The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-08-12
SSOR s.
MY TER
b WELLS HASTINGS ~ BxlAs HOOKER
Wan fRs~aaaos ~ Ranssn BoaA
Copyright 1911
TIE BoBBs MERRILL COMPANY

az AhatiANUN tlpJn nGT tullfH41ei ptIVACJs
lnis, however. was no time for doubt
fun sentiment. Minutes were passing,
ana the man must BE- found I was
sure that he was still In the house.
Very carefully ] tiptoed down the hail
toward the room that / had occupied.
Fate might grant that he was hidden
there. aud SO ! should have to search
only where | had already seen. But
before j reached my door, ] paused
oe1ore another. II was slightly ajar;
ana hair instfnctiveiy ] pushed 1t open.
In the doorway stood looking about
me. This was I.ady's room, after all.
deep bed stood In the corner against
the outer wali to my left: and close
by little table with book face down
upon IT. dress OF some filny blue
stun lay ACROSS the foot OF the bed.
and from beneath peeped pair of
little slippers My face burned at my
intrusion, but | held my ground The
sunlight fell heavily through the two
closed windows, across tile wide rug,
ana almost 70 my feet. In the outer
right hand corner was q small desk. A
low table. piled with dainty feminine
miscellany. stood In the center Of the
room. riding crop lay eareleasly
across tt; and ! remembered absentiy
that the Tabors had no horses. I
stepped within. and cautiously closed
the door behind me. Then / knew.
There was some one In the room 1t
was hnmistakAbie. this feeling OF q
presence. l listened closely, but there
was not sound. The skin crawied at
my temples, and could feel the stir
OF hair upon my scalp. the strange
primal brfstling that has stirred man
conscious Of the unseen, since the be-
ginning Of time. For a heartbeat.
stood there with much OF the clutch
ing terror Of child, a child willing
enough 70 face u fght but hesltating
Defore the sudden mystery Of q place
tnat he must pass. Then got hold or
myself. and crossed over to the bed. I
knew that he was not under IT; but I
looked to see. Behind me something
rnkled sweetly, and sprang to my
Ieet with every muscle tense Across
the room and above the little desk,
hung circle Of bronze with tiny
bronze pendants shaped like birds and
nsh and leaves swinging from ii on
siken threads---such thing AZ the
Japanese hang above the bed of q
child to ward on evil and to chime
with every breath Of air. l glanced
uneasily at closed door and windows
as started across the room. Upon
the big central table before me lay a
thin film Of dust, invisible save for
tne contrast OF q streak across it's
edge where something had brushed
along Ttptoeing around 1t, glanced
down at the little desk and the half
written sheet upon 1t. Lady, dear
est" u began; and sripped my hands
at my sides. This was not Lady's
room. but--One of the long outer cur
talns OF the window shivered---shivered
humanity with trembling behind 1t !:
ana reached out my hand to grip
through the fold the solid shoulder Of
u man.
In sudden warm rush OF relief. /
struck at him savagely through the
curtain. shouting as / struck Then +
gripped the curtain about, throwing ali
my weight against him and crushing
MIN back against tho side Of the en-
brasure. He grunted. and an arm tore
ITSELF free from the folds above my
bent head Then there was q splash
OF light and curious sharp smou that
seemed to come from inside my own
brain. And then nothing
know that | had not lain there
long. when | opened my eyes Lady
was kneeling on the floor beside me,
very white and. piteousiy lovely. As
my mind grew clearer. the color seem-
ed TO come back into her face.
Mr.. Crosby" she said. Il asked you
not to come upstairs at all ] want to
be able ito trust you. What has hap
pened 2"
Happened" repeated dixzily.
why. had to come up. j chased the
man up here land then / saw this door
open and came In. and felt as Ii there
was aome one In here-and there was
some one, there behind that curtain. !
tackled him, and he hit me- I raised
!nv head sharply: sIastea--ths, fellow
10 here yet"
Lady pointed to the window behind
me. Il think Loot" she said.
But tell you he's still In the room"
She smiled little, You are dizzy
yet Come here and look. and you will
see what J mean The window was
flung wide, and beneath ut the foot Of
the wall syrinGa bush lay broken.
1t fooks a. II you were right" said.
~ she carefully closed the window. II
think I'll scout around little out
side: he may not have gone clear
away noticed that She locked the
door behind las.
My ideas were rather indefinite az
examined the syringa bush after the
most approved fashion. and discovered
no more than that somebody had
broken X BY dropping from above, and
had gone away. So started vaguely
across the lawn toward the road AT
the quite. l ran into the men who fol-
lowed us on our man-hunt.
He did not come this way said the
fat one. catching me BY the arm.
How do you know" l asked.
The kkiR Italian, sfnafH4s isxit ys,,a
are after Antonio Carucci?"
had been almost trapped. "Carnc-
q Z" said |. NO, j WAS looked for Doc
tor Reid Some one wants him on the
phone"
Why DID yon search the side OF the
house, them"
Look here" said /. Il haven't the
slightest idea what you people are get
ling ct; and doubt II you have, either.
But II you've seen Doctor Retd---A
stocty man with q jerky walk. I wfsh
you'd say 30. They won't hold that
line for ever
g WI might take d look abonf fhS
place Tor him" the fat one smiled.
while You 80 back to the telephone
~ won't trouble YOU retorted. III
you have any Arrand inside. 20 straight |
o the door Mr.. Tabor doesn't iike
his lawns traupie. Good morning.
stood ct the gate while they NOV 1
"a unwHiingiy away and then went
back to the house ~ /
CHAPTER XIV.
= Dssappsaranes and an Encountar.
the next Few days passed by with |