The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1912-07-30

door. and tncn shranN back
lS4D Into tho wv 10 walt and listen.
! did not dare now to press tic spring
~ my repeater, but I guardediy took The
other watch from nv pocket and cra-
ding 1t ~ my .hands. saw that u was
two minu'es OF ton. In "a moment more
| thanked God In tho darkness, for |
heard the soft shrek ana click VI tho
BIG lock almost at my ear.
| clImocd tho steps very cautiously.
aud for "A moment stood at the door
listening. Then, with infintc care. '
softly and slowly turned the knob, and
pushed the door open an inch or No. ]
could hear a iuurmur oc voices that was
almost arilculato, ahd suruiscd that our
mercenary had been unable Ia close the
door OF the office. Nevertheless. al
though II was not now or never. at least
Il was now. pushed tho door stili
further open. JuEt far enough TO admit
my body. and. slipping IN. softly closed
II behind me
To my satisfaction I found tho hall
but dimly lighted. 80 that the bright
ness from the office door at nv left
hand made a broad. truncatcd V on the
worn boards of tho hall floor, n spno.
Of light not four feet away from me.
through which I must pass into tho
could now hear plainly Dr. Mayhcw's
voice, debating what | nupposc was
some rascaily letter or other. and /
drew back into the corner at the right
Of the great door In the hope that. lean
Ing forward, I might he able to see him.
AZ I did 50 his shadow passed before
mo ON the floor. Evidently he was pace
Ing up. and down AK hs' wrote, |
watched tho grotesque shadow pass
four or i've times. n shadow whose
striding. giant lcga commenced some
where In tho ONCE. fell natiy across tho
floor and. bending at the wall like some
huge. black. paper doll. staggered In
vague. HAT bulk almost TO the ceiling. =
Although the Intervals ot It's passing
aud requesting were short they were at
least regular. and whom Judged that
Doctor Mayhem was iust Approaching
tn. farther wall and had his back
turned toward ne ! crossed the strip %!
light IN two long tiptoang strides. and.
vcering across to the wall on my left.
stole softly alOpg II unlil almost at it,
end II was Gu, at right angles ny an
other hail. At this corner stopped
again and listened.
Ny stralnlng ears were SIN able To-
catch the distant nlurmur % Doctor
Mayhew's dictation. Once rs | listrned
something seemed TO fail an - distant
room save tog tHcac sounds. the place
was IN silence. turned the corner and
found tho newell post Of the stairs, a
carved ana dllpdatcd griffin. whose
stately and msnaclng dignity had been
much marrcd ~ thu toss OF ~ ear I
was foolish enough to pat lin on the
head ns u Schoolhuy might have as
started to climb the stairs
II thrge stairs had beea bullt FOR tho
purpose ~ giviug alarm they could
lrcdr have been better contrivel.
The frst onc groaned beneath MY feet.
and The second. to whlch ! hastily trans
feIrCd my weight. gave u shrek % pro-,
tes' that seemed 10 my strained senses
almost human. tried the -Xpodlent Of
testing each one Of then with my hand,
Bot oven those that I 50 proved silent.
yelled BETRAYAL ~ soon aS trusted
thc full weight 81 my body a them.
Indeed. 7 think evcrytstair 81 IA, right
was potentially vo9sl. an,l differed from
rs fellows only IN tRs ky and volume
OF ils protest,
\ sklltll and ,acrohaiiG, musician
could, think. hava trampled a dlrge
from them. After 7 had tried four nr
i've In mlmeutiry apprehension OF lis,
covary. 7 cast myself sslrdc the balUs-
trade, thinking % work my way NJ n
Rand over hand but the balustrade was
the piima donna ~ tho wiOlc chorus,
and btHlcd out su h a thrilling yibrd-
,lon of protest l!lat' Nslld hack TO the
siairs again. and Without mare ado. and
taking three at stride, mounted them
On the run. -.ss-.-sss
AZ the top stopped again AMI
listened, feeling very much as a burglar