Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1910-06-03

NlluAA lnG Sll0tAs (OQiQ nbt 6uU0IES5
a start of surprise, which, however.
the other. engaged in reloeking the
gate. did not appear to notice. "Ex-
pecting"-
although I'd given up thinking
you'd be here tonight" the latter went
on. But won't you be stepping in,
sir?''
The other silently followed. walking
In the manner of one tired and worn.
my master did not come back with
you, sir, from strathorn House?s
mo; Captain Forsythe's gone on to
Germany"
The servants glance rested now In
SEINE surprise on the newcomers gar
ments-a gamekeeper's well worn coat
and cap-and OF the dusty, almost
shabby looking shoes.
"a wager" said John Steele. noting
the old orderly's expression. From
Strathorn House to London by foot
within a given time. don't you know.
Fell in with some rough customers last
night who thought my coat and hat
better than these"
81 beg your pardon, sir. but The
mans apprehensive look fastened it.
self on a dark stain on the coat near
the shoulder.
"Just winged me-a scratch" replied
John Steele. with an Indifferent shrug,
sinking into a chair near the fire,
which burned low.
zone moment, Dennis" John Steele
leaned back. The dying embers re-
vealed a haggard face. His eyes half
closed as If from lack of sleep, but
Immediately opened again. "You
| spoke of expecting me. How" he
said, stretching out his legs, did you
know
sSure, sir. by your luggage. It ar
rived with my masters heavier boxes
that he didn't take along with him
over the wather,.
His luggage there = where no one
knew-could have known-he was 60
ing! The place he had selected under
what he had considered propitious cir
cumstances rs a haven, a refuge, where
he might find himself for q brief peri
cd comparatively safe, could he reach
1t, turn in without being detected
This last he believed he had success
fully accomplished, and then to be told
by the an All John Steele's ex-
cuses for coming in this unceremoni-
Gus fashion that he had planned to
put to the servant of Captain For
sythe were at the momen forgotten.
Who could have guessed that he would
make his way straight hither-or had
any one? an enemy, divining a Turk
ing place for which he was heading,
would not have o%bligingly forwarded
lbs belongings. What then? Had
Joce'yn Wray ordered them sent on
with Captain Forsythe's boxes and
bags in orasr that they might be less
likely TO fab into the hands of the
police?
Here you are. sl-t" The servant had
entered and re-enterel had set the Ia
BILE without the man il the armchair
being conscious of his con<
ing. 1emembered N.Y.
ing you once when you were here TO
pitch your camp at Rosemary Villa
any time you should be after yearn-
ing for that quietood essential for lit
erary composition and to windin' up
the campaign on your book. So when
l saw your luggage
Exactly" 1t was curious the man
should have spoken thus, should have
voiced one Of the very subterfuges
Steele had had In mind himself to ut
ter to show pretext for his too abrupt
appearance. But now
AS he ate mechanically, but with the
zest of one who had long tasted, John
Steele listened; again a vehicle went
by; then another.
John Steele rose with an effort. No,
there was nothing more he required
except rest Which room would he
prefer, he was asked when he found
himself on the upper landing. The
man had put his things in a front
chamber. but the back one was larger.
John Steele forced himself to consider.
He even inspected both of the rooms.
That on the front floor had one win
dow facing the row; the second cham
Der looked out over a rear wall sep
arating the vegetable garden of Rose
mary Villa from the shrub adorned
confines of a place which fronted on
the next street. The visitor decided
on the former chamber. He carefully
closed the blinds and drew across the
window the dark. heavy curtains. This
would answer very well. Excellent
accommodations for a man whose
own chambers in the city were now in
the hands of renovators-the painters.
the paperhangers, the plumbers. And
the back room? He paused as IL
considering the servants assumption
Of his purpose in coming hither. He
might as well let the fellow think.
No one must know where he was
under any circumstances. His voice