Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1925-08-21

for my daughter"
The waiter withdrew.
What time do you expect ZadowaT
Janet asked
He should have been here by now.
l don't know why he's late"
did you see him this afternoon"
mo. l was down at the office, but
only for short while"
The sound of voices outside the door
caused Janet to resume her knitting,
and the next moment Count Zad0wa
was announced. For an appreciable
time after the waiter had withdrawn
he stood staring at them: then a
smile crossed his face.
Magnificent" he murmured. "Su-
perb Madame, / felicitate you. Well
though | know your powers this time
you have excelled yourself. l have
the most wonderful news for you"
Reverend TheOdosius bit the end
off cigar and stared at his visitor
with eyes from which every trace of
kindliness had vanished
ITS about time you did have some
good news, Zadowa" he snapped.
Anything more id disgraceful than
the way you've let this so-called
Black Gang do you in, I've never
heard Of"
But the other merely smiled quietly.
Il admit it," he murmured. up
to date they had scored a faint mea-
sure of success-exaggerate my
friends, greatly exaggerated by the pa
pers. Tonight came the reckoning,
which incidentally Is the reason why
am little late. TOnight"-he leaned
forward impressively-"the leader Of
the gang himself honored me with a
visit And the leader will lead no
more"
"You killed him." said the girl
helping herself to champagne.
II did," answered the count. "And
without the leader think we can ig
more the gang"
That's all right as far as 1t goes,
said the Reverend Theodosius in q
slightly mollified tone But have you
covered all your traces? In this coun
try the police get peevish over mur
der"
The count gave a self-satisf1ec
smile
mot only that" he remarked, "bu
/ have made 1t appear as II he hat
killed himself Listen, my friends
and I will give you brief Statement
of the events of the past few day
| suddenly found out that the leader
of this gang had discovered my head
quarters in Hoxton. WAS actually
talking to Latter in my office at the
time, when l heard outside the cal
OF an owl. Now from the informa
tion l had received, that was the raj
lying call of their gang, and I dashed
into the passage. Sure enough
standing by the door at the end was
a huge man covered from head to
foot in black. Whether 1t was bravadC
that made him give the cry, or wheth
er 1t was a ruse to enable him to see
me, Is immaterial now. AS I say
he is dead. But-and this is the point
1T made me decide that the Office
there, convenient though 1t was, woule
have to be given up.
II was completing the final sorting
out of my papers with my secretary
when the electric warning disc on my
desk glowed red. Now, the office was
empty, and the red Fight meant that
someone had opened the door outside
l heard nothing, which only made II
all the more suspicious. So between
US we gathered up every important
paper. switched off all lights and went
out through the secret door, Their
we waited"
He turned to the clergyman, Whe
sat motionless save for ceaseless
tapping Of his left knee with his hand
"As you know. monsieur" he pro
ceeded, "there Is an opening In tina
door through which one can see Int
the room. And through that opening
/ watched developments. After
while q torch was switched on at thu
further door, and l heard voices. An(
then the man holding the torch came
cautiously in. He was turning 1t Int
every corner, but finally he focused
1t on my desk. heard him speak t.
one Of his companions, who came Int
the beam of light and started to plcl
the lock. And 1t was then that
switched on every light, and close'
the other door electrically. They wer'
caught-caught like rats in trap"
The hunchback paused dramatical
ly, and drained his champagne. If h
was expecting any laudatory remark
on the part Of his audience he wa
disappointed. But the Reveren
Theodosius and his little Janet Nigh
have been carved out Of marble, saw
for that ceaseless tapping by the ma
Of his left knee. In fact, had Coun
Zadowa been less pleased with him
self and less sure Of the effect h
was about to cause he might have ha
a premonition Of coming danger. Their
was something almost terrifying In tn
big clergyman's immobility.
TO In rQnaQfpd fh