Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1910-01-18
Ghe
BLACK
BAG
By Louis Joseph Vance
tcUNrINuED.1
By Louis Joseph Vance
Copyright. 1908. by the Bobbs.sasnill Co.

CONTINUED
The hanson was traversing street
in Old Brompton, a quaint, prim by
way lined with dwellings singularly
old worldish even for London. He
seemed to know 1t subjectively, to
have retained memory Of 1t from an
other existence.
Calendars cab was drawing peril
ously near, and he was debating
whether or not they should alight at
once and try to make better pace
afoot when the decision was taken
wholly out Of his hands.
Blindly staggering on, wilted with
WEAKNESS, the horse stumbled in the
shafts and plunged forward on its
knees. Quick as the driver was to pull
1t up. with cruel jerk Of the bits.
Kirkwood was caught unprepared.
Lurching against the dashboard. he
lost his footing. grasped frantically at
the unstable air and went over. bring
ing up in sitting position In the gut
ter with a solid shock that Jared his
very teeth.
For a moment dazed, he sat there
blinking. BY the time he got to his
feet the girl stood beside him, ques-
tioning him with keen solicitude.
NO." he gasped. mot hurt-only
surprised Wait"
Their cab had come to complete
standstill. Calendars was no more
than twenty yards behind, and as
Kirkwood caught sight Of him the fat
adventurer was In the act of lifting
himself ponderously out Of the seat.
Incontinently the yohng man turned
to the girl and forced the travelling bag
into her hands.
Run for it, he begged her. Don't
stop to argue You promised-run!
III come.
"Philip!" she pleaded.
"DOrothyw he cried In torment.
Perhaps 1t was his unquestionable
distress that weakened her. Suddenly
she yielded, with whatever reason. He
was only hazily aware Of the swish
Of her skirts behind him. He had no
time to look round and see that she
got away safely. He had only eyes
and thoughts for Calendar and Stryker.
They were both afoot now and run
ming toward him. the one as awkward
as the other. but neither yielding jot
Of their malignant purpose. He held
the picture of 1t oddly graphic in his
memory for many day thereafter.
To this mental photograph another
succeeds of the same scene an instant
later, all as 1t had been before, their
relative positions unchanged save that
Stryker and Calendar had come to a
dead stop and that Kirkwood's right
arm was lifted and extended. pointing
at the captain.
So forgetful of self was he that 1t
required moments thought to con-
vince him that he was really response
BILE for the abrupt transformation. In
credulously he realized that he had
drawn Calendars revolver and pulled
Stryker up short in midstrlde by the
mute menace Of 1t as much as by his
hourse cry Of warning:
"Stryker. not another foot!'
With this there chimed in Dorothy's
voice. ringing bell clear from little
distance:
philip"
Like a flash he wheeled to add yet
another picture to his mental gallery.
Perhaps twoscore feet up the side
walk a gate stood open. Just outside
1t man of tall and slender figure. rig
ged out in a bizarre costume consist
ing mainly of a lowered dressing
gown and slippers. was waiting In an
attitude Of singular impassivity. With
IN 1t. pausing with foot lifted to the
doorstep. bag in hand. her head turned
Is she looked back, was Dorothy.
As he comprehended these essential
details Of the composition the man In
The flowered dressing gown raised
hand. beckoning to him In a manner
as imperative as his accompanying
words.
Kirkwood choked on laugh that
was half a sob. "Brentwick! be cried,
restoring the weapon to his pocket and
running toward his friend. "Of all
happy Incidents!
"You may call 1t that" retorted the
elder man. with f1eeting smile, as
Kirkwood slipped inside the dooryard.
Come" he said; 'let's get into the
house"
But you said-I thought you went
20 Munich" stammered Kirkwood, and
so thoroughly impregnated was his
mind with this understanding that II
was hard fer him to adjust bis per-
,eptions to the truth.