Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-06-23


tore at them, and broke and fell
from the trees ut the sides of the
path. And here Locke gave a step.
and there another. working nearer
and nearer to the edge Of the lawn.
And then suddenly there came a
half-choked cry from the other. The
man had tripped in :he under
growth. Locke swung bis weight to
complete the fall -trlpped himself
and both. witt. their balance gone,
but graphing the flercer at each
other, pitched hcadlony with terrific
force into the trees at the side of
the path.
And Locke was for al instant
streaks OF fiery light THAI sinote at
his eyeballs with excruciating pain
and then utter 5lackness came.
When he opened his eyes again a
rit onbeam lay along the path, and
a figure in a lcnG dressing gown
w1x passing by. Ha was dream
wasn't he? There was sick SEN
sn' ON in his head. u giddiness and
besides that 1t Cavo him great pain.
He raised himself up cautiously on
his elbow. fighting to clear his mind
and suddenly his lips frightened
griinly. There was something iron
iCal in that m'onheam-somethin
that Knocked him in disclosing, n
figure In dressing gown instead
of face that had been unmasked
yet still could not be seen. He
looked around him now. He was
lying few feet in from the edge
of the path. and against the trunk
of large tree. Yes. he remembered
now. His head had struck against
the tree and he had been knocked
unconscious. And the man who had
been masked was gone.
He rose to his feet. He was very
groggy-and for a moment he lean
ed against the tree trunk for sup
port. The giddiness began to pass
away. That was old Mr.. Marlin
who had Just gone by. Well.
neither the old mailman nor his
money had come to any harm, any
way! He stepped out on the path.
and from there to the edge of the
lawn The old mailman was just
disappearing around the corner OF
the veranda.
Locke put his hands TO his eyes.
How his head throbbed! How long
had he lain there unconscious? He
took out his watch. His eyes
seemed blurred-or was It the
meagerness of the moonlight? He
was not quite sure, but it seemed to
be ten minutes after 3. 1t wasn't
very easy to figure backward. He
did not know how long he and the
old maniac had been together in the
aquarium. but, say. half an hour.
Starting then, at the hour Of the
rendezvous. which had been at a
quarter past 9. that would bring 1t
to quarter of 3; then, say, ten
r11;nntnS xrhot hol la, =
afterward. including the fight. and
that would make 1t five minutes OF
3. He must therefore have been
lying in there unconscious for at
least fifteen minutes. -.
The man who had worn the mask
was gone now-naturally. But
perhaps 1t would not be sadifiicult
to pick up the trail. Captain
Francis Newcombe's room offered
very promising possibilities-and
there was a torn coat sleeve that
would not readily be replaced in
fifteen minutes.
lie made his way now across the
lawn, and up tie steps to the
veranda. He tried tho front door.
1t was locked. OF coursel He had
forgotten that he had lett the kcusc
by crawling out of the aquarium
window. There was no use going
back that way because the old mad
man had locked the aquarium door.
Mr.. Marlin. though. had some
means OF entrance-and IL that door
through which the man had so sud
denly appeared in the back hall
meant anything, the entrance the
old man used was likely to be
somewhere in the rear. But Mr.,
Marlin would probably have locked
that. too, behind him.
He looked up and down the now
moon flecked veranda-and began
to try the French windows that
openeN upon 1t from the front
rooms OF the house. The first two
were locked as he had expected II
was only chance, but he might as
we'll begin here as anywhere else
He tried the third one almost
perfunctorily. It opened at a touch.
I'm in luck" Locke muttered.
and stepped inside.
He turned the knob to lock the
French window behind him, and
round the bolt already thrown.
Queer. He stood frowning for an
instant. then stopped and felt along
the inside edge of the threshold.
The socket that ordinarily housed
the boit bar was gone. The same
condition therefore obviously exist
ed at the top, as the long bar mad o
double throw.
He Strengthened up, curious smile
tWitching at his lips now. and
making his way silently to the
stairs, he reached the upper hail
stole along 1t TO the door of his oxyn
room. and entered. Here, from ona
OF his bags. he procured a revolver.
and moment later, his ear to the
panel. listening. he stood outside
captain Francis ,Newcombe's door.