Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-12
: THE SIEGE OF THE SEVEN SUIT0RS
By MEREDITH NICHOLSON.
: Copyright 1910 BY Meredith Rights Reserve

under the house. and remote from TIL
secret steps. some one was moving to-
ward me. arUi rapidly. too. The Ehos
that I believed to have disappeared int"
the fourth-noor hall must then have
changed the line OF his retreat and de-
scended by one of the regular stsirways.
blew out my candle and stood with
my back to the wall OF the long corridor
on which opened the various storerooms.
the heating plant. laundry and other &C
cessories of the modern house. My ghost
was coming in haste-a haste that did
not harmonixe with the stately tread OF
the spooks OF popular superstition.
slower pace and ] should doubtless have
fed before him: but quick. light steps
echoed in the dark corridor. and | gath
cred courage from the thought that
ghosts create echoes no more than they
cast shadows.
myself to spring upon him. l must un-
consciously have taken STEP for he
paused suddenly. stood still for a mo-
ment, then turned and scampered back
the way he had come. After him l Went
as fast as could run. The cement-paved
corridor was four or five feet wide. and
plunged through the dark at my best
speed. At the end OF the corridor l was
pretty certain OF my quarry. and 1 mad.
ready to grappie with him. Then as
plunged into the wall my hands touched
q mans face and for q moment clutched
the collar of his coat. He had been wait
ing for ME to strike the wall. and as he
slipped out OF my grasp he ran hack to-
wall with a force that knocked the wind
out OF me, but / got myself together
with the loss OF only an instant and re
newed pursuit. ] had no fear but that.
IL he attempted TO reach the open by
means OF the coal hole. I should catch
him on the ladder. and l sprinted for all
] was worth to make sure OF him.
My fleeing grasp OF the mans collar
and the agility with which he had slip
ped from my clasp had settled the ghost
question, and / had now resolved the In
truder into common thief. As W.
neaTed the coal cellar I increased my
pace, and felt myself gaining on him.
| though I'm the dark ] saw nothing until
glimpsed the faint light from the coal
hole.
1t had evidently occurred to him by this
time that II he tried to climb the ladder
could easily pull him down by the legs:
and when he reached the cross hall he
turned quickly and dived through the
opening into the hidden chambers. I los
no time in following, but the fellow put
up a good race. and as I reached the OLD
stairway he was mounting IL two steo
At q time. as / judged from the sound !
had hoped to catch and dispose Of hin
without alarming the house. but II SCENE :
inevitable now that the chase would EN- !
in such fashion as to arouse the com
pany assembled In the library.
i heard him stumble and fall headlons
at the door above; then he shot OF into
the still darkened hall, and when I had
gained the top / lost track OF him for a
moment. l paused and was about to
| strike a match. when he resumed his
flight, and / was forced to grapple with
the fact that some one else was pursuing
him. / held my match innsbruck upon
this new disclosure. and stepped back
within the concealed door and waited.
Up and down the hall two persons were
running, and when they reached the ends
Of the corridor l heard hands touch the
wall and the sound OF lodging. and then
almost instantly the two runners flashed
| by me again. The hall was so dark that
/ saw nothing, but rs the runners passed
| the door ! felt the rush OF air caused ~
| their flight.
Three or four times this had happened.
and then. still without having made q
Tight, I thrust out my foot at the next
return of the unseen runners. Some one
tripped and fell headlong. and promptly
flung myself upon him.
(To be continued tomorrow