The Washington times., 1912-11-03
CHAPTER XVI (Continued).

Shnk ASN ANA NSohtihucoI.
~ IRKwooD. putting slowly at his
pipe, gazed moody into the
N fire. and did not answer. Ward
watched him anxiously.
Nearly a minute passed before Kirk
wood spoke. Taking his pipe from his
mouth, he turned a grave, half-quizzcal
face toward Ward and said:
when heard you come in here while
Pancoast was lying on the floor I fear
ed for moment that you were Ry-
Ward gave start, then laughed un-
easily.
"Oh. pshaw. Kirkwood! Surely you
don't think the man would come in like
house breaker"
Kirkwood. shaking his head gravely.
turned his face to the fire.
Hes strange chaplin some ways"
he said. with sigh when knew him
l often doubted whether he had ever
that have happened since old lsbister's 3
death probably have changed him. but
when brave man feels that he has the
world against him-that the door of
hope is shut against him forever-he
may do queer things. and he will do
them differently from the way natural
born scoundrels and thugs would do
them
Il must confess that don't just see
what you are driving at, kirkwood,"
Ward answered. irritably.
We'll, when q natural-born criminal
meditates the commission of a crime he
proceeds to put his designs In execution
In Il manner that will give him a chance
to get away after the thing IL done. The
other fellow In more inclined to throw
discretion to the winds and do his work
more boldly. Rylance will shoot this
man on sight"
well. II he was resolved to do this,
/ why did he not shoot him when he saw
| him boarding the train at Bishopstoke
RiahnnEfnEA IN
Winchester"
Kirkwood nodded.
THE fact that he did not do SO is
encouraging. for II indicates that, at
| that time. he was resolved to await a
better opportunity-when there should
| be no witness to the act, and when he
| would have "A chance to escape detec-
tlon long enough to enable him to find
his wife"
We'll. them" queried Ward sugges-
| lively.
But Pancoast came so near escsp-
ing that Rylance doubtless will resolve
to take no further chances. and -"
so near escaping. Ward repeated
"Pancoast has escaped. has he not?"
NO. for Ryance Is in Winchester. In
the army he was noted as man Of
less, he thought quickly and acted with
| a celebrity that often amazed us. He
| could get In and out OF tight places
more quickly than any man l ever
|
Quillan in the public streets and who
| put the darbies on Ridgeleys wrists
was well named the Cricket; But by
, Heaven! we must prevent him from
taking the fatal leap he is meditatins
| now!
As Kirkwood finished speaking he
rose deliberately and glanced at the
clock on the mantepiece over the fire.
"A quarter after twelve" he NUT
tered. He paused, then added: Ward.
| I'm going out"
Ward looked at him sharply.
You are going to leave the house?"
eyes and ears we'll open until I return.
I'll leave the door locked and will let
myself in with key"
Leaving the room. he took golf cap
from the rack in the hall, then, quietly
opening the front door, went out to
the porch. Ward heard the snap OF the
lock, and the silence that followed In
dicated that Kirkwood had paused Just
outside the door.
looked around him with eyes VIII hich, In
his old scout days. had been trained to
observe details in veldt and forest The
light Of half-moon was obscured from
time to time by clouds which were
drifting rapidly from the north.
The villa was surrounded by a hedge
about four. feet in height; Directly
across the road was a higher hedgf
through which a high iron gate gave
access to the rear yard Of a far more
prctentious residence than the former
detectives modest villa. This secont
hedge was about 200 feet in length, anc
at each end 1t terminated at stone
Will that inclosed other grounds. Or
both sides of Kirkwoods place were
villas like his own.
For nearly five minutes Kirkwood re-
mained by the. door. then he SLOWLY
crossed the porch and strolied along the
path to the gate. Arriving there. hi
turned to his right and walked, at O
fairly rapid pace. toward the mex
street on which his villa faced and
continued on his way to the street or
which fronted the house that had th'
tall hedge behind 1.-THE hedge tina
was opposite his own.
Five minutes later he was in the yart
that lay behind the high hedge and wa
walking slowly toward the gate that III
had been facing while he stood on hi
porch
When within four or five PAGES @
eye directed toward his own house, nov
directly across the street, he drew
box Of matches from his pocket. AS III
opened this he spoke.
'It was Just such a night as this tina
we forded the Modder. lieutenant;
half moon and a cloud drift, that mad'
It wink like n heliograph. That was you
smile. I believe. But had 1t not beeI
for those clouds'--
lie had been speaking in a voice tina
was at once low and clear. and as h.
stopped suddenly he drew a mattel
across the side OF the box he had tnkei
, from his pocket. As he applied tn
flame OF this to the bowl of his pipe
the light cast a dull glow over his tea
lures.
His face was still turned toward hi
villa across the way. and his attitud
\ was that of n man who was addressing
= the empty ar.
( But as he continued to pun his ripe
4 and as the match burned low, ther