Evening star., 1908-12-05

during the following week to receive her
personal instructions.
They shall think they have plenty ~
time for their scheme, whatever 1t IL,
said Sadie to herself: and what the na-
ture of the treacherous scheme she
had guessed.
One thrust of the hypodermc syringe
charged with prusSlcs acid. and death
would be almost instantaneous. and tho
cause almost impossible to detect
But they meant IL to he detected They
had planned that the means of death
should be found in Sadic's possession
Twice every day. therefore, AT night and
morning. she made thorough and eA-
haustive examination of everything in her
room. And not without results
The first search had been made after
her discovery a the chemist 5. and placed
among the boxes of chocolates she stili
had in her room was one which she had
not bought She had put "A mark on all
hers. that she might know them. And
from this the mark was missing.
Examination of the sweets showed the
use to which the arsenic she was sup
posed to have bought had been put. The
glass showed her they were poisoned.
then. Clad all in black, her feet muffied
In felt slippers, she fitted about the
house at all hours of the day and night.
1t was her own safety as we'll as Eva =
she had to guard and she watched and
listened and pried. in her pressing need to
find out the plans Of her enemies.
Once she was in hiding when Dorrison
and Broadstone went by her. almost
touching her as they passed. speaking in
low tones.
Dorrison had been pressing for some
thing to be done. and blaming Broadstone
for delay. We've another week at least,
man" was the reply which Sadie heard.
as she held her breath and felt the cur
tain of the recess behind which she
crouchcd move as one of the men brushed
against il.
81 believe you're afraid, sneered Dorri-
son. "Try whisky"
She heard Broadstone growl out an
oath. but the rest of his reply was lost
upon her.
This went to show that her plan to de-
ceive every one about the time of their
departure had succeeded but still she
was not satisfied.
When the two men were out Of the
house she went down to the room where
they generally sat, and then saw a means
by which she could overhear them at the
moment when they were most likely to
speak openly to one another of their
plans.
The room was an extension which had
been added to the dining room. and was
divided from it by double doors, with a
space of some six feet between. with
cupboards on each side
Sadie saw in moment that she could
readily reach the place through the din
ing room and overhear whatever passed
in the other room, while al need she could
step into one of the cu2boards and re-
main hidden even if her retreat by the
other way were stopped
To make it the more easy for her to
reach the recess she took away the key
of the door leading from the dining room
and carefully plugged the slot SO that the
door handle only just caught.
me slightest turn of the handle would
be enough to open it. Then, having made
certain that the door did not creak on
the hinges. she went back upstairs.
Her one regret was that she had not
thought of the hiding-place before and
SO made certain to the others plans
she had no hesitation about playing this
part OF eavesdropper. The issue was one
of life and death. Dorrison had not
hesftated to plot so that she was to bear
the brunt of the contemplated deed She
and was justified in using every means
she could find to checkmate them and
protect Eva and herself.
She was indeed eager for the time to
come when she could calculate upon afe-
ly reaching her hiding-place
The dinner was served at 8: Il lasted
about an hour: another half hour would
suffice for the table to be cleared. and at
~ o'clock she was pretty sure to find the
way open.
The hours Of the interval dragged
YEARLY Eva and she d.ned alone in
Eva to bed by about half-past nine. Then
she hurried to her room for scent bottle
for Eva, and she recrossed the cor
rido- she saw James Gardiner.
He was very agitated. and her first
thought was that he had been drinking.
and was bent on some mischief
please let me speak to YOU Miss
Hutchinson" he said, hurrying toward
her eagerly.
CTo be continued tomorrow