The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-10-12
Y WRAY WADE SEVERN

SEVERN Then, they had heard her scream.
 Marta remained silent.
 Although Sidney had telephoned police headquarters as soon as they came upstairs, the officers did not arrive. Probably, he reasoned, the storm had made roads almost im- passable. Static would hinder radio reception, if a patrol car happened to be in the vicinity.
 There's nothing to do but walt" the attorney said.
 Suddenly Nella burst out, T smell smoke"
 Hugh smiled. Nonsense. You're always smelling smoke, Nella," he said.
 But do smell something burn ing" the girl insisted. Don't say that I've a neuroSiS about smoke. The house may burn down, if you do." -..s
 "A time-honored method of de- stroying evidence is by fire" Sid- ney conceded. T can't smell smoke myself, but Nella's senses may be keener than ours. It will do no harm to make sure. And none of us has been smoking since-since din- ner."
 q look in Jungle, MT. Brait- wood. Maybe burnt match drop on animals hair down there."
 "No, Togi," Sidney said. Gun drum, will you examine my gun? Notice that it has not been fired. Then run your hand over me and assure yourself that I'm not carry ing any other weapon. Do the same with Hugh"
 My gun had but the one charge, and I fired that at the lock as the cylinders will prove" Hugh added.
 Gundrum searched them.
 "Just as you said," he an- nounced. twill you do the same for Togi and me?' Then if there is a fire and we have to separate we can vouch for each other" No one suggested searching the women.
 Hugh and I will look for fire to- gether," Sidney said. That is, if you all are satisfied that we should"
 No one objected. The two men retraced their way to the Jungle below.
 The same darkness enveloped the place. Only the tiny flame under the percolator indicated the table; the animals and other pieces of furniture were shut out by the wall of blackness. Hugh picked up two candles, lighted them, and handed one to Sidney
 Why should Pat have used that antiquated percolator?" Sidney ask ed.
 T remember using an electric contraption in the past" Hugh was puzzled.
 Odd, too," Sidney went on, "that only the fuse blew out in the entire house. You know, Hugh, If an electric percolator had been used that flame would not be there."
 Obviously, but where is the sig nificance?"
 There you have me-" Sidney con- fessed. He groped about the room.
 Originally the Jungle was two rooms," Hugh explained. Adam had the partition removed. That's why the fireplace is in that brick pillar in the center of the Jungle. It may be there are two fuse boxes. There are two light switches. Adam plan ned to have all new wiring installed down here. But he never did. This is out of date, wires exposed ."
 He pressed button in a pillar near the lioness and got no result. Then he tried the switch next the door. A flood of mellow light filled half the room.
 'Togi must have turned of the lights when he started to put in fresh globes. He was just putting them in when he came down from the ladder to help Nella open the door," he said.
 Naturally, when the lights went off he would suppose the entire sys- tenn had been struck" Sidney sug- gested. T recall that that happen ed in storm when I was visiting here last year." He hurried to in- spect the room more closely.
 Nothing is burning here" Hugh said. "Nella is marked by fire. She was badly burned as a child. She often imagines she smells smoke"
 Braitwood nodded, paused be- fore the figure of huge ape.
 T never could endure that orang, Hugh. He's an evil brute Could man possibly be con- cealed inside him?"
 The big engineer half smiled. ''The fellow is solidly stuffed" he replied. Humans are so differ l ently built, they won't fit into animal forms without theatrical de- vices"
 Holding his candle high, Sidney made tour of the windows. They were set high in the wall, all but flush with the ceiling.
 'Hugh!" he called. Here's a broken pane" He pointed up at broken window.
 "A shot could have been fired
 &lnE Gl ANCES