Evening star., 1921-10-23

| thing he was sure, he was locked
! in.
| lNTHAT sort Of game was this they
were playing on him. he would
like to know! He was angry now:
book agents are not usually locked
into houses-they are usually locked
out. He jerked aside the dining room
portieres and walked into the room
The wax figures were as before.
Miss Vandergould" had not moved
her head again. Benny walked
around the end of the table. express
as he went
Whats the game. hey?" he asked
| Now, look here Mabel, or Jane, or
I Josie. or whatever you name 1t,
! admit l had no right to butt in here;
I'm in the wrong: l admit that. I'm
! be helped now: l was too fresh. but
! I surrender! All l want is to get out
OF here the easiest way; how do I do
Miss vandergould" paid no atten-
| ton.
oh. come now" said Benny. "ouit
| it. I know you are alive. It's some
! sort of a sell. and I butted into 1t,
! but I'm willing to be the whole goat
/ II you'll let me go now. Come. have
All the wax figures remained mo-
| Miss Vandergould."
| "All right. I'll admit you're good at
| it,, he said. You would fool any,
body. IN admit I thought you were
your name is. have a hearth"
| She made no sign and 1t must be
! admitted that Benny was irritated.
He pushed Miss Vandergould's" ell
but 1T was enough. The wax figure in
the steel-blue gown toppled. It-or
she-fell sideways against her neigh
| Dor and would have fallen to the
moor had not Benny put out his hand
snowy shoulder he had touched be-
fore. 1t was wax; cold, undeniable
| wax!
Benny Strengthened the wax figure
in the chair and cast one quick glance
door in addition to that by which he
had entered; it evidently led into
a buffers pantry and thence to the
Kitchen. He swung the door on it's
hinges. 1eaped through the pantry
into the kitchen and stood a moment
to get his bearings. There were four
doors; that by which he had entered;
one leading to the cellar; one open
ing on a back porch. and ono leading
| to the back stairs. The cellar and
outer doors were plainly not open for
business: stout bolts closed them.
Benny jumped for the door that OPEN
ed upon the back stairs. The stairs
were narrow; Benny went up them in
four leaps. At the top he stood sad
denly still and listened. He had heard
a door, somewhere on the upper floor.
close softly.
The upper hall was long. At the
far end was the inevit;ble hall bed
stood open. The doors Of all the six
or eight rooms that faced the hall
also stood open with one exception.
To this door Benny walked. There
was key in the lock and with a
twist Of his fingers Benny turned the
and as 1t clicked he heard q gasp.
HE has locked us in!' some one
in the room whispered. and Benny
could hear an answering glggle
through the open transom. please
go away!" the first voice pleaded.
please unlock the door!"
"Oh, this is where you are, Miss
Waxworks. is it?" said Benny tri-
|umphantly "And If I won't 60 away?"
Listen. whoever you are" said
another voice in the room. You have
no right in this house. You had bet
Ter UNLOCK Lae door at OnCe-8t once,
do your understand? There are men
coming here; they may be here any
moment; If they find you here I don't
know what they'll do to you. They
will half murder you"
THAT will be nice," said Benny
pleasantly. Il have never been half
murdered"
There was a consultation in the
room. Benny could hear. not two but
three or four voices
But we must get him away" "He
will spoil everything II he doesn't
unlock the door at once" 1.-The boys
will be here any minute" I'VE can
wait until they come and then
scream" "And that would spoil 1t all
too" You speak to him. Miss Gray
thorne."
Listen. please. you gentleman out
there" said pleasant voice. you
are a gentleman. aren't you? Won't
you please unlock the door and go
away? know you would, II you
understood. We are just two girls
having a lark and you are going to
ruin everything"
"I just love to ruin things" said
Benny.
"Oh!" cried the voice with exaspera-
tion. "Well, II must tell you there
is going to be a bachelors farewell
supper downstairs and my fiance made