The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1923-06-08
CHAPTER Iv-continued.


After listening intently for a min
ute or two, he put his head round the
curtain. The passage was deserted.
Tommy bent down and removed his
shoes, then, leaving them behind the
curtain, he walked gingerly out on his
stockinged feet, and kneeling down
by the closed door, he laid his ear
cautiously to the crack. To his in
tense annoyance he could distinguish
and there If voice was raised, which
merely served to whet his curiosity
still farther.
He eyed the handle of the door ten
tatively. Could he turn it by degrees
so gently and imperceptibly that those
in the room would notice nothing? He
decided that with great care it could
be done.- Very slowly, fraction of
an inch at time, he moved 1t round,
holding his breath In his excessive
care. little more-a little more
still-would it never be finished? Ali
at last 1t would turn no farther.
He stayed so for a minute or two.
then drew deep breath, and pressed it
ever so slightly inward. The door did
not bulge. Tommy was annoyed. IF
he had to use too much force, 1t would
almost certainly creak. He waited
until the voices rose little, then he
tried again. Still nothing happened.
He increased the pressure. Had the
beastly thing stuck? Finally, in dcs-
peration. he pushed with all his
might. But the door remained firm,
and at last the truth dawned upon
him. 1t was locked or boIted on the
inside.
For a moment or two Tommys in
dignation got the better of him.
"Well. I'm d-dl'' he said "What
a dirty trick ~
AS his indignation cooled, he pre-
pared to face the situation. Clearly
the first thing TO be done was to re-
store the handle TO its original posi-
ton. 1t he let II go suddenly, the |
men inside would be almost certain |
TO notice 1t, so. with the same infinite |
pains, he reversed his former tactics.
All went well. and with a sigh of re-
lief the young man rose to his feet. |
There was a certain bulldog tenacity
about Tommy that made him slow to |
admit defeat Checkmated for the
moment, he was far from abandoning |
the conflict He still intended to
hear what was going on In the locked
room. AS one plan had failed, he
must hunt about for another.
He looked round him. A little far
ha |
was second door. He slipped silently
along to it. He listened for moment
or two. then tried the handle. 1t
yielded, and he slipped inside.
= SSe room, which was untenanted.
<ourRd as a bedroom. Like
vac .u.nls1 lIn the house, the fur
everything else pieces. and the
niture was falling 90
dirt was. If anything. md n1an..
But what interested
the thing he had hoped to fin Gun
door between tM TWO
rooms. upon the left by the windW.
Carefully closing the door into th&}s
passage behind him, he stepped across
20 the other and examined it closely.
The bolt was shot across 1t. 1t was
very rusty, and had clearly not been
used for some time. BY gently wrig-
cling II to and fro, Tommy managed
% draw Ii back without making too
much noise. Then he repeated his
'ormer maneuvers with the handle
his time with complete success. The
ioor swung open-a crack, mere
traction, but enough for Tommy to
rear what went on. There was vel
yet yortiere on the inside Of this door
which prevented him from seeing. but
Ia was able to recognize the voices I