The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1920-03-19
By JANE BUNKER

| Lile uuilip WhIlcE htAu DcBhu pulling ~
up, hand over fist, as fast as / could
60.
"Mon Dieul What shall / dor
| "Skipl Get down into your own fiat
and hide. That man will be back here
with police officer In FIVE minutes"
The top OF the dumb waiter had
come up level with the sill, but at my
words monsieur's nerve seemed to for
sake him entirely.
HE will be back---after he Is gone
wisout to find me2--and he brings ze
police"
'Of course he will--just to justify
himself to me IL for nothing elseand
to satisfy himself that you're not here
In hiding. You heard him say he'd
traced you here
"zen am lost--and my little Claire
is lost"
He seemed about to sink down in a
heap again.
mo, you're not. Where's your hat2
Get IT.
He brought his hat from the dining
| room, jamming 1t on his head and
| whispering, as he looked at the dumb
waiter: How shall make my escape
wis zis2 have never In my life"
/ get on" commanded. "Don't stop
to talk about it-unless you wish to
be found here and arrested. You
haven't minute to lose"
| He hesitated, murmuring, mon
Dieuhow can make my descent"
i TITS your only chance to save your
self and Claire urged. let your
self down to your fiat and pry open
the door, Hold her steady--go slow
count the doors and don't miss yours"
whispered as parting warning, and
he began his descent
AT that moment / caught the sound
of the elevator coming up--it might or
might not be the detective, but / took
no risks. Leaving the dumb waiter
door just as the Unknown had left it
slipped softly to the kitchen door,
closed and locked it and put up the
chain-bolt again.. To the casual eye
the kitchen was as it had been five
minutes before, untouched. unopened.
i AS stepped into the dining room
the front bell rang long and loud.
let 1t ring and ring again, and
heard voice, "Yes-shes there"
The fourth ring was followed by the
pounding Of a heavy hand.
had been listening to the dumb
waiter and It had now stopped. ]
thought 1t safe to make a move on my
side, so walked noisily along the hall
and called through the door, who's
there?"
"Police officer, Open the door,
please" .
"What precinct?" q-
There was a grunt before he an
swered, "Thirty-six." &c.,.
"Oh. all right" / opened the door
on the chain-bolt.
There stood a broad-shouldered zone
of the finest" and off to one side of
him, looking very pale and insignifi-
can't, my detective,
"Oh, It's you'll" exclaimed affably,
addressing the officer and taking no
notice of the detective.
"If ven open the door" he sug.
gested very politely.
with pleasure" and | took off the
chain-bolt and threw the door wide
open.
"Step In" said /. "Now, officer,
what is the trouble?"
"Well, you see, this gentleman here
believes you're hiding party he's
i got warrant fer"
Help yourselves" said CURLY,
moving aside to let them pass.
The Unknown darted along the din.
Ing room; the officer followed; ]
brought up the rear. A glance showed
that both the dining room and nv
study opening into 1t were empty.
He went back to the bedroom--cast
ing glance at the kitchen door as he
passed, which was chain-bolted as I'd
told him 1t was-and looked under
the bed. After that he peered into the
bathroom and returned for final sur
yey OF the double room before unlock.
ing the kitchen door. AS he threw II
open the first thing that caught his eve
was the dumb.waiter door, gaping
wide the way he'd left it, and as he
stepped across the threshold | shot of
ut him, Il hid your man in the refrig.
erator--be sure to look there"
And he pulled open the refrigerator
doorsi
l gave the officer look. This was
too much for the Irish in him, and he
threw back his head with a guf.
faw checked him with another look
that gave him to understand / thought
there was something queer about INV
other Visitor. who, very red now,
slammed the doors and faced us,
I'D have taken my oath that man
was here fifteen minutes ago." he ex.
tenuated.
Then he's give y the slim" iibed
the big ofiicer-"if he was here at all -
me tone of his last words showed
, considerable doubt.
III would appear So" renIiad A.