Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-06-27
CHAPTER XIV
The Locked House


From the road, just before he de-
Gcended to cross the bridge into
Brookhollow, he caught a CLEAN OF
light straight ahead. For moment
1t did not occur to him that there
was anything strange in his seeing
suddenly, he realized that a light
ought not to be burning behind the
lowered shades of a house supposed
to be empty and locked.
His instant impulse was to put on
his brakes then and there, but the
must already have been heard ana
seen by whoever had lighted that
shaded lamp. The car was already
on the old stone bridge; the CareW
house stood directly behind the cross
roads ahead; and he swung to the
right itno the creek road and sped
along it until he judged that neither
his lights nor the sound of his mo-
tor could be distinguished by the I'M
known occupant of the CareW mouse.
Then he ran his car out among the
tall weeds close to the line OF SCRUB
willows edging the creek; eXtingulsh-
ed his lights, including the tail-lamp;
left his engine running; stood listen
ing a moment to the whispering
whirr of his motor; then, taking the
flashlight from his pocket he cllbmed
over the roadside wall and ran back
across the pasture toward the house.
AS he approached the old house
from the rear, no crack of light was
visible, and he began to think ne
nigh have been mistaken-that per
haps the dancing glare of his own
acetylenes on the windows had made
it seem as though they were lllum-
mated from within
Cautiously he prowled along the
rear under the kitchen windows, turn
ed the corner, and went to the front
porch. III,
mer was visible between the edge
of the lowered shade and the WIN
dow casing.
was it some impudent tramp who
had pre-empted this lonely house Tor
a neighbor who had taken charge IN
return for a garden to cultivate and
a Mace to sleep in? Yet how could
it be the latter when he himself had
the keys to the house? Moreover
such an arrangement could scarcely
have been made by Rue CareW "lCh-
out his being told of it.
Then he remembered what the
Princess Mistchenka had said in her
cable message, that somebody mlght
break into the house and steal the
olivewood box unless he fastened to
Brookhollow and secured 1t 1mmedl-
ately.
now? Had somebody broken in for
hat purpose? And who might it be?
Slight chill. not entirely agree
- over Neeland. A rather
warm sensation of irritation sue
,,--,.~l *. Il. mounted the steps,
crossed the verandah. went to the
door and tried the knob very eau
tiously. The door was locked; VINO
ever might be inside either possess
ed key that fitted or else must
have entered by forcing a window.
But Nee1and had neither time nor
inclination to prowl around and in
vestigate; he had duty to tulflll.
a train to catch, and steamer TO
connect with the next morning. Be
sides, he was getting madden every
second.
So he fitted his key to the, door,
careless of what noise he made, IN
locked and pushed it open, and start
ed to cross the threshold.
Instantly the light in the adjoining
room grew dim At the same mo-
nent his quick ear caught a sound as
though somebody had blown out the
turned-down flame; and he found
himself facing total darkness.
'Who the devils in there!" he, call
ed. flashing his electric pocket lamp.
Come out Whoe eyer you ls are: NJ gu Io o
know it, And he entered the silent
room.
His flashlight revealed nothing eX-
cept dining room furniture in dis
order. the doors Of a cupboard stand
ing open-one door still gently swing
ing on it's hinges.
The invisible hand that had NOV
Cd it could not be far away Nee!and,
throwing his light right and left
caught a glimpse of another door
closing stealthiiy. ran forward and
jerked it open. His lamp illuminatedl
IN empty passagewav; he hurried
through it to the door. that closed
the farther end. tors it open ana
deluged the sitting-roon with its
binding light,
Full in the glare. her face as white
IS the light itself. stood woman
And Just in time his eyes caught the
glitter of weapon in her sttfly