THE SUNDAY OTTEGONIAN, PORTLAND, NOVEMBER 13, 1916.
THE SCARLET RUNNER STOR Y BY C. N . AND A, M, WILLIAMSON
Dramatized and produced by
the Vitagraph Company from the
popular novel of the same name
by C. N. and A. M. Williamson.
Everything you read here toUay
you can see this week, at leading:
motion-picture theaters in vivid
motion pictures, with Earle Will
iams as Christopher Race and
Miss Zena Keefe as Sidney
Chester. , Next week another
story and new pictures. '- ',
(Copyright. 1916. by the Star
Company. All foreign rights re
served.) CHAPTER. V.
THE JACOBEAJf HOUSE.
-f-N the pile of letters awaiting him on
ihis table Christopher found a queer
telegram. It said: "Please come at
onco with your car and try solve rays-
tery at old house now used as hotel
patronized by motorists. Same rate
paid per dayfor necessary time as for
automobile tour. ;-Sidney Chester, Wood
House, New Forest. References, Lon-
, don and Scottish Bank." And the mes
sage was dated two days back.
Christopher did not see why he
should be applied to as a solver of
mysteries. However, the telegram
sounded interesting.
"Just back from journey. Found tele
gram," he wired. "Am I still wanted?
If so, can come."
When an aiuwer arrived he had Scar
let Runner ready for another start. '
"Yes, urgeatly wanted,", ran the re
ply. "Hope you can start this after
noon. But don't come to Wood House.
Will meet you at the Sandboy and Owl,
within mile of Ringfaurst,. as -you come
from London. Please let me - knew
probable hour of arrival. Chester."
Christopher wired, again? "Hope to
y mi f Vi vnti o hnut cnvan rt tl i I a Viin,
was justified, as It usually was when
he had fo depend upon Scarlet Runner.
The landlord opened a door at the
'end of a dim corridor, and Baid respect
fully to someone out of sight, "The
gentleman with the motor has ar
rived." Then he backed out of th.way,
and Christopher stepped over the thresh
old. He saw a girl rise up from a
chair, crumpling a- telegram which she
had been reading by the light of "a
shaded lamp.
She wore a riding habit, and a neat
hat on sleek hair the color of ripening
wheat She was charmingly pretty. In
a. flowerlike way. Her great eyes,
which now appeared black, would be
hflle by daylight, and her figure was
perfect In the well-cut habit; but she
was either pale and anxlo.us-looking, or
else the lamplight gave that effect.
"I beg your pardon," exclaimed
Christopher. "I've come from London
to see a Mr. Sidney Chester, and was
told I should find him here, but t
"I'm Sidney Chester." said the girL
"It was I who telegraphed for you. to
come and help us."
Christopher was surprised, but he
kept his countenance, and pretended to
take this revelation as a matter of
course.
"Sidney Is a. woman's name as well
as a man's.", she went on, "and there
was- no use explaining In a telegram.
Please sit down, and I'll no. I can't
promise to make you understand, for
the thing's beyond understanding; but
I'll tell you about it. First, though, I'd
better explain why I sent f or you. I
don't mean to flatter you. but if there's
any chance of the mystery being solvel,
it. can only be done by a man of your
sort clever and quick of resource, as
well as an accomplished motorist
That's my reason: now for my story.
But perhaps you've heard of Wood
House and the strange happenings
there? We've tried to keep the talk
out of the "papers, but It was lmpos
Fiele; and there've been paragraphs In
most of them for the last fortnight."
Christopher had to admit ignorance,
though he guessed from the girl's tone
that the place must be famous, apart
from its mysterious reputation.
"It's a beautiful old house," she went
on. the harassed expression of her face
softening into tenderness. "There are
pictures and accounts of It rft books
about the country. )' We've got the
loveliest oak panelling in nearly . all the
rooms, and wonderful furniture. Of
course,- we Jove it dearly my mother
and I. the only ones of the family who
are left but we're disgustingly poor;
our branch of the Chesters have been
growing poorer for generations. We
had to see everything going to pieces,
and there was no money for repairs.
There were other troubles, too oh, I
may as well tell you, since you ought
to know everything concerning us if
you're to do any good, I was silly
enough to fall In love with a man who
ought to marry an heiress. - for he's
poor, too, and has a title, which makes
poverty harder-iuid more grinding. He's
let his house a show place and be
cause he won't give me up to look for
a rich girr (he wouldn't have, to look far
or long), he's trying to get a fortune
out of a ranch in Colorado. That made
me feel as i I must do something, and
we couldn't let Wood House, because
there's a clause in father's, will against
our doing so. We're obliged to live
there, or forfeit it to the person who
would have inherited it if the place
had been entailed and had had to go to
a male heir. -,
"But no such thought came to poor
father as that mother and I would
dream of making the house Into an
hotel, so It didn't occur to him to pro
vide against such a contingency. It
was I who had the idea because I was
desperate for money; and I heard how
people like old houses In these days
Americans and others who aren't used
to things-that are antique. At last I
summoned up courage to propose to
mother that we should advertise to en
tertain motorists and other travelers.
