Los Angeles herald., 1906-10-07

to follow him, and, looking back as he
ran across the lawn, he saw the Countess apart
ments flooded with light and two figures leaning
out OF the window. A second later they disap-
peared.
He was glad he had removed the ladder He
had gained at least minutes start Fortunate
ly, the night was dark and rather foggy and
when the two men reached the park and the
rustic Of bushes or crunch of gravel no longer
gave clue to their pursuers, they breathed
more freely. They saw half-dozen lanterns
moving rapidly to and fro behind them and
heard men calling out to one another. Their
pursuers would have nothing to guide them in
their search, and the park was a large place.
When at last they reached the spot where the
motor stood under the shadow of great cypress
tree, they could only see one light, and that was
several hundred yards to the north and close to
the road They started the machinery and the
car glided silently away to the south
1t took them hour to reach the Red House
When he had run the motor into the shed, he
went to the stables, unlocked the door of
the 'harness-room and lit lantern Then he
poured himself out stiff glass of whisky and
water and ate thick chunk of bread with
slice of cold bacon laid on it. When he had
finished his frugal meal he went out and, lock-
ing the door behind him, made his way up a
flight of stone steps to the small loft which he
had appropriated as his bedroom.
He lit pipe and began to undress. The bed
looked cold and unattractve by the light of the
lantern. He began to think it was scarcely
worth while taking off his clothes 1t would be
daybreak in another three hours.
The events of that night had stirred his mind
into a seething whirlpool of thoughts. To many
a man the recollection of how close he had
stood to death, and how providently he had
escaped would have come to the surface; but to
Jordison one great central thought foated clear
above everything else He had found Marie de
la Mothe
There was not single discordant thought of
kindness in the black mass of hatred that heaved
and tossed in his brain He did not remember
that she had lost her only son, that she was
afflicted by terrible disease, and that, to use
her own words, she had found living death.
He did not remember that she had spared his
life because he had kissed the ring she once gave
him. He only saw the treachery Of the past,
those long years of hell in convict prison, years
in which she had risen from a somewhat dubious
existence to a position second to few held by
woman in England.
The mans moral nature had broken down He
was incapable OF discerning between good and
evil He only saw the latter, and he resolved
that Marie de la Mothe must die. That would
be an easy matter to arrange. The only diff
Guilty had been overcome. She had been found,
and a chance meeting had revealed what the ex.
penditure of many hundred pounds of good
money had failed to unearth from the secrets of
the past.
His thoughts broken by the clanking of
metal in the stables underneath. 1t was follow
ed by stihed moan. Then there was a silence
and then loud rattle of iron as though some
beast were trying to break loose from it's chain
He flung himself off the bed and kicked on the
floor with his heavy boots. He was answered
by another moan. He muttered an oath, and
taking lantern, made his way down the stairs
to the open air, and unlocked the stable door.
He entered and, closing the door behind him,
walked to the far end, and threw the light of his
lantern into a loose box. There, in one corner
on heap of straw, crouched man. His hands
were fastened together with pair Of handouts
One of his legs was chained TO ring in the
floor thick piece of cord was fastened round
his neck, and passed through of the supports
of the manger His mouth was gagged. He
could neither stand up nor lie down with com
fort. He crouched in a sitting position, and
leant his head against the side of the stall.
Jordson unmatched the door Of the loose box.
As he entered, the man tried to rise, and his
chain ratified. Then he sank back with moan,
and pointed to his mouth.
Jordison placed the lantern on the fioor and
swinging the man round by his shoulders, stood
behind him and unfastened the gag.
''Well, Mr.. Holme" he said, walking back a
pace or two, "have you decided TO speak,
water, for Gods sake. Give me drink Of
water"
10 BE CONTINUED NEXT SUNDAY