The Washington herald., 1912-02-04
CHAPTER KIN.

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corner and turned east He did not once
look behind him, but he knew that he
was being followed. The Darwins, you
viii remember. lived off Central Park
West. Emerson walked rapidly to
Madison avenue and waited for south
bound car He was not at all surprised
when another man came up just as the
car slowed down and stepped on behind
him.
At Fifty-ninth street he got of and
took a crosstown car. Out Of the tail
Of his eye he could see the other man
drop of the front platform Of the Madi-
son avenue car and take a position on
the front platform of crosstown car
that was scarcely thirty yards behind
the one that carried Emerson.
Emerson sprang off just as the car
went past the column in the middle OF
the Circle and hurried into a big cafe.
He walked through the cafe into the
restaurant and out into side street,
doubling back to Eighth avenue, where,
at the risk Of limb or two, he leaped
onto a passing car bound north. He
got off at Eighty-frst street and walked
rapidly across the little park back Of
the Natural Museum Halfway over
he stopped and looked back, but there
was no sign of his pursuer. At Eight
ieth street he boarded a northbound car
that took him within half block of
Darwin's home.
He had his plan all ready and as
soon as he was certain that there was
no one there but Catherine, he stepped
inside while the maid was bearing his
message and slammed the door. Be
fore she could reappear he had con-
cealed himself in the parior.
There was one weak spot in this
plan that he had not anticipated. Dar-
win had had his own house watched
for the past forty-eight hours. He was
careful. far-seeing man.
Emerson heard the maid 60 upstairs
and in the dead silence that followed
for a quarter Of an hour he thought
that Catherine. too, must be gone. He
took off the goggles that he had put
on to conceal his face while he was
talking to the servant, and grasped his
electric fashlight. Then he crept care
fully into the hall. He was nearly half
way to the library door before he
noticed the light, and 1t was the quick
next moment the lights disappeared and
he heard the door close as she went
out
Catherine Finds Him.
He did not want to waste any time.
He gave her time to reach the stairs
and then stole into the room Light
ing match. he peered searchingly over
the table for the package which he
sought His foot struck chair,
sharply ringing out in the stiffness of
the house. just as he spied the papers
which Cowper had left, the massive
mahogany door swung open and Mrs.
Darwin cried out:
who's there?" There was no reply.
She switched on the lights, and found
Emerson erect and smiling at the other
end of the room.
NYou, Wilbur Emersonl What are
you doing here now3 How did you
get ins"
Il came to see your husband on
matter OF business" he managed to
reply, picking his words so lumberingly
that she saw through the pretext in a
moment
"To see my husband at this time OF
nightf leil me the TRUTH Why did
you Gomez
Wilbur eyed her calmly for second,
and shrugged his shoulders as il he
realized further pretense was useless.
Il came here to get back some papers
that were left here tonight" he said.
found them just as you came in
There they are, on this table"
Catherine threw her arm forward and
caught them to her bosom Just as Will
bur reached for them.
"They are my husbands" she, cried.
what can you want with themp
They are Of vital importance to me.
must have them" he cried, impe-
riously, with swift advance to her.
Catherine gasped with astonishment,
retreated TO the door, and gazed steadily
into his eyes.
"You cannot have them. They be-
long to my husband"
He laughed cynically as he said :
@Yes; you are right They belong to