"Every penny we could spare, and a
lot we couldn't, we spent on advertis
ing, when she'd consented, and two
months ago we opened the house as- a
hotel. Our old servants .were good
about helping, and we got in several
new ones. -We began to make the most
astonishing success, and I was delight
ed. I. thought if all went on well I
need have nothing to do with manag
ing the place after this year. I might
raarry if I liked, and there would be
the income rolling in; so you see. after
these dreams, what it .is to find ruin
staring us in the face. : ' '
"Thjs thing that is happening to, us
is preposterous," said Miss Chester.
"People come to our house, perhaps for
dinner or lunch, or perhaps for several
days. But whichever it may be, during
one of the meals-; always the last if
they're having more than one every
piece of jewelry. Wy may be wearingv
and all the money in their pockets and
purses except' small silver and copper
disappear mysteriously."
"Perhaps not mysteriously." suggest
ed Christopher. "You mentioned hav
ing engaged new servants. One of
them may he an expert thief."
"Of course that was our first Idea,"
said the girl. "But it would be im
possible for the most expert thief, even
a conjurer, to- pull ladies' rings from
their fingers, unfasten clasps of pearl
dog-collars, take off brooches or brace
lets or belts with gold buckles, and re
move studs from shirt-frons or sleeve
Jinks from cuffs, without the knowl
edge of the persons wearing the
things." r
"Yes. that would be- impossible,"
Christopher admitted.
"Well.- that Is what happens at Wood
House every day. and has been happen
ing for the last fortnight. .People sit
at the-table, and apparently everything
.-roes on Jn the most orderly way; yet at
'the iend of -the meal their valuables
are gone. ; I 'want you' to watch, to set
your wits 'to work to find out the mys
tery. Of course, you must leave your
valuables in care of the" landlord here.
You'll motor" over this evelng, won't
you, and say you wish to have
room?" "
"With pleasure." said Christopher.
"And I'll do my: bst to help."
"Thanks for taking an interest. Then
I'll go now. I shall just be able to
ride home in time for dinner."
"But there are questions which. I'd
better ask you," said Christopher, "as
we're not to have any private commun
ication at Wood- House. How many -i
muuor servants nave you?
"Three housemaids, one dear old
thing who has been with us for years,
and two young girls lately got in one
irom London, one from our own neigh
borhood; a butler. we've had since I can
remember, two new- footmen from Lon
don, and an old 'cook-housekeeper. ' who
has had two assistants since we opened
as a hotel. That's all, except a stray
creature or two about the kitchen.
must tell you, too, that with the new
servants we. had the best of references.
"And the . thefts always ' occur at
meals?" asked Christopher.
"Always at meals and, therefore, it
could happen only;'-in three rooms,'
said Sidney Chester; "the big dining
hall arid two small roms which we've
set apart as private sitting-rooms,
Sometimes those who stay with us like
to eat there, if they come in parties of
three or four, but the dining-hall is the
most beautiful room in the house, and
people admire it so much that they
often prefer it fo any other place."
"Something will have to be done,
said' Christopher puzzled, but anxious
to be encouraging. "Have you no guest
who has been with you for several
weeks?"
one. ,tne girl returned, half reluctantly,-
as if she guessed his rea
son for putting this question. "It's
a man.''
"A young man?" ,
"Yes, a young man."
"How long has he
been in the
house?"
"Several weeks. He's painting a pic
turev using the King's room, as we call
it, for a background the room Charles
II. had when an ancestor of ours was
hiding him, and would dart down into a
secret place underneath whenever
dangerous 'visitor- arrived."
"Oh, an artist?"
"Not a professional. He"
"Can't you remember how long he has
been with. you?" -
"Between three weeks and a fort
night." The .girl blushed, her white
face lovely in its sudden flush of color.
"I see what's in your mind. But there's
nothing in that, I assure you. The mer
est coincidence. You don't look as if
you were ready to believe me, but you
will-. when I tell you it's Sir Walter
Raven, the man I'm engaged to marry."
He hasn t been able to throw any
light on the problem?"
NOithough he s tried In every way.
"Does he know you've sent for me?"
"I haven't told him. because it would
seem as if I couldn't trust him to get
to the bottom of the mystery. You see,
thought he's tremendously clever, he
isn t that sort of man. Now, have you
asked me everything?" a
Not ' yet. answered Christopher.
selfishly less sorry to detain her than
ho would have been had she been middle-aged
and plain. "I want to know
what servants are in the rooms where
these robberies occur?" '
"The butler. Nelson, in the dining
hall, or one of the footmen if the meal
Is being served in a private sitting
room." "Only those, except the guests?"
"Since the mystery began I've some
times been there to watch and super
intend, and one of my cousins, either
Morley or his wife. And in the dining
hall Sir Walter Raven is kind enough
to keep an eye on what goes on, while
appearing to bo engaged with his
luncheon or dinner."
