New Britain herald., 1923-12-28

was that such an angle that an enormous shadow Of the hand was cast on to the wall, where the twisting fingers looked like the tentacles of an octopus feeling for prey.
 The hand grasped the fattened knob and turned ii, little effort being re- cuired. and the whole canopy of the bed slipped down evenly and quickly like 8 great press. Its weight must have been. considerable by the manner in whici,it pressed upon the bed, mean ing death to any ono who lay there.
 Screed, for no longer had any doubt that it was s'creed, clutched my arm. and drew me down into crouching position behind an armchair in the cor ner. for now that the canopy of the bed was down, the light ray might have a wide enough swing to discover us It did not reach our corner, but 1t played about the room for a few mo- ments. and it was fortunate I had only partially dressed or the absence of any clothes on the chair near .he bed might have caused suspicion. The light went out suddenly, but Screed kept me in a crouching position.
 l think We must have waited arother hour. not word spoken but n such circumstances all true sense of time is lost. Then the light came acain, this time from 8 point in the seroilei ceiling over the other head post of the bed. Again the thin hand was thrust down, the knob was turned, and the canopy rose slowly to it's original posi- tion, as steadily as an ascending lift. The light went out at once this time.
 '"They think you are lying fhere crushed screed whispered.
 "Horrible." I muttered.
 Did you notice the hand""
 "Beastly," I said, thinking mof" of the death from which had escaped than of the hand. Did Screed imagine had been asleep that he asked ehcth- CT I had noticed the hand? Those twisting fingers seemed to have been playing with my nerves.
 I cannot say whether or not ther 2 was any sound, but moment cane quickly when the edge of my aler trnss touched immediate peril. Scrcei and I were no longer alone. The darkness in the room seemed to move, dad then with click the beam from powerful torch cut across the room like Il sword blade. rgott and Mrs. Ashe were :n the room. They were just inside the door but the door itself was no; open Mrs, Ashe had advised me to ioek .f. had heard me do so, and knew il was no protection al all. The whole frame work of tho doorway formed aao.hcr door. opening with the locked door within it. She was so sure that tto door was locked that she had not tested ii, had she done SO they might have entered with greater caution. They expected to find a man whom had been pressed and smothered to death lyipc Imply in the bed. and it is impo sshle to say at what exact instant thty realized failure. With that realization would come moment ar two of brain inertia, blank during which no p'aH of action would present itself and t eas al this moment that Screed .prans like a great panther on his prey. As I followed him a sharp lick of fire seemed to scorch my arm ard then the woman and were struggling together fiorcely for the long bladed knife which she endeavored to use a second time with more deadly effect. Screeds attack had knocked the torch from pigotts hands before he had ii:nc to switch il of, and tho beam shining along the carpet gave some light in the room.
 Truss mp that she-devil. There's ao occasion for courtesy"
 Screed pumped out these instructions as he struggled with picott, but the woman was strong enough to eliminate all questions of Gentleness and court rsy. and I was speedily conscious that the hurt 10 my arm was considerable. Even when I had managed to twist he knife out of thc womans grasp. sle fought Ike wild cat. kicking at my legs. biting at my hands. I think she vas a more difficult proposition than the man. Not until I had forced her to her knees did she relax and be- rorne suddenly limp. [ knotted her wrists together with my handkerchief. and then came a heavy fall and the sn1a shing of chair The light was switched on. Ifcott lay at full length upon the floor. broken char beside him and some feet away was re. voiver The breath was completely out nf him and his left arm vas badly broken.
 "A Iapsnese taught me iuiitsu." said srreed. He was a master at tho game"
 This handkechief won't hold" said
 These will" and he snapped hand ruffs on the woman. Pretty hands. ah Mr. Yates? one nr two of my men are outside. I1l-Iiallo. he got you in the arm. ieady, Tll----"
 had sensation F being swung round without any poaer nf resistance. sn rapidly thst the ralis began to spin and then for an instant l seemed tn look steadily into ths face of that knight in armgr, hat tho eyes did not appear to look me. His eyes seemed to have gone altogether. tried io say somet'ing and then went 10 sleep.
 ! was iu a hospital for week. Al first there vas snnle fear of blood ehieHr. I fancy. because a woman like Mrs. Ache might be er- prcted to annlnt her wespon. As
 creed said she was a re incarnation from the middle ages. 2 worthy modern represent stire of the Borgias. Happily she had omitted the sHo.ntine. but she had given me nasty jab, and my arm vas on the retired list in sling for some time. Betty Camtron seemed 10 find me rather interesting like this. and I spent quite a iOi 0f mt time in her feashup.
 It was thsre that screed introduced me tO ;he real Harry T:smsden.
 Eoi like his uncle in face. eh Mir. Ystes." chucklsd Screpd. ''nOr in char acter either. 1t is to he hoped"
 II dnnf knnrr al1nrt 1hara,fsr. safd