The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1920-11-11
CHAPTER Ix-continued.

BY this time | had my senses fully
recovered. | ran to the nearest VIM
dow and was just m time TO see two
figures. one in white, the other indiS-
tinct, at the far edge of the lawn, run
ming. They ran into the woods, and
while I stood at the window, trying
with painful consciousness of stupidity
and ineptitude to decide upon course
of action, | heard an automobile en-
CINE start in the lane beyond the
woods.
Out of a stupor, in which watched
the two strange figures go from the
moonlight on the lawn into the dark
of the oak grove | was aroused-pos-
sibly by the sound of the engine of the
tomobile-with a course of action
suggested.
II came of fears long entertained
now present with threat of imminent
consequence. / ran for the stairs,
flashing the light. up the stairs and to
Jed's ROOM
His door was open. As | have said,
this wing was not wired for electricity.
/ turned my light about the room, saw
that the fear which lad caused me to
patrol the house was realized and then
hunted for the lamp, which | found
and lighted.
Jeds room was in the disorder in
which a Woodworking housebreaker,
intent on finding jewels he knew the
&.,s hoy of
seemed almost ripped to pieces.
On a table was a small pearl-inlaid
ebony box. The lid was open; the box
was empty.
AS l stood in the MIDST of the dis
array of the room, with the empty box
the most significant thing in it, the
marvellous unreality, of Hartley house,
a smiling dread, seemed to have visible
token.
The empty box, thought, had con-
tanned the manuscript which recorded
Mr.. Sidney's secret. The flash of white
which had seen in the hall indicated
the method by which it had disap-
peared. The two figures crossing the
lawn in, the moonlight were further
indication. There was the sound OF
the automobile engine. L had a sore
spot on my head. The manuscript, |
knew-or believed-had been in the
box which stood with significant emp
tiness in the midst of the disOrdered
room of Jed, who had been kidnapped.
If my surniises were correct, Mr.. Sid
ney's secret, upon which | knew the
happiness of the family depended, was
in the hands of men designing to make
use of it.
Jed, being major-domo about the
place, had in his room telephone con-
Meeting with the various servants
quarters used it to arouse the chauf-
feur. 1t took five minutes of ringing
his bell TO awaken him; when he re-
sponded, told him that the house had
been robbed by man and a woman
dressed in white who had escaped,
under my sight, through The oak grove
and had used an automobile waiting
for them on the road beyond the grove.
I told him to awaken one of the gar
deners. take weapons and go as quick
~ as possible south by the best roads.
When this had been done, called
Mrs. Sidney's maid and told her to
awaken Mrs. Sidney and tell her, if
possible without alarming her, that /
wished to speak to her on an urgent
matter.
In a few minutes the maid came
back and said that Mrs. Sidney could
see me. | found her in the sitting
room of her suite
1T is nothing serious, Mrs. Sidney"
/ nothing that we need now re-
gard as serious; and it does not con-
Germ Mr.. Sidney's health. There has
been an Intruder in the house. More
over, the purpose was to break into
Jed's room, and Jed's room has been