"Yet the robberies take place Just the
same under your very eyes?"
"Yes. That is the mysterious part.
The whole thing Is like a dream. But
you will see for yourself. Only, as I
said, take care not to have anything
about you which (They whoever, what
ever They are can steaL"
'She give him her hand, and he shook
it reassuringly; then- it . being under
stood that as it was late. Tie would dine
at the inn and arrive" at Wood House
after nine, she- left him. Five minutes
later, standing at the window, he saw
her ride off on a fine hunter.
As he' ate chops and drank a glass of
ale, Christopher considered what he had
heard of the mystery, and did not know
what to think of'it.
The road from the Sandboy and Owl.
through Ringhurst and on to Wood
House, was beautiful. Christopher had
passed over it before, aid, coming to
the gateway and lodge of the place he
sought, he remembered having re
marked both, though he had not then
known the name of the estate.
He steered Scarlet Runner between
tall stone gateposts topped with stone
lions supporting shields, acknowledged
a salutation from an elderly man at
the door of the old black and white
lodge, and drove up a winding avenue
under beeches and oaks.
Suddenly, rounding a turn, he eanie
In sight of the house, standing In the
midst of a lawn cleared of trees in a
foreF-like park.
It was a long, low building of ir
regular shape, the many windows with
tiny lozenge panes brightly lit behind
their curtains. In the moonlight the
projecting upper stories with gabled
roofs and ivy-draped chimneys. the
walls checkered - in -lack and white,
with wondrous diapering of trefoils,
quatrefolls" and chevrons, were clear
ly defined against a wvoded back
ground. The house could have few
peers in picturesqueness if one searched
all England.
His name was announced' as if he
had been an invited guest arriving at
a country house, and from a group
near the fireplace came forward to wel
come him a young man with a delight
ful face. Glancing past him for an in
stant, as he advanced, Christopher
saw Sidney Chester, in evening dress;
a dainty old lady whom he took to
be her mother; a rather timid-looking
little woman, whose pretty features
seemed almost plain In contrast with
Miss Chester's: a handsome, darkly
sunburnt young man, with a soldierly,
somewhat aftogant air; a'o seven or
eight strangers, divided Into different
parties scattered about the room.
"How" do you do? Is it possible we're
to have the pleasure of entertaining the
"famous Mr. Race?" said the young man
who came to- greet Christopher. "My
name Is Morley Chester, and I play host
for my "cousins, Mrs. Chester and her
daughter." -
Then Mr. Chester introduced him to
Ihe two cousins, mother and daughter
(he meeting the girl as if for the first
time), to the pretty quiet young wom
an who "was. it appeared, Mrs. Morley
Chester, and added an informal word
or two which made Sir Walter Raven
and Mr. Christopher Race known to!
eacn oiaer. .
Sidney Chester's" fiance was. after
all, very pleasant and frank in man
ner, his haughty air being the effect,
perhaps, of a kind of-proud reserve.
Christopher could not . help feeling
slightly drawn to the young man, as
he usually was ,to handsome' people;
but there was no doubt in his mind
that Mr. Morley Chester was art agree
able person. He was not fine-looking,
but his way of ..speaking was so
individual and engaging that Christo
pher did not wonder at Miss Chester
for referring to him as her dear cousin.
- Before Mr. Chester, and Sir Walter
Raven no one mentioned the trouble In
the house: but next morning. ""Sitting in
the hall, which was the favorite' gath
ering place, he caught scraps of gossip.
No one present 'had yet been robbed.
but everyone had heard something-
queer Irom others who had left the
place, and as a - rich brewer, lately
knighted, intended to so away in his
motor after luncheon that day. he was
being chaffed by his acquaintances.
v "V suppose you'll give your watch
111 ' " &V
I 1 1 - 'A t v f
I i L i I "V v
' - - - " " ' 1 . -y ' "r :
' " ! , f - V. . . : .-. ': ... . '
Mrwrft'mimtir'" r-on ,iuhhjj,ib.h iii r : I foiSs--i1 V':.?'11"'1 .iuiiiiimmup)ini.i.
ad , money to your chauffeur before
you sit down for the last meal?"
laughed an American girl who had ar
rived some days before In her motor
car.
?o, I shan't," replied Sir Henry
Smithson. valiantly. "I don't believe in
mis nonsense. I'll show you what I
have got 'on me, .and as I am now so
shall I be when I go into the dining-
nau."
un mis no displayed a gorgeous
repeater, with his monogram and crest
in brilliants; Indicated a black pearl
scan pin. turned a saonh reand dia
mond . ring set in aluminum on n ft
linger, and jingled a store of coins in
his pocket, which he announced 'to be
gold..- amounting to 50 pounds. "I've
few notes, too," said he. "and I ex
pect to have them Just the same when
I finish my lunch as w"hen I go in."
