The Washington times., 1922-05-23

could hear an occasional sharp
crack in the distance. Nothing
seemed to move, and after a breath
less interval they resumed their
way.
AS they reached the house they
felt rather than saw that II was al
ready surrounded by other groups
OF men crouching behind what shell
ter was afforded by shrubs and gar
den walls. They took up their
allotted position in silence and wait.
ed. Everything seemed deadly quiet.
The house they were watching was
In darkn ess, seemed empty and un.
inI a bited. One or two CLEANS OF
light were to be seen dimly behind
the curtains Of the surrounding
houses blurred and faint through
the rain.
Suddenly a bright glare shone out
from an uncurtained window high
up in a big house some distance
down the road. Was II a signal?
An officer seized a rifle and leveled
1t, waiting an instant. his finger on
the trigger. A womans arm was
seen drawing the curtains Of the win.
dow and the glare softened to a
diffused glow. Without a sound the
officer lowered his rifle, and the un.
seen mems breath relspsed in a long
sigh.
All at once came a rush Of men to
the front door of the house. and a
rending crash, as the Crowbar forced
the lock from its socket. The leader
rushed into the hall, dark as the
grave, pistol in hand. Behind him a
man with an electric torch swept its
light swiftly over the closed doors Of
the living rooms and up the narrow
stairway. Nervous work, this; the
light of the torch made a splendid
target for men stationed on the land
ing. gun in hand and concealed in the
impenetrable shadows. No matter.
on they went. up to the very top of
| the house.
The men who followed would scat.
ter and investigate the rooms be,
low. 1t was high house, the stair
way seemed interminable. At last
they reached the top landing, where
before their leader stood a door be-
meath which struggled a feeble ray
of light. Holding his pistol at the
ready. he kicked open the door and
hurled himself into the room at one
bound. giving no time for a shot at
him and shouting Hands up as
he came. His first glance showed
him table lit by a candle, a fire
] in the CRATE, with a kettle singing
on it, and cup of tea, still hot and
steaming. Nothing else-no sign of
the rooms occupant or OF his hasty
flight. The window was half open:
he rushed to IL and flung it up. The
| garden below was dark and silent;
no rope led downward into the black.
ness beneath him. A sharp blast on
his whistle and the silence broke
into noisy activity. AS he watched
blurred shape seemed to spring in
to sight for a moment in the next
garden and instantly disappeared.
He emptied his automatic at the
spot and shouted directions TO the
men below him. AS IL by magic the
lights Of the surrounding houses van
ished at the sound of the firing. Not
an inch OF the house or its surround.
| ings were left unsecured, but at dawn
the search party retired, bearing
away useful papers. certainly, but
baked OF their quarry. Yet some
one had poured out that cup OF tea
within n few minutes OF the room
being entered-someone had made
those telltRle notes on the captured
papers. Speculation was useless.
This attempt had failed; ID was time
to begin laborious preparations for
| the next.