Part 12 (1/2)
Morgan's face lit up with understanding. Going over to Tierney, he whispered in his ear.
”Well, I'm d.a.m.ned!” Tierney mumbled.
The three men then climbed the stairs to the Atwood apartment, and Morgan's hand was already on the push b.u.t.ton of the electric bell when there was an exclamation from Marsh.
”Stop!” he cried. ”Look here.”
They instantly saw what he meant. The wood door was standing open about two inches, and there was sufficient light in the entrance hall of the apartment to show that at least no one was looking out.
”Remember, I'm in the background on this,” Marsh whispered to Morgan. ”You two take, the lead--but be cautious.”
Morgan pulled out his revolver and Tierney followed his example.
Then Morgan gave the door a quick push and stood back. It swung back against the wall with a resounding thud, but outside of that sound everything remained silent. The three men then moved warily into the doorway, with Tierney and Morgan in the lead. While Marsh remained in the entrance hall, Tierney stepped into the living room and Morgan crept cautiously through the portieres into the dining room.
So silently did these two men move that Marsh heard, nothing until, a moment later, he saw Morgan step back through the portieres. The doors of both the bedroom and the bathroom stood open and Morgan, without saying anything to Marsh, investigated these two rooms. Then he returned to the entrance hall and spoke to Marsh, who had already been joined by Tierney.
”Not a soul in the flat but the girl,” whispered Morgan. ”She's in a chair in the dining room, and apparently unconscious again. There's an odor of chloroform in the dining room!”
Marsh sprang through the dining room portieres, followed by the others. He found Jane Atwood in a rocking chair near one of the windows. She was apparently unconscious, but there were convulsive movements of her body. Marsh sniffed the aromatic odor and nodded.
”I don't think they gave her much,” he said. ”She's just barely unconscious. I'll try to revive her while you two look things over more carefully.”
Morgan turned to Tierney. ”You take another look at the front,” he directed. ”Look through all the drawers and closets, but be careful not to leave anything upset.”
Tierney promptly started on his work of investigation. Morgan turned back into the kitchen. He had previously noticed that the maid's room was upset and he wanted to examine this room again. The bed was made up, but as the linen was fresh and unwrinkled it seemed certain that no one had occupied it recently. The chief cause of the disorder seemed to have been a hasty examination of the closet. A roll of blankets and some other articles that had evidently been on the shelf of the closet had been pulled down and scattered over the bedroom floor. A couple of suits, and other articles of men's attire, were hung on the hooks, apparently undisturbed. Morgan saw that a speedy search had been made for something. Whether or not the object had been found it was impossible to say.
Going back into the kitchen, and trying the rear door, he discovered that, though closed, it was unlocked. He locked it, and returning to the dining room, found that Marsh had succeeded in reviving the girl. Tierney was also there, and the two men were chatting with her.
”You seem to be having a good deal of trouble today,” said Morgan, as he neared her.
She smiled wanly at him.
”I can't understand it at all. Burglars must be extremely bold in Chicago.”
”Do you think it was a burglar?” asked Morgan.
”What else could it be?” she returned. ”I am sure that I have no enemies anywhere, and I haven't even any friends in Chicago.”
”Are you keeping anything of special value in the house?” inquired Morgan.
”Only what you can see about you,” she replied ”And these rings, which have not been touched.”
”You are sure you didn't have anything of value concealed in the maid's room?”
”No, that's the room my father uses when he comes home from his trips.”
”Well, perhaps he had something of value there.”
”I'm quite sure he did not,” she said, positively.