The Washington times., 1913-09-17

7 sumed my stroll toward the Senate
wing. We were within a few feet Of
each other as l passed out of the Ro-
tunda. and there was something In her
| manner which led me to believe that
she was about to speak TO me; but II
she had decided to do 80, her mind
changed swiftly. for she let me go by
unmolested.
| The Supreme Court was In session.
and I stepped into the solemn chamber
| for few moments, watching the black
gowned judges occasionally, but most
! Of the time keeping an eye on the en-
trance. Ny pursuer did not follow. I
began to wonder IL she had abandoned
the chase In fact. I was somewhat
\ startled at the thought. My own curl
osity was at too high a pitch by this
! time to welcome such termination OF
dignity l quilted the presence Of the
F.; nations solons.
But, no; she was still faithful to her
task. 1 passed her again as 1 made my
way into the Senate corridor. and once
! more thought she would come to the
real matter in hand. Certainly I gave
| her every opportunity, for moved very
| slowly and aimlessly. and surveyed her
! with friendly and appraising glance
which. I judged. ought to be sufficient
to afford her an opening. she took no
| advantage of it,; rather! on the con-
trary, she seemed to shrink from me:
wondering, kept on my way. The
! more ! thought of the business. the
more 1t bothered me. without doubt
It would be easy for me to throw her
why 1 was an object of pursuit and who
was pursuing me- And such curious
sort of pursuit. too! Why in the world
| didn't she go at her job in a workman
/. like manner?
I am not a difficult person to ap-
1fv,O pp
sinister In my appearance. 30 far as
! am aware. She had thousand. pre-
lenses at her command, yet she made
| use Of none Of them. Persistent in pur-
| suit, she never made an attempt to
f; bring the quarry to bay.
1t was getting too ridiculous, I
| thought. to last much longer; yet 1t did.
/ Sometimes I feel ashamed Of the man
! ner in which l led the lady in velvet
purposeless chase that fine spring after
/ noon. Descending to the lower floor.
| retraced my steps the length of the
Capitol again. halting for a moment in
the crypt The crypt, dimly lighted and
very COOL is commonly a lonely spot.
and II was SO this day. She seemed
somewhat baffled and timid here. but
labels on some big bundles Of Congress
sional documents that were awaiting
shipment
OF course. she knew that I knew she
followed me. I imagined that this fact
alone must cause chagrin to any de-
she might be. On the other hand.
could not help wondering II the woman
might be a consummate actress. play
ing her part deliberately In this enig-
matte fashion with definite purpose In
view.
I led her throush the subway to the
House ofhce-building, around the marble
corridors Of that spacious monument to
the luxurious tendencies of our national
lawmakers, and back across the Capitol
grounds to the first scene of our en-
counter. She followed very patiently
and dogSedly, never approaching 6ne
nearer than was necessary to keep me
In sight. I had adopted a different man.
ner now; I fefgned to be utterly uncon-
scious of her presence. Even when cir
cumstances placed us close. gave her
not so much as a glance; but always.
out Of the tail Of my eye, I could tell
that she was still trailing me.
1t was on the broad portico that
skirts the west front of the Capitol that
! saw the man again. He was talking
parison with his great height, almost a
pygmy. / avoided looking at him as
passed, but paused hundred feet be-
yond. leaned over the broad stone rail-.
Ing, and affected to study the long vista
OF Pennsylvania avenue.
The woman did likewise. at a consider
able distance from me. The tall man
excused himself to his companion and
went over to her. They talked for sew
ERA faaL minutes. put neither Of them ever
gestculate once or twice. but the dome
OF the sky has no such acoustic prop
erties as that Of Statuary Hall, and I
caught none Of their words.
caught her sharply br the arm and
leaned over her in an attitude that sug-
gested something Of menace. She SEEM
ed very still and helpless in his hands.
looking up into his face as If fascinated
by something she saw there. Then he
left her with an abrupt movement and
went back to his friend.
/ resumed my walk. leading her
around the north end of the great build
ing and out across the east plaza. where
become President. But her talk with
the tall man seemed to result in no
change of her tactics. She followed.
but that was all
Despite my curiosity l was getting i'm
patient over the affair. II there was to
be a climax. there was no sign of its
arrival or even of its approach. Per-
haps / was supposed to go somewhere
first. If that was the case. l was per-
fectly willing to go, for the sake OF my
own enlightenment; but / had not the
most remote idea what goal was de-
sired to seek.
I decided to give the golden domed
Congressional Library a chance. and
thither led her at a brisk walk. adopt
ing change of pace with the idea Of
letting her know that at last l was set
upon a definite mission She managed
to keep UP fairly well, and was not
far behind me when l entered the gor-
geously colored lobby Of the house of
books. But il was all to no purpose;
my shadow was merely my shadow.
Then ] resolved TO reverse the order
Of things, and wondered why I had cot
done 1t before. She was standing at q