Well, we shall all lunch at the
same time, and watch," remarked the
American girl.
Christopher had a table to himself nt
the end of, the long room, and Sir Henry
Smithson sat at a larger one not far
away. te nad invited the American
girl, her chaperon and Kir Walter Rav
en to share with him his farewell meal,
and much champagne flowed. There
was a good deal of talk and lauirhter
ai inai ana otner tables, but the lunch
eon was served by the butler and two
footmen- in ceremonious stvle. Moriev
Chester unostentatiously superintend
ing Denina a screen, which hid the door
usea oy me servants. Not one of the
three ladies of the Chester family was
in the room.
All went on in the most orderly
manner, and the food was good, as well
as nicely served. though it struck
Christopher that it was rather Inne
between courses. Suddenly, as Chris
topher was beginning UDon hlsniiiu
and cheese. Sir Henry Smithson sprang
up in his chair, exclaiming. "Bv Jove!"
Then came a clatter of voice it hi.
table, both ladies there crying out in
consternation.
"What has happened?" ankM Maf1v
Chester, coming out from behind the
screen, while Sir Walter Raven sat
looking pale and concerned, and the
mild-faced butler saved himself fmm
dropping a bottle of port.
everything has gone!
' ejaculated
"His watch
scarf pin
Mtas Reese,' the American,
and chain -his ring his
and "
"And my money." finished Sir Hfrnrv
Smithson.
"I'm dreadfully sorry." stammered
Mr. Chester. "I begged you to be care
ful." 'Oh, I've got myself to blame. I sun-
pose,"' broke In the brewer. He gave
rough laugh, but it did not sound
genuine. "Who on earth -would have
thought such things could be? Well.
eeeing's believing.. This Is the queer
est house I was ever In. It's bewitched."
o we are beginning to think." said
Chester, deeply mortified. "I can't be
gin to express my regret "
"My own fault." said Sir Henry. "I'll
say no more about it for the present.
But I wouldn't be sorry to see that re
peater of mine again. If you don't
mind I'll send a detective down on :hk
business." .
Presently, after the dining-hall had
been searched in vain for trace of the
lost treasurers. Sir Henrt Smithson
WOMEN STORE HOUSEHOLD IN-
. ANTICIPATION OF. SEVERE COLD
. -j
Several Discuss Preparation. Including"' Large Supplies of Fuel, Food,
Lights, Vegetables and Eggs Water Pipes Wrapped for Long Siege.
BY MRS. PORTLAND.
SAW in the paper- a few' weeks
ago." said Aunt- Stacy, "that an
-i- Indian up at Hood River was
saying we were going, to have another
cold Winter this year.".
,"Let .it come." said Aunt -Harriet
c'omplacehtly. ."I am ready for it. .We
had such a time about fuel last Winter
in the snowy weather Just . couldn't
get it delivered 'When we were riear
out that, Henry actually was obliged
to take a sle and go and-haul home
several loads himself; that taught us
our lesson, so this year we have put in
"a'n extra ton of coal and two' more
cor3s of wood than usual. Fuel won't
spoil on your hands; if It Is cold again
we have.it ready, and if it isn't cold, we
can keep it until it is used up'
"Our greatest difficulty in the cold
weather last Winter." said . Paul's
mother, "was having to sit in the dark
all one evening when, our wires went
down. - . The lights -went out while I
was getting supper. I knew I had a
piece o-candle somewhere," but I didn't
know just where, and. I had to strike
matches and grope around quite a while
before' I found it; then it was only long
enough, to burn a little while- and we
sat all evening in the light of the. Are
in the fireplace.
Supply of Candles Stored.
I am not going to be caught that
way again, for l.have two dozen long
candles in the house now. There's one
on a little shelf Just above the matches
by the kitchen stove and one' in the
bathroom and one In our bedroom. Then
we got a couple of small oil lamps and
a lantern and two gallons of kerosene
oil, and with Philip's flashlight I think
we will do very well as far as lighting
is concerned. We have plenty of
matches laid in. too."
"We have been making some Winter
preparations,' too," put in" Aunt Stacy.
"Silas broke his snow shovel last Win
ter, so he got a new one the other, day
end 1 have been fixing up some warmer
-' ' . ' -
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' -I jsy
n -'..: .. : . - n .- . 1 I
::.!--. ' ..: - w $ i I '.
I ' . i , v
i . i! r , ''
r : - . - .' - - j f At . "
Mi7
went off In his motor, a sadder and a
wiser man.
Race had almost abandoned hid sus
picions of Sir Walter Raven, whom he
liked more and more, when, on liU
eighth nisht at Wood ..House, a sound
startled lilm from a dream of iiucn
fold patterned paneling. I svially, when
he waked thus, it was to find all silent,
and lie would turn over and fa.l ase,-
once -more, telling himself that the
noise had been part of his dream. Bu;
thi tlm it continued. " T'.iere was a
queer creaking behind the wainscot.
