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Show $4, BY OISELA DITTBTCK BKITT. &2) There was n quick step In the hall. Molllo looked Inquiringly across her silver basket ut Jnck. Tho Girl In I'lnk cat up erect and ht.stlly Htnoothod nor tumbled locks. Then tho door opoml and TowiibIicihI peeped In. "Thought you peoplo would bo taking tak-ing an Inventory computing tho ravages. rav-ages. Tim! was an tiwrully Jolly little dinner, Mrs. Clallln " Ho followed Iter cheery voice Into tho pretty room. "I saw tho lights wuro still on, so I didn't ring up the luctotnm. Can't tell how much I enjoyed It. Four o'clock, Tuesday, Miss Van Alen. Good-niiiht, egaln, Tho door had almost closed behind him when Molllo Clnllln sprang forward, for-ward, tho silver dropping with u crash Into tho basket. "Oh, Mr. Townshend, como back!" Her soft, southern volco had In It n noto of distress. "Come right back, this minute!" Ho turned his six feet threo qulrk-ly qulrk-ly about, and looked down nt her x-pectantly x-pectantly as sho stood In tho doorway. Sho smiled up, nnd tho lluali on the fair, laughing fuco deopencd a bit, as Bho went ou In her pretty, Impulsive way: "Don't you know, foolish man, that, you must not go off that way! It's such bad luck to como back! Como right In hero nnd turn around threo times. Ono two threo that's it. Now, sit down!" Sho gave tho greatcoat a gentle llttlo push toward the sleepy-hollow sleepy-hollow chair. Ho went down; she breathed u sigh of relief. "Thoro, you can go now." Sho held tho door Invitingly In-vitingly open. Ho sot qulto still In tho big, comfortable com-fortable chair, ami looked sternly at tho other mnn, who was leaning negligently negli-gently ugnlnst tho piano. "Tako her back south, Jnck, before the commonwealth finds out. We burn witches up hero." Sho mado a little mono, and the other man shruggod his shoulders. "I used to bo a believer In heredity. I'm not now. I glvo you my word, Townshend, the hag Benslblo ancestors, I know two of them and look at icr," he pblnted scornfully nt tho dainty Mg-uro Mg-uro in the palo bluo crepe. "Steopd In superstition! Wears a tetlstt of soma sort round her neck, nnd lain for her high priestess tho wilnklcdest, blackest old" A bluo cloud swept across tho room, a soft hand covered his lips, and u volco was raised In indignant protest: pro-test: "It Isn't! It's only my rabbit-font' And you shan't mako fun of dear old Aunt Liza! And who wns It thai wouldn't pull with tho 'Vnrslty crew-last crew-last yeur, becauso they had lost their mascot V And" "And who was It" Tho Girl In Pink had risen and wns pointing an accusing accus-ing tinker at tho man lu the greatcoat, great-coat, "that only last week, nt Hobby Fair's mess, wouldn't sit down uutll tho stoward was brought In becaube thcro wore th-lr-to-enl" Ho gnvo one look nt Jack then, without a word, the two men bolted, pursued by llttlo, dollclous, mocking gibes. Molllo turned suddenly nnd looked scarchlngly at the girl who had thrown herself down upon tho rug. "Elizabeth Van Alon, I believe I'll- tell you something. Tho strangest thing!" Sho canto slowly toward tho llro. "For throo nights, Hess, I navo dreamed tho samo thing that In n certain plnco In this very houso, there Is something vnlunblo, silver or gold, hidden. And, Hess, I bellovo It! There was no earthly reason why I should dream such a thing I havo nover thought of It! It Just came to mo, and I know Aunt Liza would say It was sent! Jack laughed at first, hut last night whon I woko him up and showed him come, I'll' show you!" Sho sprang lightly to her feet nnd gathered tho soft bUio draperies about her. Tho Qlrl In Pink followod quickly, ns she led tho wny to tho dining-room, straight across tho parquettcd floor. "Hern, right behind this bultot," sho tugged recklessly nt tho pretty pleco of rurnlU.ro. "Now, put your ear to that wall, and listen when I tap. Don't you hear it's hollow! Tho two glrti looked at each other breathlessly. Tho Girl lu Pink had caught the fovor of excitement that glowod In tho bluo eyes. "Thoro Isn't another placo In the wholo room that sounds that way. I know, for wo havo n secret cablnot In the library down homo nnd lt'c 'ho very Identical spot of my dreams! You know, this theso apartments were onco n house, ono of thoso old colonlnl mansions; It bo!onged to Jack's great-great-grandfathor.oraoiuo-body. It's Jack's own property. Ho tan do as no pleases, nnd I've mado up my mind bo's got to dig In thero and seo! And this very night!" "Hut. Molllo, think of tho mess all over your protty room! And won't - llt5 In the