Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-06
CHAPTER V-Continued.

leaned out of the window. Pierre was
already moving away. / siEnaled that ]
had received the message. then. as ne
turned on his backward track. remen1-
hered the wet cartridges in the revolver
and whistled softly. lie did not appea:
10 hear me. 1 whistled louder. He made
vague gesture toward the clinhcad at
my left and. hurried on. ] was about TO
shout tn him when a low chuckllnR lauGh
sounded from the outer angle of the nut
and | understood the reason for his ac-
fion-We We're being Spied upon
reached the door in time TO hear the
Inarauder's departing footsteps die away
upon the hard turf
For a moment I debated the ACCESSIBILITY
of following him. But the unknown dan
gers which l should have to face were in
striking contrast to the comparative
safety of the hut. and / ended by return
ing to the window. Pierre. gaining the
upper end of the beach. had turned into
the rocky path, and was Row but dim
shadow moving against the deeper Shad-
ows of the cliffside. / watched him toll
up the steep ascent. saw him pause upon
the crest, caught final glimpse OF his
black silhouette as he strobe out of sight
across the Somber skyline. and my last
chance Of assistance seemed to go with
him. Surrounded by desOlation l might
yell myself hoarsc without any one hear
ing Mcknight be killed and buried and
TO one he the wiser. Perhaps even now
my murderer was skulking nearby. wait
ing for complete darkness before com
mencing his attack. The haunting echo
of those mysterious footsteps rang Win
increasing menace in my brain.
But presently my bette" nature asserted
itself and. sha king off the plerile terror.
| made a careful round o. the hut prob
ing the walls for any secret opening. feel
ing along the floors for hidden taps, test
ing the efficiency of my extemporaneous
fastening on the door. The place APP
feared Ia be as secure as human hands
could make it, But as l picked my way
lack in the obscurity-for Miss Hayward.
IN spite of her kindly foresight. had failed
to provide me with a candle-th" words
Of her message flashed upon me-
.roped for the heavy table, and. dragging
i over TO the window. set it on edge, pre-
Iaratury to blocking UP the gap.
The evening had fallen, blurring the
contours OF cliff and rock with its opaque
shadows, filling the rounded basin OF the
cove with darkness which seemed al
most tangible Far out over the velvet
blackness of the sea. a few shrcds of
cloud still bore the fading purple OF the
sunset. but the horizon lire hcf.eath them
was shrouded in cold gloom. In the
distant otfing the green light of an un-
seen vessel swung lazily. multitude
of stars pricked their dim radiance
through a haZy sky.
/ watched until the night had blotted
out the landscape. Then, pulling down
TIE W1IUOW. L drew tIe tdUle lllIo ltS
place, and threw myself, fully dressed, on
the bed to sleep.
l woke with the faint echo of a noise
ringing i'll my ears and started upright.
For an instant the chill midnight. with
its phantoms of darkness. confronted me:
then, out of the deathlike silence, the
noise was repeated-a dull scrape of some
one-something-upon the roof above. The
spasmodic movement suggested a bird
live rob, ftSa hi Loo taIIs q
my hearing sharpened. the muffied sounds
of cough fioated down to me. And of
a sudden the blood froze in my veins.
To be attacked in broad daylight is had
enough. but to be conscious Of murder
stealing unseen out of the night is horror
incarnate. Numb with terror, ] fixed my
eyes automatically upon the black void
above me, and followed the eerie rasping
on its downward course toward the caves
Time appeared to be OF no consequence:
stealth alone was important Hours
seemed to elapse before the noises hnally
ceased on the outer edge Of the roof.
A silver thread of moonlight i-iarked
the crack between the table and the Intel
IF the window, and, as l watched,
heavy shadow, passing swiftly across it.
disappeared below. There was the soft
tap of feet upon the sill. The window
raised noiselessly. Something rub
led gently against the rough surface OF
the table. and in the :iiomentary pause
which followed a muttered curse rose on
the air.
All this I noted with the stupor Of fright
still me. But at the oath l woke to
a shivering sense of peril, and, slipping
from the bed. l crouched down behind the
chair. hand appeared around the edge
of the table. The heavy obstruction was
thrust back cautiously. A widening ray
of light crept slowly across the floor to
my feet I receded from it. inch by inch,
until tine bed stopped my retreat. then.
seized with fear OF discovery. i dived
Under it. crawling out on the other side.
Only a second had passed, but 1t was
sufficient for the man to gain an entrance.
AS ! TO my knees the Illuminated
oblo.ig of the window was clear. The thin
ribbon of moonlight. striking across the
lower corner of the bedclothes. left the
upper part of the bed and the surround
ing ROOM n utter darkness. l strained
my eyes vainly into the thick shadows,
then. dropping on my hands, / laid my
ear against the floor.
The rough boarding gave forth the
faintest vibration-the mere CULVER of a
f"otfall | raised my head. The silence
was absolute. | bent down to the floor
again and the stealthy movement seemed
10 have grown louder. 1t was approa CHI
ing the bed.
covered back against the wall, trem-
bling. There was the fraction OF