Emmons County record., 1920-03-25

words monsieur's nerve seemed to for
sake him entirely.
HE will be back-after he is gone
wisout to find me?-and he brings ze
policeY'
"Of course he will-just to justify
himself to me If for nothing else-and
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 hat7
Get it."
He brought his hat from the dining
room, jamming it on his head and
whispering, as he looked at the dumb
waiter: 'How shall I make my ecsape
wis zis? I 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
Dieu-how can make my Descent
TITS your only chance to save your
self and Claire" urged. "Let your
self down to your fiat and Dry open
the door. Hold her eteady-go Glow
count the doors and don't miss yours"
I 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
I 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 1t had been five
minutes before, untouched. unopened.
AS stepped into the dining room
the front bell rang long and loud.
let it ring and ring again, and
heard voice, "Yes-she's there"
The fourth ring was followed by the
pounding Of heavy hand.
had been listening to the dumb
waiter and it had now stopped. I
thought it safe to make 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?'
There was grunt before he an
swered, "Thirty-six."
"Oh, all right" I opened the door
on the chain-bolt.
There stood broad-shouldered zone
Of the finest" and off to one side Of
him, looking very pale and insignifl-
cant, my detective.
"Oh, it's you!" I exclaimed affably,
addressing the officer and taking no
notice of the detective.
IF yell 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 troubled"
SWELL, you see, this gentleman here
believes you're hiding a party he's
got warrant fer"
"Help yourselves" said I curtly,
moving aside to let them pass.
The Unknown darted along the din
ing room; the officer followed; I
brought up the rear. A glance showed
that both the dining room and my
study opening into it 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 it was-and looked under
the bed. After that he peered into the
bathroom and returned for final sur
vey Of the double room before unlock
ing the kitchen door. AS he threw 1t
open the first thing that caught his eye
was the dumb-waiter door, gaping
wide the way he'd left it, and as he
stepped across the threshold shot off
at him, II hid your man in the refrig-
erator-be sure to look there"
And he pulled open the refrigerator
doors!
gave the officer look. This was
too much for the Irish in him, and he
threw back his head with q guf.
faw. I checked him with another look
that gave him to understand I thought
there was something queer about my
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 slip" jibed
the big oflicer-aif he was here at all"
The tone Of his last words showed
considerable doubt.
1T would appear so," replied the
other vaguely, and they followed me
to my study, the officer, whose sym.
pathies were all with me by this time
telling me heartily, II guess that'll be
| all and we'll wish Won poOd morning -