Evening star., 1909-07-19

behind the houses of Sydenhan Hill we
could effectually escape him.
We paused, and in breathless anxiety
listened. The collie still gave tongue. but
We heard nothing more, save the distant
sound of a train away in the dull red
glow that showed where giant London
lay.
BY Jove, close shave, Phi,"' gasped
my friend. That fellow was a detective,
believe.''
s"Yes, he was. He's been following me
ever since l left Talbot House.
This was smart move Of yours. An
other instant and we'd have been seen"
He'll certainly come back, and If he
does he'll hear that Internal dog and
follow our tracks"
yes. Let's get away he said, and
we again started forward, creeping across
two other gardens, and being compelled
to skirt right in front of the French win
dows of one house where the blinds were
still up, and where We could see pretty
girl in pink, seated at the piano within.
A tall, tair-haired young man was turn
ing over her music, and no second glance
was needed to ascertain that they were
lovers.
Granny glanced at them, and sighed.
He was recollecting certain days spent
with Stapletons, and how Myra used to
sing to him.
Our progress was fraught with good
deal of peril. for gardeners or coachmen
might be lurking about, or even police
constables. who, because OF recent
burglar scare, were, i knew. in the habit
of patrolling the grounds of the larger
residences.
Our progress since We left the roadway
had been all uphill until. when We climb
ed another boundary fence, we saw, 10
our JOY. that beyond lay the deep cutting
of the Chatham and Dover railway.
AS we scrambled over the fence. / tear
hnnEG nn
heard poicemans whistle blow in the
distance.
The detective was giving the alarm. No
time was TO he lost, so we sped along
the railway line, back toward the Crystal
palace. We had not, however, gone for
more than five minutes when something
unexpected confronted us--the mouth OF
the tunnel under Sydenham hill.
To enter there without light we de-
cided was far too dangerous. for We
might easily be cut TO pieces by passing
train. Therefore We scrambled up the
steep embankment. and passing through
somebody's garden found ourselves at
last In Crescentwood road. i chanced To
know my way about that locality. for
when boy I used to visit an uncle who
lived in Sydenham. Indeed. | had enjoy
ed MANY boy-and-girl Irritation along
those lonely suburban roads.
For a moment ] reflected upon the best
course to pursue, and decided to take that
station on the main Chatham and Dover
line. So together we walked on at a brisk
pace.
We've given that chap the slip, that S
one blessing" Granny remarked with a
loud laugh. The question is, where shall
We go now?'
The whole world is open to U.S. said.
But you must go into the country-eX-
actly where, [ haven't yet made up my
mind
II You hadn't been as smart as you
were l should have gone to prison to-
night. my friend said. srimly. But l
suppose the unwelcome experience is only
postponed. l shall find myself arrested
IN the course of a day or two" he sighed.
Don't be fool. Granny / said, blunt
~ "A man with your wits can evade
them. surely They're mostly blunderers
here. you've always said"'
OF course, they are. If / had Hanard
and his men in Paris to deal with l would
not have ghost of u chance he de-
ciared.
Arrived at the station. we found a city
bound train just due: therefore we took
tickets for Ludgate Hill. and entered it.
glad to slip away from the neighborhood
where. no doubt, the detective had al
ready raised the alarm.
To go the whole way into the city
would, | saw, be too dangerous. My IN
tentfon was for Granny to escape TO the
country somewhere north of London. but
to be seen at any terminus would be
grave peril. for undoubtedly all the ter
minal stations we've now closely watched
l decided. therefore. to alight at Lougl-
borough Junction which is a little south
of CambeTwell. and we walked outside the
station. It was now getting late, ana
there was no cab to be seen.
What are we to do now?" asked Gran