Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1902-10-03

command without a moments hesita-
ton, and when Clifford, feeling him,
self suddenly released, turned round,
he only saw glimpse of a mans
figure as 1t plunged into the darkness
again.
"Who was that" asked the young
man in establishment, as he perceived
| that his rescuer made no attempt to
follow him.
1t was Hemming, the London detec-
tive, who stood before him, and he
only shrugged his shoulders.
"Only q man I've got to help me In
this business" answered he. with a
| gesture in the direction Of the Colo
neps house. "He made mistake, that
was ALL"
"What business do you mean|
asked Clifford, uneasily.
"Well, sir, I think you ought to know
by this time," replied Hemmlng, eva
sively.
Clifford pondered for few moments.
Then he asked:
"Have you been to the house?"
mo, sir. ] am waiting for further
instructions first"
| Clifford looked at the little weather.
beaten dwelling. which had lights in
two Of the upper windows. He fan.
cied he could detect a watching figure
behind the narrow curtain Of one of
them.
| II suppose it was your 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 fancy that he was smiling as he
answered: 4.as X =
every 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 q window above his head softly
opened. Looking UP he heard whis-
per in Miss Theodora's voice: ---~----'
SIS that you, Mr.. KingT>
eyes" -'
"You are aloneT' 'w'-4.-,---. =
"Why. yes. of course. I 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 a minute later he
found himself dragged inside the door.
while Miss Theodore, painting with her
oxertions, hurriedly fastened the door
again.
81 have seen your hogv" said Cliff
fUrG, the man who toremnts you at
night. He attacked me just before 1
came to the corner"
"Ahp cried Miss Bostal, with a
shake OF her head. II have found ont
who he is now. He is the man who Is
at the bottom Of all these robberies,
and of the murder of poor Jem."
"Indeedw 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, che is the man who
got such a hold upon poor Nell that he
got her to do whatever he pleased"
The notion was so shocking that, I'M
probable as 1t appeared, 1t made Cliff
ford shudder.
"But why" he asked impulsively,
SHOULD Hemming let him come here
and worry you?"
"Hemmingv' echoed Miss Bostal.
Then she was silent. They remained
In the little stone passage for a few
seconds, unable to see each others
face. Then she passed him. and rum
ming quickly to the dining-room door,
threw it open and entered, reckoning
to Clifford to follow.
"Papa," said she, breathlessly, and
in a little futter Of excitement, pat
: ting her little hands softly and rapidly
the one against the other, ut Is the
detective Hemming who Is sending
this wretch to annoy us. Mr.. King
; says So"
The Colonel. who. as 1t seemed to
Clifford, had aged since the morning,
got up slowly from his chair and
stared at Clifford with haggard eyes.
"Hemmingw said he in a broken
voice. 1.-THE detectivel ,Wha-a-t Is
he here for?"
"You don't understand, papa" piped
Miss Theodora's bright, shrill voice.
~ didn't say he was here. But Mr..
King tells me it is he who sends the
man to knock at doors and windows at
hight. Didn't you, Mr.. King?"
Clifford did not Immediately answer.
| He saw that he was upon the thresh-
old of mystery, to which the staring
eyes and trembling limbs of the I'm.
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 barrlcaded
within their moor tumbledOWn house.