The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-09-13


 be calamity for Maxine if du Lanrier should hear sound. and insist on hay Ing the door opened after she had giv- en him the impression (if she had not said 1t in so many words) that there was no stranger in the house.
 Probably she hoped that by this time I was gone; but how could go? I felt like a rat in a trap; and If had been nervous woman I should have imas- med yself stifiing in the small. hot room with its closed doors and win dows. As 1t was was uncomfortable enough. My forehead grew damp, as in Turkish bath. and absent mindedly felt in pocket after pocket for my handkerchief. It was not to be found. l! must have lost 1t at the hotel. or the detective's, or in the automobile I had hired, In an outside pocket of my coat however, chanced upon something for the existence of which I couldn't ac- count. It was a very small something; only bit of paper. and I had not put 1t there myself.
 At ordinary times, I should most likely not have given 1t a second thought; but tonight nothing unexpect- cd could be dismissed as insignificant, until 1t had been thoroughly examined pocket, and as I did so, heard Maxine give an exclamation apparently of dis tress. I could not distinguish all she said, but I thought that I caught the word diamonds"
 For a moment or two she and du Laurier talked together so excited1y that might have made another attack on the window without great risk; and I was meditating the attempt, when suddenly the voices ceased. A door opened and shut. There was dead si- fence, except for a footfall overhead, which sounded heavier than Maxine's Perhaps 1t was her maids.
 For few seconds more stood still. awaiting developments. but there was no sound in the next room, and I de- cided to take my chance before 1t should be too late.
 jerked at the window, which yield~ ed with loud squeak that would cer- tainly have given away the secret or my presence if there had been ears to hear. But all was still in the draw ing room adjoining, and dropped down on to a flower bed some few feet below. Then sxirted round to the front of the house, walking stealthily on the soft grass and would have made & noiseless dash for the gate had I not seen stream of light flowing out through the open front door across the lawn I checked myself just in time to draw back without being seen by womaR and a tall man moving slowly down the path. They were Maxine and, no doubt. du Laurler. They spoke not word, but walked with their heads bent, as If deeply absorbed in searching Tor some thing on the ground.
 Down to the gate they went, open ed it and passed out, only half closing 1t behind them. so that I knew they meant presently to come back again
 I should have been thankful to es- cs-e but the chance of meeting them wa too imminent. Accordingly waited and it was we'll I did, for as they reappeared in three or four min utes, they could not have gone far enough to be out of sight from the gate.
 ''There's witchcraft in It." Maxine said, as she and her lover passed with in a few yards of me. where hid be- hind a little arbour.
 Du Laurier's answer was lost to me but his voice sounded Respondent. Ev- idently they had mislaid something of importance and had small hope of finding it again. I could not help being curious, as well as sorry for Maxine that a further misfortune should have befallen her at such q time But the one and only way in which could help her at the moment was to get away as soon as possible.
 They had left the gate unlocked, and I drew in a long breath of relief when I was on the other side. hur- ried out of the street. lest du LAurier