The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-09-20

individuals hurried up from the other
direction. One was short and baggy.
and the sole of one rubber Topped dis
mally as he struggled to keep up with
the alert strides of the other man, who
was slim and angry. They had been
detained by an alteration with the
matron of the Y. w. C. A. building,
and puzzled by the story of the plain
ly dressed girl who had taken the
room, and the fine lady who had left
the building in company with a gentle
man, until it was settled by the eleva-
tor boy, who declared the two women
to be one and the same.
A moment later a man in citizens
clothing, who had keen eyes, and who
was riding motorcycle, rounded the
corner and pulled placidly along near
the two. He appeared to be looking
at the numbers on the other side of
the street, but he heard every word
they said as they caught sight of the
disappearing carriage and hurried
after it. He had been standing in the
entrance of the Y. w. G. A. building,
an apparently careless observer, while
the elevator boy gave his evidence.
The motorcycle shot ahead a few
rods, passed the carriage, and discov-
occupants Then it rounded the block
and came almost up to the two pur-
suers again.
When the carriage stopped at the
side entrance Of a hotel the man on
the motorcycle was ahead of the pur-
suers and discovered it first, long
enough to see the two get out and go
up the marble steps.
One glimpse the pursuers had of
their prey as the elevator shot up
ward. They managed to evade the
hotel authorities and get up the wide
staircase without observation. By
keeping on the alert, they discovered
that the elevator had stopped at the
second floor, so the people they were
tracking must have apartments there.
Lurking in the shadowy parts of the
hall, they watched, and soon were re-
warded by seeing Durham come out of
a room and hurry to the elevator. He
had remembered his promise to his
mother about the engravers. AS soon
as he was gone, they presented them.
selves eddy at the door.
Filled with the Joy that had come to
her and feeling entirely safe now in
the protection of her husband, Mary
Durham opened the door. She sup
posed, of course, it was the bellboy
with pitcher of ice water, for which
she had just rung.
"Ah, here you are at last, my pretty
cousin!" 1t was the voice of Richard
that menaced her, with all the stored
up wrath of his long baffied search.
ATT that moment the man from the
motorcycle stepped softly up the top
stair and slid unseen into the shad-
ows of the hall
For an instant it seemed to Mary
Durham that she was going to faint
and in one swift flash OF thought she
saw herself overpowered and carried
Into hiding before her husband should
return. But with a supreme effort she
controlled herself, and faced her tor
mentor with unhinching gaze. Though
her strength had deserted her at first
every faculty was now keen and col
lected. AS if nothing unusual were
happening. she put out her cold, trem
bling fingers, and laid them firmly
over the electric button on the wall
Then with new strength coming from
the certainty that some one would
soon come to her aid, she opened hel
lips to speak.
What are you doing here, Richard? p
1--WE come after you, my lady. A
nice chase you've led me, but yor
shall pay for it now"
The cruelty in his face eclipsed any
lines of beauty which might have beer
there.
Il shall never go anywhere Will
you" she answered steadily.
He seized her delicate wrist rough
". twisting ii with the old wrench
with which he had tormented her il
their childhood days. None of then
saw the stranger who was quietl!
walking down the hall toward them
VIII you go peaceably, or shall
have to gag and bind your" said Rich
dEu- SuOOSC QuICh1Ss L III III AO LAOOS
to trifie with you any longer"
Although he hurt her wrist cruelty
she threw herself back from him am
with her ether hand pressed still hard
er against the electric button.
Catch that other hand, Mike" com
manded Richard. "and stuff this in he
mouth, while : tie her hands benin,
her back
1t was then that Mary screamed
The man in the shadow stepped u
behind and said in low voice:
What does all this mean?"
The two men, startled, dropped tn
girls hands for the instant. The
Richard, white with anger at this in
reference, answered insolently: Il
means that this girls an escaped luna
tic, and we're sent to take her back
She's dangerous, so you'd better kee
out Of the way
Then Mary Dunham's voice, clea
and penetrating, rang through tn