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Suddenly the liglit went out. tlirowing the room in
utter<,la1‘k11e .
A draught from the window seemed to have done
the bnsin-:ss. [
Before this occurred. Harry had seen the 111:-.11 cling-
ing to tl1e window turn a11d make some motion to his
eoxnpanioii below.
He had also caught the sheen of something in the
fellows liand that looketi. like steel.
Did Old B1‘(,1arll;ri111 niean to allow this deed to be
carried out, or would he iuterpose at the last moinent?
If he heard the al'1r111 given within, Harry was <'letc-r-
mi11ed to have a liazid in the ganie.
There was a man below him, and all Yotiiig Broad-
brim had to do to insure smiie lively hglitiiig was to
drop to the grountl and ggzapple witli the stiazigei‘.
At the same
Broatlbrini had
what he saw.
Suddenly the wliole mterior of the lttxtiriotis lil)1':.ry
was lit up by a flood of electric i11‘illia'.1ey.
Young Broadbrim Could scarcely '.'tp1'ess a gztsii of
time l'1arry did not foigtzt tl::.t (V.)i.kf.
Llll'L‘(‘1L‘tl 111111 not to [tun e. 1111 inatter
startled wonder.
Old David Fletclier still sat with his head on h‘s
arms.
Above l1i1n stood the lI1iC‘1'll)pL‘T.
His arm, which was drawn back, held a gleaming
knife.
At the instant the room was lit up he was in the act
of bringing the knife down.
The merciless steel sank into the body of the sleeping
figure.
Then, as suddenly, the room was plunged in darkness
again.
It had been lit less than a second, yet in that time the
assassin's deed had been laid bare.
If the wretched figure uttered :1 cry, it could not be
heard outside.
For a minute Harry was too dumfounded to k11ow
what to think.
What did his chief mean by binding him with a
proniise not to more. no matter what he saw?
Here was the assassin creeping cautiously out of the
wi11dow again and the old Qtialcer seemed absolutely
unconcerned over his escape.
Harry saw the two Figiires inove hastily awrty and
then perfect silence settled down on the lotiely gmiiiiils.
The young detective was about to descend, when he
heard his name softly called.
YOLXN G BROADB R [M XYEEKLY.
lrlarry d1’oppetl iiglitly to the ground.
Rising to his feet. he found his chief confronting
hiin.
Old Broadbrim was cliuekling softly to himself!
CH.-X PTER VII.
l’l.AYlN(3 A TRUMP CARD.
Ilarry had already smelled a rzat.
The maimer of Old Broadbriin now eonvincetl the
yoting detective that his chief l ad playetl one of those
master strol<es for whieli he is fainous.
XYithout a word the <;.7d Qtiaker grasped Harry's arm
and i11'g'etl him dtiieltly t1,1ward the 1‘ear of the house.
There they enterezl a lower door.
Not a >1)t1ilLl was to be heard
lirinleiitly 1111 this ivigglit old David Fletcher had been
alone.
l’erl1aps the :1ss:'-'si1is knew this.
they may even have had a hand i11 drawiiig the
l1r11:<el<et‘pe1‘ and other serx'a11ts to the upper part of the
lit >use.
Once the two (letr:etix'es were inside. Old Bm;ulb1-im
closed the door.
Then he tuo'1< out liis lantern and turned the lilac];
niask aside.
W'itl1out a word the Quaker led the way along" the
hall to the staiis.
Once tliey came to a pause as some sound struck their
keen ears.
It was a cotigli.
The sound was repeated, and seemed to be made
by an old person.
Harry met his chief’s look with an answering nod
and they mounted the stairs together. i
They were now on the parlor H001‘.
The hall was wide enough to be used as a reception-
ronm and no doubt had been used as such.
Old Broarlbrini seemed to be familiar with his su1=
rotiiitliiigs and made straight for a door which Harry
could tell ht-lr11ige<,l to the library.
Ile meant to look upo11 the Victim of the knife:
Harry followed his chief into the room.
At once the youiig detective fastened his eves on the
spot where he lcnew the figure had been sitting.
Fhe (leteetives la11ter11 revealed the hgtire still sitting
at the table. with its head upon its arms. i
();‘l’11l'“l W1: Tptbl 01 the r1 lUl11 all was intense darkness.
< ’r .1 ‘ > w . ' 2 . . A
“ I J on 111m buit our the body, and dig“ mid;
harry, conic closer."