San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-09-26

TO think that the man had spent his
last evening at the manor, and that
from then the atmosphere of the place
would be the clearer for his absence,
and she was glad TO reflect also that
one part of the complicated problem
would by the morrow DO in fair way
of settlement
When the man himself was gone, IL
would be much easier to deal with the
question as it affected Lola, and this
was the thought which she had when,
after some two or three hours, she went
to her own room, which was next to
that Of Lady Walcote's, to go to bed.
Fortunately for her, she could not
sleep. The interview with Pierre Tur-
rian had opened up vein Of human
nature which was SO novel to her
naked, unblushing, unashamed villainy
and she had been so profoundly moved
by all that she had heard and by the
mystery and misery which hung over
the house that she lay awake hour after
hour, tossing from side to side, trying
to see some way out Of the tangle.
For long time she burned light,
reading now and again in the attempt
to break the thread of her painful
thoughts; but, finding this vain, she put
out the light and lay in the darkness.
The night was not, however. very
dark one. There was a moon, though
its light was shrouded by the heavy
drifts of clouds which somewhat fit
full wind was driving across the sky.
Her blind was drawn up, according to
her custom, to catch the earliest morn
ing light, and now and again when her
eyes had grown accustomed to the dark
ness she could watch the flying clouds
as she lay with her face turned toward
the window.
It was while she was thus occu-
pied, having made another vain effort
to get to sleep, that she fancied she
could hear noise, though whether it
was in her room or out in the corridor
or in the next room or outside she
could not say. Thinking that it might
be Lady Walcote moving, she listened
very intently.
What she heard next made her heart
beat quickly. She was a brave girl,
full of resource and daring at need, but
the noise she heard might have made a
man nervous.
It came from outside in the night,
and it seemed that thieves were break
ing into the manor house. What she
heard was the sound of ladder being
placed close to her window. She heard
the end as it struck the wall and again
as it was moved into a different posi-
ton.
She could think rapidly on occasion
and act as well. Now she jumped out
Of bed, slipped ON some clothes and q
dark dressing gown and turned to alarm
the house
But with her hand ON the door she
paused, and, moving swiftly back across
the room to the window. she looked out
cautiously, keeping herself well out OF
view.
Just as she reached the window the
head of man who was creeping stealth
lily up the ladder reached the level OF
the lowest pane Of glass, and, putting
his face to the glass and shading it with
his hand, he peered into the room.
Beryl saw the man and shrank back
shuddering and cold as she recognized
the handsome, cruel face of Pierre Tur-
rian.
Then in an instant the meaning of il
all flashed upon her.
He had begged for the delay in order
that he might destroy the evidence Of
his villainy and murder her, the only
witness who knew Of it