The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-10-23
DRIGO.


1got out OF the tram at my dressmaksr's.
The car moved on, but glancing after IL
perceived the man hastily descending. He
must have waited till he saw me step out
on to the pavement, and l could only hope,
as / slipped into the house and hastily
closed the door. that he had lost sight Of
me in getting down from the car
With the terrors of going home alone be-
fore me found little pleasure in trying on
my dress and discussing the matter with
my dressmaker, but fingered till she had
nothing more to soy and could invent no
pretext for staying longer.
looked around eagerly when we went to
the door, and to my great relief saw no one
who looked like Drigo concluded that
he had lost sight OF me or gone of on a
wrong scent. .t4fi
1t rains little. May lend you an um
brellap asked the dressmaker.
mo, think will wait for tram" said
j. that will take me homo to my door,"
and when the car came in sight l bade her
''good night" and ran down TO stop It. AS
stepped in my heart quaked, for saw the
man dreaded come out from tl e shadow
Of the wall, and before had found seat
beard his foot grating on the steps outside.
1t was Westminster car-not, as had
hoped, one that would take me to Lambeth.
To avoid the terrible stretch Of deserted
street l went on as far as Hercules build
ings. That gave me little start, for until
he saw me get out my pursuer could not
tell which turning should take Glancing
up, saw Drigo's hideous face peering over
the railing to discover who was alighting,
and the moment he recognized me he began
to scuttle down the steps.
ran without stopping till reached the
tavern at the Lambeth road end of the
buildings, thinking in my weakness that
would seek protection If he was on my heels
rather than venture alone on that last strip
of deserted road. l had made up my mind
now that the enemy Of Taras had resolved
TO put me out of the way as preliminary L,
attacking him and had given the job to
this villain. But he was still at some dis
tance-just near enough to keep me i'm sight.
no more. Itwould be absurd to ask for pro-
lection from a man SO far off, said to my
self, and ashamed Of my cowardice again
took to my heels. He might have overtaken
me In few minutes, and there was no one
to prevent him strangling me in the open
road had he chosen, but he came no nearer
Whether ran or whether walked, when
ever turned, he seemed to be precisely at
the same distance from me-just near
enough to keep in sight-no nearer, and a.
] stood painting at the door waiting for Mere
Lucas to let Inc in perceived him stand.
ing motionless by the lainppost st tho cor
ner of Lambeth palace.
Concealing my trepidation from Mere
Lucas as swell as could, hurried up to my
room and there tried TO find an explanation
of this strange pursuit. As grew calmei
and my thoughts moro collected one fact
became more and more evident. Drigo
would not have suffered me to escape in
this way had his designs been directed
against me- His spirit OF revenge would
not have rested content with giving me
scare. And as he had not taken advantage
of this opportunity to injure me 1t was
scarcely credible that he would make any
further attempt in that direction.
Probably" said, going to the window
TO reassure myself, "seeing that l have
come in and am not likely to go out again
tonight, he has gone away"
But looking out under the window blind
] discovered him standing on the embank-
ment over >Qainst the bridge nearly oppo-
site the ho What did that meanf A
solution Of mystery began to dawn
a
man had been posted here to watch my
movements and quickly took the definite
form of conviction. An attack was to be
made, not on me, as I had foolishly imag.
ined in my fright, but upon Taras. He
was TO be waylaid on his return by the
gang, who had detached Drigo to prevent
me communicating any suspicion of their
design to him. But n week before had
ha1 oh. ,l..,... 4
followed Taras home. That fact might
very well be known to the secret enemy,
who seemed to be acquainted with every
movement of Taras and clearly explained
the object in setting an outpost to watch
me. AS recalled this incident the figure
of the man who drove Kavanagh's brough.
am came before my mind, and I saw
again the furtive glance OF suspicion with
which he regarded me. Might he not be
spy obtaining information by some covert
means from KavanaghS
Mere Lucas came to the door and bade
me good night. When she was gone, went
TO the window and peepcd again behind tn
blind. Drigo had not stirred from his plac.
at the foot of the bridge His presenc,
served to confirm my suspicious, and
that Taras. to be saved, must be war.
the udnA But now WIS Il 10 reacn n.
] saw clearly enough that it would not
to expose myself to personal encoun
with Drigo. That would not save Il
Yet how could get to Taras without
riski
In seeking an answer &c this questio
presently occurred TO me that work
had been doing something to the II
which separated the yard from Cor 8
pottery, and ! recollected hearing tn n
opening was to be made to facilitat
transport of the group to the kiln, where
was to be burned. II could get into th,
pottery, might find an exit in the street
at the back, and so get away unseen and
unsuspected by Drigo.
Leaving the light burning in my room,
ran down tn the kitchen, provided myself
with candle and silently went out into the
yard. A heap Of bricks ard rubbish showed
where the men had been working, and on
the candle found to my mex.
pressible Joy that break had been made
in the wall and roughly closed for the night
with couple Of boards. Ipushed one aside
and found that l could easily get into the
xloro n oo.r a.. N