106 TALE8 OF PINK AND SILK. 



The hurried departure had caused everyone to cease 

 their conversation and look up, so that Frank's remark 

 was audible to many of the guests: "His nose has been 

 bleeding all day, and has just come on again, He'll be 

 back again directly." 



Conversation flowed on for another ten minutes or so, 

 then all at once Ethel started to her feet. " Hark ! " she 

 cried, " what was that ? " 



There was a sudden silence. 



" I can't hear anything, Ethel. What was it like ? " 

 asked her father. 



" It's Scrapper. I can hear"] him now ; he's fighting. 

 I must go to him. Come with me, Frank." 



Just then there was a sound of revolver shots just out- 

 side the house, followed in half a minute by a violent pull 

 at the front door bell, and as the male guests flocked into 

 the hall they were met by an inspector of police with a 

 sergeant and several men. 



" There has been an attempt to break into your house 

 to-night. Colonel Lawson ; but we have captured three of the 

 gang and their horse and cart outside ; the leader is in the 

 house, and one of your guests." 



" What ! " thundered the Colonel. " What, in Heaven's 

 name, do you mean ? " 



" That Newton Strange, cdias Walter Molineux, alias 

 Percival Lampton, alias Slimy Bill or Flash William, is now 

 in your house, and collecting jeweller}^ and whatever else he 

 can lay his hand on, to lower to his accomplices outside. 

 What''s that disturbance upstairs ? " 



" Frank ! Frank ! " shrieked a female voice. " Come at 

 once ! " 



Upstairs they rushed pell-mell, and in Lady Adelaide's 

 dressing-room a strange sight indeed met their eyes. In the 

 centre of the room, and opposite the open window, stood 