In the morning Christopher asked the
servant-who brought his morning tea
who occupied the adjoining room. "Sir
Walt?r Raven." was the answer. Hart
was angry with himself for not having
learned earlier who his neighbor wa1,
but during the day, as he passed and
Raw the door of the next room jar, he
glanced in. It seemed to him that there
was an inexplicable distance between
this door and his. Tne rooms were
supposed to adjoin each other.- His
own door was near the dividing wall,
and so was Sir Waller's, yet there was
a wide space between.
Through the open door of Sir Walter
Raven's room he could see a low win
dow with a cushioned seat in the em
brasure. In his room there was one
of the same size and shape. To pre
vent mistake he propped a book against
the lozengepanen of his own window
and went to walk round the rambling
house and reconnolter.
Ye3. there was the book, and there
was Sir Walter's window farther on
toward the left. But there was some
thing between which did not puzzle
Christopher as much as it would had
woolen clothes for him this Fall.' He
had such a siege of the grip and rheu
matism after getting up early and
building fires and working in the snow
in all that "bllzzardy" weather I am
sure .that's what gave it to him. I have
knit him two pairs of- woolen socks and
made him a pair 'of soft warm house
shoes of some eiderdown I had, with
leather soles on them, and crocheted a
nigh collar for. the neck of hls'swea.er
and made- him a new' heavy. ,woIen
bathrobe.",'. - - , x ;
J&cmm Prrnerved fer Winter.
.' Wedld not have enough. quilts." sad
Mother Portland,- "to keep all the peo
ple, warm that we had with us part of
the time du-rlrtg the unusual cold. I've.
"made two log. ca1ln quilts out of. small
-pieces, of- woolen goods I had on hand
and I got some wool batting and made
a couple of- comforters, covering them
with heavy cotton flannel."
"And- didn't -the price of eggs soar
during that bad weather? I've put down
six dozen eggs'tln water glass-to use
when they get up to the highest' price.
I bought them when they were 30 cents
a dozen. And I did something else I
Haven't done in years; I made soruS
sausage - myself, and put it down in
lard. I've canned .-more vegetables,
too. I have 40 .pint Jars each of corn,
green beans, peas and tomatoes, so if
canned goods go still higher in- price,
as It looks now 'like they would, we
will not need-to buy-any canned vege
tables. ' We raised our own beans and
I, have enough dry beans to last us
quite awhile.-
"Then I tried drying some fruit this
year. We used to do that a great deal
years and years ago, but after- fresh
fruit got so plentiful women quit dry
ing fruit. Then, too. you could buy
the ready dried fruit so cheap,but
dried fruit, like everything else, 'has
been, steadily advancing in prioe, ' and
with sugar so expensive, it will pay
Oregon-women to dry their own fruit.
as no sugar is required for the drying.
I dried prunes, currants and red grapes.
-
7 hi"
he not noticed the distance separating
the doors of the two adjoining rooms.
Halfway between the two low windows
was a tiny one, so overgrown with
Ivy that it was all but Invisible, even
to an observant eye.
"Sir Walter Raven must have a cup
board in his wall, lit by that little win
dow." Christopher decided, "or else
there's a secret 'hidle hole' between
his rntm and mine."
To begin with, he tapped the wains
cotlng in his own room, and wan In
terested to discover that his knock
gave out a hollow sound. He believed
that there -was but the one thickness
of oak- between him and the secret
whatever It- might be, which lay be
yond. , f
The paneling here was simple, with
out any elaboration of carving. The
wainscot, which reached from floor to
ceiling, was divided into large squares
framed In a kind of fluting. Having
examined each of-these squares on the
wall nearest Sir .Walter Raven's, he
gave up the hope that there was any
hidden dQor -or sliding panel.
"I could saw out a square, though
he thought, "and look at what's on the
other side; Qr I could squeeze through
if it seemed worth whife. A panel be
hind the curtain of my bed would do
and I could stick it in again so that
if anybody suspected there was some
thing up they would hardly be able
to see what I d been doing.
Apparently no one ever entered the
biding place except In the night, about
2 o clock. The noises behind the wains
coting continued for a few minutes
oniy, ana aner mat au-was silence.
In the afternoon Christopher motored
dried them In the oven . when I was
getting .breakfast: of course they need
only a moderate heat.
. "And what have you been doing,
child, to get ready for Winter?" asked
Aunt Stacy of me.
Bread Making I'ndertakra.
'Lots of things," answered It ot
wishing to be too far outdone by these,
my older and so much more experienced
housekeeper relatives..; "I've got one
big bed each of carrots, parsnips and
onions in my garden and about a dozen
heads of late cabbage I am going to
put away In boxes of earth pretty
soon, ana some salsify and some chard
and lettuce '
"Good!" Interrupted Aunt .Stacy; who
tninks everybody In Portland should
havr a vege-table garden.
"And I've found out how to make my
own yeast and I'm getting in practice
in making my own bread.
