Democratic messenger., 1902-08-30
:, Florence Ward en-,
Thor OF" The house on lhe Narsh." etc.

gesture III lut ulfccIlOn OF the Coo
nel's house. He made a mistake. that
was ALL"
What business do you mean:"
asked Clifford. uncasily.
We'll. sir. think you ought to know
by this time" replied Hemming. eva
sively.
Clifford pondcred for a few moments
Then he asked:
Have You been to the house,"
NO. sir. | am waiting fcr frTthcr
instructions first
Clifford looked 1T the little weather.
beaten dwci,:-= which had li..hts in
two of the upper windows He fan
cied lie could detect watching figure
behind tine narrow curtain of one OF
them.
Il suppose it was yoIr man." he
said suddenly. who has alarmed the
poor lady so much by his knocks and
thumps at the doors and windows:"
Hemming's face could not be seen
distinctly in the darkness. but Clifford
had Il fancy that he was smiling as he
answered:
Very likely. sir"
Clifford. who WAS growing more puZ-
Zled, more curious. every minute.
turned abruptly away and walked
round to the back door of the house.
by which had been admitted that
morning
He Knocked two or three times with
his stick against the door before he
heard Il window above his head softly
opened. Looking up he heard i whis.
per in Miss Theodora's voice:
rs that you. Mr.. King:"
Yes" +
''You are alone?'-
why. yes. OF course. have just
seen Nell
As he had expected. this answer
brought the little lady down in the
twinkling OF an eye. He heard the
bolts drawn. and Il minute later he
found himself dragged inside the door.
while Miss Theodore. painting with her
cXertions, hurriedly fastened the door
again.
Il have seen your Dogy." said Cliff
ford. ''the man who toremnts you ut
night. He attacked me just before
came to the corner
'Ah.' cried Miss Bostll. with n
shake of her head. Il hare found out
who he is now. He is the man who is
ut the bottom of all these robberies
and of the murder of poor Jem.''
Indeed" said Clifford. politely. but
without deep excitement.
For he rather looked down upon the
little lady's intelligence, which he
thought was by no means so strong as
her kindness of heart.
Yes" she said. ''he is the man who
got such hold upon poor Nell that he
got her to do whatever he pleased"
The notion was so shocking that. i'm
probable as it appeared. it made Cliff
ford shudder.
But why" he asked impulsively.
should Hcmming let him come here
and worry you:'
''Hemming" echoed Miss Bostal.
Then she WAS silent. They remained
In the little stone passage for i few
seconds. unable 10 see each others
face. Then she passed him. and run
ming quickly 10 the dining room door,
threw il open and entered. beckonias
10 Clifford To follow
Papa" said She breathlesSly, and
in little flutter of excitement. pat
ting her little hands softly ana rapidly
the one against the other. lit is the
detective Hemmins who is sending
this wretch 10 annoy us. Mr.. King
says So"
The Colonel. who. rs it seemed to
Clifford. had aged since the morning.
got up slowly from his chair and
stared at Clifford with haggard eyes.
''Hemming" said he in broken
voice. THE detectivei Wha-a-t is
he here for:''
You don't understand. papa" piped
Miss Theodora's bright. shrill voice.
Il didn't say he was here. But Mr.
King tells me it is lie who sends the
man TO knock ut doors and windows ar
night. Didn't you. Mr.. King:"
Clifford did not Immediately answer.
He saw that he was upon the thresh-
old of Il mystery, TO which the staring
eyes and trembling limbs of the un-
happy old man before him seemed al
ready to give him the clue Without
waiting for CliffOrd's answer to her
question. Miss Theodore suddenly
went on again:
You said you had just left Nell. Mr.
King. Where was that:"
He hesitated. He was overwhelmed
with feeling of pity for these two
forlorn people. shut up and barricaded
within their poor tumbledown house.
So that, although he certainly had n
vague belief that the old Colonel was
in some unknown way involved in the
crimes which had made so great n stir.
set he longed for his escape as much.
or almost as much. as he longed fol
NelrS. SO he answered sin troubled
voice:
Il left her-in the hands of the po
lice
There was the warning. if the Colo
mel needed it. The old man shook St
much. as he heard the announcement
that Clifford began to fear the stroke
which the police Sergeant had pre-
dictcd.
Miss Theodora turned pale ani
cldSped her hands
The police" she exclaimed. rs i.
scarcely able to grasp the dreadful
fact And she tMirlcl round as i