Part 26 (1/2)

Marsh did not move.

”I said, put up your hands,” repeated the voice.

”They are up,” replied Marsh, counting on the darkness.

”Don't kid me!” The speaker suddenly, flashed an electric pocket lamp on Marsh. By its gleam Marsh saw the sparkle of a revolver and wisely put his hands over his head.

The man was standing in front of thick shrubbery. At this moment, Marsh saw, by the dim glow of the pocket lamp, two hands slip from the shrubbery and close about the man's throat. The lamp and the revolver fell to the ground as the man instinctively raised his own hands to break the hold. But in the darkness Marsh heard his body drop with a wheezing sigh.

CHAPTER XXI

THE CHIMNEY THAT WOULDN'T DRAW

Marsh stood for a moment in puzzled thought. Then he heard a cheerful voice say, ”Aye bane got him all right,” and he recognized his rescuer.

”Hold him for a minute,” ordered Marsh, and he leaped over the pine to the car, returning immediately with one of the robes. With Nels'

a.s.sistance Marsh wound the robe about the upper part of the man's body, fastening his arms to his side as effectively as if he had been placed in a straightjacket. Then he took the man's belt and secured his feet in the same way he had tied up those of the other man. Marsh next took the men's handkerchiefs and two of his own.

Stuffing one into each man's mouth, and tying another around his head, Marsh effectually gagged them into silence.

”Now,” he said to Nels, ”we'll lay these two fellows out of sight in the underbrush.”

When this was accomplished he instructed Nels to follow him, and they cautiously approached the house. As they crossed the lawn, Marsh heard rapid footsteps ahead, followed by the opening of the house door. He immediately dashed in pursuit. In the hall he paused to listen for sounds that would indicate the direction the man had taken. He heard the clicking of a telephone receiver hook and a voice calling, ”h.e.l.lo! h.e.l.lo!” Leaping through an arched and curtained doorway at his left, Marsh discovered a dim light in a connecting room, and darted to the doorway, drawing his automatic and transferring it to his right hand as he ran. He found himself in the library of the house, and in one corner he saw the driver of the car with a telephone in his hands.

”Drop that phone!” called Marsh, leveling his automatic.

Ignoring Marsh's command, the man hastily gave a number to the operator. It was quite clear what was happening. This man, returning from his fruitless quest at the station, had witnessed the capture of his companions. He was now endeavoring to warn some person; probably the princ.i.p.al, who was the man Marsh particularly wanted.

There was no time for argument, so Marsh fired.

The man dropped the telephone and stumbled forward in a heap on the floor. Marsh dashed across the room and replaced the receiver on its hook, hoping that the connection had not been made in time for the man at the other end of the wire to hear the shot. Though the man had fallen, Marsh knew that he had nothing worse than a flesh wound in the arm, because he was sure of his aim. He tied the man's hand with a handkerchief, and his feet with his belt, and left him on the floor. Turning quickly to Nels, who had followed him into the room, and now stood watching, he handed the Swede the captured automatic, saying, ”Do you know how to use it?”

”Ya, Aye know;” was the smiling reply.

”All right,” said Marsh. ”I'm going to search the house. Follow me and keep your eyes open.” Marsh hurried back through the front room to the hall, with the Swede at his heels, and he heard the man murmuring, as he went, ”You bane fine man.”

As they climbed the stairs, feeling their way in the dark, they heard a distant hammering. It came from the back of the house, and Marsh and Nels speeded down the hall. The hammering ceased as they approached the door at the end of the hall. A thin strip of light showed beneath it and Marsh heard familiar voices.

”I tell you somebody's come after us,” said one.

”Oh, h.e.l.l! The man said n.o.body could hear a foghorn here,” replied the other. ”What's the use?”

Marsh found the key in the lock, and turning it, threw the door open. There stood Morgan and Tierney in the wreckage of what had once manifestly been a beautifully furnished bedroom. A black opening, through which a strong draft came when the door was opened, showed where once had been a shuttered window. The remains of chairs littered the floor, parts of the bed were scattered around the room, and in the center of the floor was a pile of felt that had once been the stuffing for the mattress.

”My G.o.d!” cried Marsh, ”what has happened?”

The two men's faces lighted up at sight of him, and Tierney shouted, ”What did I tell you, Morgan? I knew that guy would find us.”

”He bane fine man,” added a voice from the doorway.