other upartment " "Tboy'v conn away. Mr. Crosby won't bo back till to-morrow that's why I want Jack to do It to-night. And what do I tare for n mess, if only oh, Jack, let's do It now!" Bhe 'lifted two cojxlng bluo oyes to the man who had como In quietly nnd was standing In the doorway, watching watch-ing the two with tho shadow of a smllo on his dnrk. handsomo face. I'horo wni silence for a time. i'ho man In tin.' dress f tilt looked dreamily nt tho lilt of Unto 1 wall. The Girl In Pink laughed a little, nervously her prosal. rrniltle rclf had vanished beforo tho glamour of mystery, bhe could almost see tho treasuro! "Pl-o-tse, Jack." When Molllo coaxed , Tho man drew a long breath. Without With-out a word he laid aside coat nnd vest. Ho turned back tho big rug. Ho pushed tho buffet out into tho room then deliberately and slowiy ho raised tho hatchet Molllo handed him. C-r-a-c-k! Down tumbled a squire of tinted wall! "O-oh, Molllo!" gasped tho girl In Pink. "Go on," Btiltt Molllo, In a low, inexorable inex-orable volco. Tho bluo eyes wera un-relnntlng. un-relnntlng. The Spartans paled Into luslgtilllcnnce before this slender young priestess. Again tho hatchet went up tho gash, widened. Tho plnstcr was all down tho gray dust was settling over tho pretty chlm and silver, over the polished tables nnd chairs, over .ho bluo and the pink Paris gowns, over the black nnd tho goldon heads. O-n-e! rang tho tnll cathedral clock. Down fell tho tools with a clattorupon' tho door. Molllo sprang forward with a startled cry: "Ix)k!" tho whisper Bounded hoarso-ly hoarso-ly through tho silence. "Oh, look!" SUDDENLY EVKltY ' ONE STOOD STILL. Thero wns n glitter of silver, a gleam of gold In tho opening! The Girl In Pluk felt a shiver creep down her back; her heart throbbed wildly And Molllo was right! Her dreams were true! It was sllvor henvy, f olid sllvor wrapped In soft, old, yellowed paper that plainly told of tho passing ot thq years. Slowly, rovcrently, Molllo unwrapped them piece by pleco. Tho blue oyes wore luminous, tho sweet mouth tremulous. trem-ulous. "Now, hurry! Seo what olso thero Is It seems to bo a small Bocrot cabinet. cab-inet. Oh, Jnck, what will Aunt Liza sny! Aren't you glad I dreamed!" The man with tho dust-covorod snlrt and begrimed hands pushed her gently aside "Get back out ot this mess, Mollle, and let mo seo what Is hero. It must havo been great-great-grandfather Clallln's. Ho was governor, and this was tho mansion. Jovo! I'd llko t glvo tho old gentlomanta handshake Here, tako theso," ho handed her another an-other bundle ot sllvor spoons, a pitcher, pitch-er, a silver sugar and creamer, n pair of sugar tongs, a half-dozon silver plates of foreign mako, two gold-lined goblots, nnd n queer low dish of stiver Ullgree. Suddenly everyone stood still. There was a confusion of voices, a trnmpllns1 of heavy fcot In tho hall, and tho next moment tho door was Hung violently open, and two brawny policemen stood on tho threshold. "Just keep your placo, partner. Promnnndin' nln't tho ticket Just now " Tho big pollcomau smiled pleasantly. Tho mnn In tho dust-covorod clothes grow pnlo. "Don't loso your temper, old man," sang out n rhcory voice from tho rail. "Thoy'vo run mo In, too. I think it's golns to bo funny." Tho Girl in Pink gnvo a llttlo Involuntary cry. Tho man In the greatcoat smiled at her reasiur-Ingly. reasiur-Ingly. Strange, she had nover """ before what n splendid-looking reiiov ho was! Any girl might bo proud Perhaps nftor nil Then sho rotreat-od rotreat-od toward tho library door hastily. A man, a small man, with n vory rod faco and angry eyes, had pushed hla way past tho two pollcomon across to tho tablo whero tho treasuro glittered and gleamed under tho electric lights. "Thero It Is every bit of It!" Ho pointed excitedly to tho heap otsllvot stuff, thou to tho unsightly holo In tho wall. "Don't you seo that! What further proof do you want? I don't care who he Is a Clallln or nnybody else, or whether ho owns tho unlversol He's n blasted thief ho nnd his part-tier part-tier thoro! Hnvon't I been wntchlnt; him skulking nboui tho placo for tho last two hours! They know I was away from homo! Tho thief! Stealing my Bllver right out of" his rago fair-ly fair-ly choked him, ho could not say more. Mollle caught hor breath. For one brief moment Bho looked at tho group beforo hor. Then, with a queor little sound, a curious mixture of laughtor and sobs, sho sank holplossly down upon the floor, a'llttle limp, bluo thins that gasped faintly: "Oh, Jack! Jnck! It's Mr. Crosby and we've dug Into his silver I nloset!" |