The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-08-24
CHAPTER XIV

HOlbS NlhI HCllAIOlC WOO n hNAAA snooper. And since coming to the Pennington-P Parker Restatorinm she had successfully snooped in the rooms of everyone except the Great Pierre, Master of Magic. Up until that memorable Friday, entrance tO that fortress of privacy had been denied her.
 The reason for this was that the Great Pierre spent almost all his time in his room. He had come to this place to rest and, with true French practicability, he was doing what he had paid to do.
 This tate of affairs had driven Miss Fenimore insane with curios- ity. On several occasions she had peeped through Pierre's half-open door and glimpsed heteroge- neous collection of trunks, bags, and bundles They intrigued her beyond belief. And then on Fri day, when Pierre announced his intention of remaining away over night, Miss Fenimore had heard Opportunity knocking.
 Accordingly, when convinced that the household slept, she had slip ped downstairs. And Wolfgang, the dachshund, had slipped with her, .o the ultimate confusion of the Little Cheese.
 The first of the Great Pierre's cases that Miss Fenimore opened proved disappointing. It contained a number of gadgets whose pur- pose she did not understand. But, casting about, she found a long, wooden box with perforations all over it. It interested her imme- diately. She unfastened the catch. The next instant Miss Fenimore recoiled in horror and uttered the shriek to end shrieks. And just as he did so a wild man with gun in his hand hurtled through the door. leapt over cascade of snakes that poure dfrom the box and covered himself up with the bedelothes.
 It was all very puzzling to Miss Fenimore. But she had no time to consider. Too many snakes were fes- tooning the floor at her feet.
 Passed moment in which Miss Clara Fenimore made a monkey out of the most nimble- -throated cobra tuEa soprano that ever lived. Then Kinks Parker rushed into the room. He was closely followed by Sally Pennington, in bare feet Bull Griffin, gun in either hand, placed third. Behind him, similarly armed, came MT. Spaldini, just cut of the money MT. and Mrs. Hardness were in the ruck, simply also-rans. And the only scratched entry was Mrs. Clipstack. Bedlam at it's best could mt have aroused Mrs. Clipstack in the dead of night.
 It was all too much for the snakes. In wriggling body they disappeared under the bed. But not before Sally and Mrs. Hark- ness had added their screams to those of Miss Fenimore.
 Kinks took the floor
 What the devils going on?" he demanded.
 Miss Fenimore pointed shakily under the bed.
 "S-s-snakes," she quavered.
 "Yes, I know" said Kinks. '"They're probably harmless Pierre uses them in his act, guess"
 T I must have been sleep walking" panted Miss Fenimore guiltily. And all at once came to in here with a box of s-s-snakes"
 Sally and Kinks exchanged glances. Then, suddenly, Bull Grif- fin stepped past Kinks and stripped the covers from the bed.
 The movement brought to light a pitiful object. The Little Cheese, white as ghost, lay on his back. One hand covered his eyes. His face was convulsed with terror And the nerveless fingers of his other hand still held his gun. His lips were working loosely, but he uttered no sound.
 The first thought that occurred to Bull Griffln's evil mind was that the Little Cheese had had a rendezvous wit dis dame" Then he perceived the gun. Instantly all became clear. "So?" he said, in menacing voice.
 Mrs. Hardness spoke.
 Who is this-this persona" she demanded, pointing at the Little Cheese.
 Dat, lady?" said Bull. Oats da biggest heel in Brooklyn" He reached over and relieved the Little Cheese of his gun.
 Grimm faces all aroun'," the Little Cheese managed to moan. Snakes all over. Oh, uhuhn
 Well, Elbridge," said Bull Grif- fin, "so you Wuz gonna git me, wuz your"
 In his infancy a fearful thing had happened to the Little Cheese. His parents, humorists of high