Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-06-12
THE
SECRET
HOUSE
BY
EDGAR WALLACE
Author of 1.-THE Clue of the
Twisted Candle" Kate Plus
TO-" 1.-The Man Who
Knew" etc.

Look here" he said. genially
'let us make an end to this absurd
breach Of friendship. I have come
down to see what can do for you
You have come down now to force
me to grant your wishes regarding
Doris" said Harrington. Il think the
matter had better end" He pressed
the bell. and Fall came in after q
few moments interval.
"Give the Count some refresh
ments before he goes" he said; che
is going to London"
The very matter-of -factness of the
instructions treasured Count Polta-
vo, who for one moment had stood In
panic OF fear; there was that in
this big silent house which terrified
him. And with the removal Of this
fear his insolent assurance returned
He stood in the doorway.
'You have made up your mind
about Doris?" he said.
Absolutely" said Harrington.
Very good" said Poltavo.
He followed Fall along the corri-
dor, and the doctor opened small
door and illuminated a tiny lift in
side, and Poltavo stepped in. AS he
did 30 the door clicked.
How do work this lift?" he ask
ed thru the ornamental ironworlx of
the doorway.
I work it from outside" said DR..
Fall, cheerfully, and pressed a but
ton. The lift sank. It passed one
steel door-that was the first floor;
and another-that was the ground
floor, but still the lift did not stop.
1t went on falling slowly, evenly.
without jar or haste, and suddenly It
came to a stop before a door made
OF q number Of thin steel bars placed
horizontally. AS the lift stopped, the
steel-barred door opened noiselessly.
All Pottavo's senses were ncw alert:
me- q past master IN the art Of treach-
cry, had been at last Its victim. He
ala not leave the tiny lift for a
moment, but prepared for EVENTUAL
ties. He took a pencil out Of his
pocket and wrote rapidly on q wood
en- panelling of the elevator. and
then he stepped out into the semi
darkness. He saw a large apartment
= bed and chair. and above a large
table one dim light. A number of
switches on the wall facing him
promised furthex illumination. Any
way. II the worst came to the worst.
ne could find a way by tho lift well
70 safety again. He searched his
pockets with feverish haste, He MS
ualiy carried one or two pistol cart
ridges In case OF necessity. and he
was rewarded, for, In his TOP waist
coat pocket, he. discovered two nick
,ei-pointed shapes. Hastily he re-
moved the dummy magazine from
the butt of his pistol. The removal
OF the magazine must have been ef-
fected by his servant, and the SER
want, now he came to give the mat
ter consideration, was possibly in the
pay OF harrington and had probob-
~ warned the occupants OF the Se-
cret House of Poltavo's departure.
It was but natural that the big
man would take no chances, and
Poltavo cursed himself, for a fool for
allowing himself to be lured into a
sense of security. He stepped out az
the lift; there was enough light to
guide him across the room. He
reached the switchboard and n,,,led
one of the little levers. Three lights
appeared at>the% far end of the room !.
ne pulled over the rest and the room
was brilliantly illuminated.
1t was an underground chamber.
with red. distempered walls, artis-
tically furnished. The small bed in
the corner was of brass; the air was
conveyed to his gloomy chamber bv
means of ventilators placed at inter-
walls in the wall.
Not an uncomfortable prison. he
thought. He was making his nance
tlon when he heard a clang, and
swung round. The steel door Of the
lit had closed and he reached it tust
IN time to see the floor Of the little
cage ascending out OF sight. He
cursed himself again for his insena-
ate folly; he might have fixed the
door with chair; 1t was an ele-
mentary~ precaution to take, but he
had not realized the possibilities Of
Perhaps the chairs were fixed. He
tried them, but found he was mis-
taken, except in one case. The great
chair at the head Of the table, solid
and heavy, was immovable. for It
was clamped to the floor.
In one corner was a framework
and he guessed It to be the slide in
which the small provision lift ran.
His surmise was accurate, for even
while he was examining 1t, 9, tran
opened in the ceiling. and there slid
down noiselessly between the oiled
.grids a tiny platform on which was
\ tray filled with covered dishes. He
lifted the viands from the little ele-
vator to the table and inspected
them. There was q note written in
rencil.
"You need have no fear in con-
Stunning the food we provide for you."
it ran. ''Dr. Fall will personally
vouch for its purity. and will. If nee
essary. sample it in your presence. If
you should need attendance you will
find small bell fixed on the under
side of the table,"
Poltavo looked at the dinner. He
was ravenously hungry; he must
take the chance OF poison; after all,
these people had him SO completely
in their power that there was no ne
cessity to take any precaution so far
as his food was concerned. He at
tackled an excellent dinner without
discomfort to himself, and when he