Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-12
TNsTALLMENT XXI.

~ al N ATTEMPT on his lifea I'M
- N pussiblelp Mrs. Bliss spoke
~ with over emphaSls, and her
"A face turned perceptibly pale.
Then she went TO Bliss and
mt her arms about him In an attitude
OF affectionate profession. Her eyes
were blazing as she lifted them TO
Vance What ahsurdity is this? Who
would want to take my husbands life?"
Who, indeed2" Vance met her gaze
calmly. IF we knew, We could at least
arrest the person for assault with a
deadly weapon believe that's the
"A deadly weapon?" She frowned
with obvious distress. oh, tell me
what happenedr'
table
IAN we know thus far Is that yon
golden dagger was projectin' from the
head of the bed when We arrived. We
were on the point of asking your hus-
band for q full account of the affair
when you appeared--a charming Ne
fret-iti-at the door. Perhaps,
Ne went on. turning to Bliss, 'the doc
tor will recount the entire episode Tor
Us now"
There's really little to tell" Bliss
sat up and began nervously to make
rreases in the folds OF his DRESSING
gown II came here to my room short
" after dinner, and went to bed. But
! couldn't sleep, and got up. Just then
Salveter passed my door on his way up
stairs and asked him to fetch the
memorandum book from the study
thought / might take my mind of the
dreadful events of the day
s"One moment, doctor" Vance inter-
posed WAS your door open?"
yes I had opened it when arose,
in order to get little more air in the
room-the atmosphere was stirling.
Then / went over a few old notes and
entries relating to last Winters exca-
vations. But couldn't keep my mind
on them, and finally / closed the door,
switched of the lights. and lay down
again on the bed"
That would have been about what
timer"
between half past 10 and IL, I
should say. . ! .dozed intermit-
tently till midnight could see the
time by that clock with the luminous
dial-and then became nnaccountably
restless. I got to thinking about poor
Kyle, and all inclination to sleep left
me. However, was dog-tired physi-
Ca1ly, and lay quite still. About
4 uuarter past 12--the house was very
quiet, you understand thought
could hear footsteps on the stairs
which stairs. doctor?"
81 couldn't determine. The footsteps
might have been coming down from the
third floor, or they might have been
ascending from the first floor. They
were very quiet, and If / had not been
wide awake ami keyed up ] wouldn't
have noticed them. AS it was, !
couldn't be sure, though at one time /
imagined heard slight creak as II
board were q little loose under the
carpet"
II lay specializing on who it might
be, for / knew the other members Of
the house had retired early. did not
exactly worry about the sounds until ]
heard them approach my own door and
suddenly halt. Then your warning, Mr..
Vance, swept over me with full force,
and / felt that some terrible unknown
danger was lurking ON the threshold.
was. admit, temporarily paralyzed
with fright; could feel the roots of
my hair tingle, and my body broke out
IN cold perspiration."
He took q deep breath. as If to rid
mirmself of q haunting memory.
Just then the door began to open
slowly and softly. The light in the hall
had been turned out and the room here
was in. almost pitch darkness, so was
unable to see anything. But I could
hear the gentle swish Of the door as 1t
swung open, and I could feel the mild
current Of air that came in from the
A tremor ran over his body. and his
eyes glowed unnaturally.
II would have called out, but my
throat seemed CONSTRUCTED. and / did
not want to imperil Mrs. Bliss who
might have answered my call and run
nnWittingly into something dangerous
and deadly. And then the
binding ray of q fiash-light was thrown
directly into my eyes, and instinct
lively lurched to the far side of the bed
At that moment ] heard swift, brush
ing sound followed by a dull wooden
detonation near my head. And imme-
diatels became conscious Of footsteps
retreafinQ-s