That's fine!", exclaimed Mother
Portland. She knows how fond my
nusoand is of home-made bread. . Fbr
one- day last vWlnter we could not
get bread of any kind In our part of
me city, so we lived on biscuits.
"And we've raked up and "burned all
the dry thistles on the vacant lot next
us so they won't spread so bad next
year in our lot. The aphis were so
bad on most of our trees and shrubs
we're raking the leaves Up as they fall
and burning them and spraying' the
bushes and trees, and piling up' lots
of dirt, and manure around the roots of
onr peach trees so they won't partly
Winter kill, as they did last year.
Water Pipes Vrappd."
''Last Saturday afternoon we wrapped
part of our water pipe. Where, our
bathroom pipes come up to the tub
they froze two or three times last Win
ter. That's on the east side, you know,
and we found a knot hole in the. wall
that .let the cold wind right up against
them, m we nailed It up. Then we took)
newspapers and cut them In strips and
wrapped them round and round the
pipe till they were several layers thick;
so I think we won't have any trouble
there with freezing again."
"Well, after all our extra ' prepara1-'
tion." said Aunt Harriet, "we may have
a very mild Winter." -
"Which does not argue against the
preparation:" replied Mother Portland,
"because we will not lose by any of our
preparations, even If It Is a warm
Winter, but we will lose a good deal
without them .if It is cold again: and
it is always best to be on the safe side."
Into Ringhurst to buy a small saw and
a bullseye lantern, such as policemen
use. On the .way back he overtook Sir
Walter with Sidney, and they accept
ed his offer to give them a lift back
to Wood House.
They talked about the robberies as
Christopher prove the car home. Sidney
sitting beside him. Sir Walter leaning
forward in the tonneau. "After all. it
will end inVour going away from the
dear' o.ld place." sighed Sidney, with
tears in her eyes. . "The strain is wearing
mother out; and, you know, if neither
of us continues living in the house,
it will go. as I told you.- to the man
who would have been t b heir had the
entail not -been brok-
"You'U both come
Colorado and forget ;
the chap have the pis
tol it's off your hs-vl.--,
with me to
i- troubles. Let
and be thank
' said Raven.
He spoke wit
ae sincerity of a
jchemer who would
loyer,- not like
force a woman lO his will by foul
means if fair ones proved not strong
enough.
"I feel a beast spying on him and
working against him," thought Chris
topher. "Suppose he knows nothing
about the secret place next his room?
Suppose the noises are made by rats?
And what if. after all. the people who
think they have been robbed never
have been robbed? I ll give Raven the
benefit of the doubt until I've tried one
more experiment."
Tea was going on In the hall when
Scarlet Runner arrived at Wood House
There were letters for Christopher,
and he announced in the hearing of
everyone. Including the servants, that
unless he should get a telegram advis
tng him to the contrary he must leave
Wood House, where be had spent such
an enjoyable fortnight, immediately
after breakfast the next morning.
Christopher took longer over dressing
for dinner that night than usual. He
hesitated whether to wear the studs
and sleeve-links he liked best, or others
which he did not care about. Also he
was half minded to lock his watch up
in his suitcase. Finally, however, he
resolved to make his experiment brave
ly. "I'm not hysterical." he said tQ
himself, "though I might get to be if
I stopped here much longer. I shan't
steal my own things and hide them, if
that's what's other people do."
Throughout his stay at Wood House'
he had taken his meals -at the same
small table, except once or twice when
he had been asked to join new-made
acquaintances for dinner. But tonight
he Invited Sir Walter Raven to dine
with him. "as It was his last evening."
The young man accepted. and they
talked of Colorado. Sir Walter was In
viting him' to come out to his ranch
seme" day, when suddenly the expres
sion of the once healthy, sunburnt, now
slightly baggard face changed.
"By yove!" exclaimed Kaven. the
blood sriounting to his forehead.
"Wfiat's the . matterT" asked Chris
topher. "I'm not .a particularly observant
chap, but I suppose I would have no
ticed if you'd come In without .your
shirt studs. You didn't by any chance
forget to put them In, did you?"
"No: I had them In. right enough,"
said Race. Looking down he saw that
the white expanse of his evening shirt
lacked the finish of tlfe twoieari studs
he had worn when he came Into the
room. Hts t-uffs hung loose, empty of
his favorite pair or links. Hastily
touching his watch-pocket, he found
It limp and flat. " ..
"Well, yes. It Is "By Jove.' " he re
marked, grimly.
"Shall we cull Morley Chester and
tell him what's happened?" asked
Raven.
"No." said Christopher, who sat with
his back -turned toward the other oc
cupants of the room, his table being at
the end by a window, and he having
given his usual seat to his guest; "I'd
rather not make a fuss. I shall sit till
the others have gone, and - one will
be the wiser. I'm sick of sensations, and
don't want to pose as the hero of one
If I can help it."
