New-York tribune., 1910-02-06


clue which eluded me. Only one belief clung to
with passionate conviction, as a drowning man
clings to a straw. She loved me- could not doubt
that remembering the expression OF her wSttul face
as parted under the pOrtlcO so short time ago
though it seemed like lifetime Had she planned
her flight even then, if flight it was-and what else
could it be!
MY cogitatons terminated abruptly for the mo-
A'A ment heavy hand was laid on my shoulder
and a gruff voice said in my ear, Come none o
that, now What you up to-:
1 turned and faced a burly policeman, whom l
knew well. He recognized me also and sauted.
REQ nardon: didn't know it was YOU. sir
Thought it was one of these here suicides. or some
one that had had-well, drop too much
He eyed me curiOusly. L dare say looked, IN my
hatess and drenched condition, as if | might come
under the latter category.
Its all right, l answered, forcing laugh. L
wasn't medtating plunge into the river. My hat
blew off and when looked after it L something
that interested me, and stayed to watch.
1t was lame explanation and not precisely true.
He glanced the parapet in his turn The rain
was abating once more, and the light was growing
as the clouds sped onward. The moon at full
and would set only at dawn.
Il don anything, he remarked. - " hat
was it, sir? Anything suspicious:"
His tone inferred that it must have been some
thing very much out of the common to have kept
there in the rain. Having told him much, |
bound to tell him
A rowboat, with two or three people in it. gong
down stream. That unusual at this time of night
mOrning,-isnt it,?
He grinned widely. WAS that a1l2 1t wasn't
worth the Wetting you've got, sir.
Il don't see where the Joke comes in | said.
"Wel sir, YOU newspaper gents always
the lookout for mysteries he asserted half apollo
getically. There's nothing out of the way in boat
going up down stream at any hour of the day
night; or if there the river police would be
its track jitfy. They patrol the same as We
walk our beat. 1t might have been of their
boats you saw. some bargeeS as had been making
a night of it ashore If | YOU Id in as soon
as possible. 'Taint good for anyone to stand about
in wet Clothes
Wewalked the length of the bridge together and he
continued to hold forth loquaciously We parted on
the best of terms at the end of his beat and following
his advice walked rapidly homeward. was chilled
the bone and unuterabv miserable; but if STAYED
out all night that would not alter the situation.
THE street door swung back under nv touch as |
was in the act of inserting my latchkey in the
lock. Some one had left 1t open, in defiance of the
regulations we'll known to every tenant of the block
| slammed 1t with somewhat unnecessary vigOr. and
the sound went booming and echoing up the we'll of
the stone staircase making a horrible din nit To
wake the seven sleepers of Ephesus
1t did waken the housekeeper'S big watchdog
chained IN the basement, and he bayed furiouSlv.
| leaned over the balustrade and called out He
knew my voice and quieted down at once: but not
before his master had come out IN his paamas
yawning and blinking. Poor old Jenkins his rest
was pretty frequently diSurbed for anyone of the
bachelor tenants OF the upper tatS-the lower ones
We're let out OfCeSforgot his street-door KEY or
returned III the small hours IN a condition that pre-
cluded him from manipulating it, Jenkins would be
rung up to let HIM IN. and, being of the best of
fellows. would certainly guide him up the staircase
and put him comfortably to bed
I'm right down sorry Jenkins" | called Il
found the street door open and slammed it without
thinking"
Open! Well there. who could have left it open
gong out or m he exclaimed, seeming more per
turbed than the occasion warranted. Must have
been quite short time back. for it isn't an hour
since Caesar began barking like he did lust now and