The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1912-07-24
The Man in the
Brown Derbv
Of Great Summer story Of NeW 70,
By Wells Hastings

Vno room was aHnobt WfthOuv 6ufuien-
lnsa A Hcksty dresser stood aSainst
stand with tin pitcher and bowl oceu-
pied . corner. and across the COON frsm
the dresser and against the eppesi,s
wall was . little, single. iron bed. whoss
coverings. although dean. were IN .
state OF crying disrepair. There was also
. wooden chair In the room. a. thsre
was In each OF the others. Tho only
piece OF furniture that at all distin-
su!shsd II was q great, tumhlsdown.
easy chair. whose tattsrcd velvet was
half hidden by an old steamer rug.
Nancy was seated in this chair With
her back turned almost sQuArely upon
the window. The dress In which I had
last seen her had been replaced BY .
plain garment Of striped Bingham such
a. trained nurses wear. and which. I
suppose was an extra precaution
against her escape. . modified form OF
prison dress. Some little rustic OF the
window shade, perhaps. made her turn
her face toward the window. and saw
that she was pale ana had been crying
Nsacy." ] Whispered. Nancy"
She sprang to her feet and stood
toohang about her. one slim hand raised
fearfuily to her heart
Dad somebody callr sAs asked
y =
L Mason. Here ct the window"
She crossed the room uncertainty. as
II she had heard many voices OF late.
~ had waited % anxiously to hear,
that now she could not benevs.
Aou. Naso0. Youi" she whispered.
Yes. climbed up the Ivy. am
here ~ the window. have come TO
take you homo again.
She knsit on the floor beside the win
dow. and raised the shade q little, 20
that now We looked into each other,
eyes
'My dear. my dear. I said. ARE you
wellf ID everything all right hersf'
Nancy drew long. shuddsring breath.
'Oh. Mason. / am so glad. glad you
have come. have been 20 worried
about you. was afraid-Afrsid they
might have killed you.'
Il don't think they would 70 quite 10
far ~ that" laughed.
4 don't know. Mason" Nancy sajd
very seriously. They fs4ghtsn me
They are capable Of almost anythins
wicked. dsspsrsts or wrong.- ana am
afraid for you even now. II y mad
OF you to BE- ciinsins there with your
face to the braEhr light. an soanr 10
pull down the shade"
Don't" ] said. 'Ths wstchmsa
won't DO round again for ten minutes
at least. and I want to see YOU"
No" said Nancy. firmly. 1T has 20
be done. am going to pun II down, We
can talk Just as well from different sides
of the curtain"
'But"-- protested.
NO" said Nancy. firmly. ~ has 70
be-" Than. with q little dush aad %
softly that ] could scarcely hear ths
whiAper. kiss me. dear"
arA
pressed close against the cruel, rusting
bars OF iron. the wondroumcss OF her
beauty tenderly EMBEDDING her. The dssr,
brave eyes looked into mine for an stsr-
nal instant. then fell as I bent and
kissed her lips. The aEonies OF hell
could not have frightened mo then.
You are coming with me now, now"
NO, Mason. not tina. way" she said.
TT IL too dangerous for you. Yes, too
dangerous for both OF us. ] am goinR
to pull down the shsde. and you must
talk to mo quietly; for OF course you
can take me away tomorrow. perhaps.
and there Is no imm ediats danysr.s
mo danger" repeated; why,
Nancy. the place Is horrible"
Then you had better not look at Il
any more" eaii Nsnoy. and pulled
down the shade. Really. dear" she
continued. 1T is best for both of us.
Even suppose that you could break
these hars. and almost think YOU
could. Mason. you would have 10 carry
me down the way you came. and Il
would be very hard FOR you to DO. even
II the Ivy were strong enough to hold
US. Can you hear ms2"
Yes ] answered. and I suppose
you are right"
For the possibility OF the Ivy break.
ing under our combined weight and OF
the fall for Nancy. cooled my mare OF
anger like dash OF cold water '+.
IL viii come around Tomorrow morn
ing, then, and get In on some pretext
or other. Let them stop me IL they
can"
For a moment Nancy did not snswer
Listen. dear" she said at length.
II do not know how II Is going to be
done. You must think OF that. But. II
possible, I want you TO take mo away
from here quietly. to depend on your
wit and not your strength. For thess
men here have everything at stake.
This sanatorium has been running for
good many years now. so that |
think that none OF them would stop at
murder itself to prevent exposure. Ii
IL very hazardous business, ana IL
means prison for them II they are
caught. They must have counted on
that. Mason. think they are pro-
tected by the town authorities here In
some way. but l am very sure that,
rather than fall into the hands OF the
State law, they would not hesitate to
kin you. Dear heart, you must not
risk all have In the world because
you are imna tent for ma"
ITO De Contlnued)