It was a relief when the rest of the
diners left the room and lie was free to
slip away without making statements
or -answering questions. He- went- to
his room, locked the door. and. having
listened with his ear to the wainscot
ing, presently began as noiselessly as
possible to saw out a selected square
from the oak paneling behind his cur
tained four-poster bed. The saw was
sharp, and he worked as energetically
as if he had an injury to avenge.. In
an hour he had the panel out of its
frame.
It was difficult to wriggle through
the square hole In the wainscoting, but
he did it, after ridding himself of coat
and waistcoat. Now he stood in a long.
narrow space between the walls of hia
own room and SlrWalter Raven's. He
had slipped off his pumps, and in stock
inged feet began cautious explorations,
the lantern making a pathway of light.
The thing he had seen at the far end
was not a beam. It was a box two
boxes three boxes of common wood,
such as come into every household from
the stores. .They had lids, but the lids
were not nailed down. Christopher
lifted one. The box was filled with
jewelry, heaped up in neat piles, ac
cording to its kind, on some dark gar
ment folded" unaerneath. There were a
pile of bracelets, a pile of brooches, a
pile of rings, and a collection of
watcrnes like glittering gold eggs in a
nest. . The second box had the same de
scription of contents, though there
were more miscellaneous a rt io 1 es gold
or Jeweled belt-buckles, hatpins, a dia
mond collar" or two, and several
strings of pearls. In the. third box
much smaller than, the other two. were
purses, some of leather, some of gold or
silver netting: clgaret-cases with Jew
eled monograms, -and. weighted down
by a. lump of gold chains, lay a quan
tity of baitk notes.
Behind th row of woodn boxes was
a square hole, black as the heart of
night. . Christopher's lantern showed
him that from the top of this opening
descended a narrow staircase, winding
round upon itself like a corkscrew. He
set his foot .on the first, step,.' and It
squeaked. Then he knew what it was
that had waked him every . night a
foot treading upon that stair- perhaps
other stairs below. '
"I'll see what's at the bottom."
thought Christopher; an4 was in the
act of stepping over the low barrier of
boxes when he heard a distant sound.
Il was faint, yet it made Christopher
pause. He withdrew, his foot from the
top step of the stairway, and. covering
the -light, lay on his side behind, the
boxes, whichwould, until a person ad
vancing had risen to a - level higher
titan -the wooden lids, form a screen to
hide him.
The sound continued, growing grad
ually iore distinct. Someone was tip
toeing toward the stains, someone was
on the stairs. Someone was coming up.
There was a wavering glimmer of
light, a little light, like that of a
candle.
Christopher lay- very stllL He hardly
even breathed. .
The light was moving op the dark
hall. ' and throwing a s'.range black
shadow, which might be the' shadow of
head. The stair creakea Another
stair. That clock must have been slow,
or else the ghost was before its' time.
Now there was a long-drawn, tired
breath, like a sigh, and In the advanc
ing light gleamed something white and
small. For a moment It hung In the
midst of shadow, then it descended on
the lid of the middle box. It was a
woman's hand.
Quick as thought Christopher seized
and held it tightly, at the same instant
rising up and flashing his lantern.
There was a stifled gasp: the hand
struggled, vainly; he pulled It toward
him, though its owner stumbled and
nearly fell, and Christopher found him
self face to face with Mrs. KMorley
Chester. . .
"Oh, I im-
plore you:
"I'll not let you go," said Christopher,
in a, voire as low as hers, but merciless
ly determined. - "This game is up. You
shall .tell me everything, or I sweat
I'll alarm the house, send for the police,
and have you arrested, you and your
husband!"
"If you wish to save him you know
what to do," the young man said.
"You won't send us to prison if I
tell you the .'whole story?"
"I'll do my best for"you, if you make
a clean breast of it: but the contents of
these .boxes must be restored to their
owners, for your cousin's sake if noth
ing else. I promise to shut my eyes to
your escaping with your husband, be
fore any public revelation is made, pro
vided I'm satisfied that you tell me the
whole truth now."
"I will, oh. I will! You know, Mor
ley would have had this place if com
mon Justice had been done If the en
tail hadn't been broken."
"Ah, he is the heir of whom Miss
Chester spoke!"
"Of course: who else could be? He's
the only onMcft in the male line. And
think what it was for him to find out
through an expert, whose word he
couldn't doubt. Phat there's coal enough
under the park to make him an im
mensely rich man. if only he hadn't
been robbed of his rights."
"He didn't tell illss Chester of this
discovery?"
"Naturally not. , If she or her mother
gave up living here the estate would
come to him after all. He hoped for
that. And when be heard of her plan,
to open a kind of hotel he helped her
to get a license and offered to manage
the business. That was because he had.
an idea, which he hoped he could work.
His father, who died when Morley was
a boy. was a professor of chemist ry.
and made some clever inventions and
discoveries, but they never brought in
money. There was one thing he found
after spending a year in rersfa. for his
health. He discovered that out of a
plant there a plant no one had ever
thought of importance before an ex
tract could be produoed which would,
make people unconscious, at the same
time causing their muscles to remain
so rigid that If they were standing they
would remain on their feet, or would
not drop what they might be holding
in their hands. When they came to
themselves again they would not feel
ill. would not even know they had lost
consciousness for a moment.
"Xlorley's father was much excited
about this preparation, and hoped it
would be as important as curare, if not
chloroform. He named the stuff aren
oform. as nearly as possible after the
plant, -and published his discovery to
the medical profession. .But then came
a dreadful blow. After many experi
ments to chance and improve it. noth
ing could be dono to prolong uncon
sciousness enough to make arenoform
really useful to doctors ami surgeons.
The effect wouldn't last longer than
five or six minntcs. and the patients
were terribly exhausted n.-xl day. so
that the stuff would not do even for
dentists In extracting teeth, as it was
more depressing than gas. One of the
most wonderful things about it was
that a lot of people .could be made un
conscious at once, even in a big room,
by a spray of arenoform floating in the
air. But though that was curious and
interesting; it was not of practical use,
so arenoform was a failure.
"The disappointment was so great
that Morloy's father was never the same
again. He always hoped that some ex
periment would make the thlug a suc
cess, and, instead of gaining the for
tune he expected, he spent more money
than he could spare from his family in
Importing quantities of the plant from
Persia, and manufacturing the extract
In his own laboratory. Then he died,
and there were hundreds and hundreds
of the bottles in the house, of no use
to anybody: but Morley had promised
his dying father not to let them be de
stroyed. Everyone forgot the discovery
of arenoform. for you see Or. Chester
has been dead 2 years. Only Morley
didn't forget; and it was the existence
of that quantity of arenoform In the
house left him hv his father which put
the idea of coming here into his head.
He experimented with the stuff on a
dog. and found it was as powerful as
on the day It was made. Then he told
me. and I promised to help In any way
I could.
"Next to the dining-hall on one, side,
and separating it from the two rooms
used as private sitting-rooms for
guests. Is a long, rather ugly room
which Morley asked Sidney to give him
as a private office. Night after night
he worked there before the house was
opened to the public, and afterward,
too, perfecting his scheme. He per
forated the walls, so that, by means -of
a .little movable machine which I
could work, a spray of arenoform could
be showered through the oak wains
coting either Into the dining-hall on
on side or the two sitting-rooms on the
other. Then he had the tables ar
ranged along the wall; and as one
peculiarity of arenoform Is that it
smells like wood wonderfully like old
oak no detective could have suspected
anything by coming to sniff about the
place afterward.- Besides, the perfo
rations in the wainscoting are so small
that they seem no different from the
wormholes which are slowly 'spoiling
the old oak.
"When Morley was in the dining-hall .
or one of the sitting-rooms whichever
place we planned to have something
happen I would be in the locked office.'
and at a signal which he would give
me -when most of the servants were out
of the room waiting to bring in a new
course, I would turn on the spray. He
always kept at the very farthest end
of the room, behind the screen, and put
his face to an open window there. Then,
when everybody in the room was under
the influence, which they were in a
minute or two, he would take whatever
he wanted from sSme unconscious man
or woman, or even several persons, be
fore anyone woke up.. We've had no
one to help us except an assistant of
the cook, whom I bribed to make it as
lorrg between courses as possible. When
I was ready to have the servants go
in with the next dish I would touch a
little electric bell In the office which
Morley had arranged to communicate
with the kitchen. The cook's assistant
knows nothing, though, except that for
some reason.lt was convenient to me
not to have meals harried to be able to
regulate exactly. the moment when the
different courses should go in.
"Of course, the. horrid stuff has af
fected our health Morely's and mine
as well as that of everybody else who
has been near when the machine was -worked,
or lived in the house for any
length of time. But we hoped that
Sidney and her mother would soon give
up." Then the place would be Morley's.
and we would be repaid for everything.
While if they held on we should at
least have the Jewels. -v
"When Morley was working at the
walls he discovered the "way into the
secret place out of our office not the
only" 'hldie hole' in the house but
neither Sidney nor her mother knows
of its existence. We thought it would
be useful to get things out of the way.
for fear of detectives searching our
boxes, and so It has been. Morley has
always sent me up because I am so
light and small. Now ' you have Tho
whole story. And If you have any sense
of Justice you'll admit that Morley isn'.t
to blame when the place should have
been his. . and not Sidney's or her
mother's."
Long before dawn Mr. and Mrs. Mor
ley Chester left Wood House. Next d"
Christpoher told Sidney and Sir Walter
Raven the tale as it had been told to
him. 'Advertisements were put In the
papers informing victims of the strange
thefts where rhe'y could recover their
property. Christopher would not ac
cept any payment from Sidney Chester
only a piece of her wedding cake to
"dream on."
JL Ketv Adventure Acxt Week.)
"Let me go!" she panted.