Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-19


quite He probably has Instructions to
be mercifu. But God help the victim of
Chinese mercy!''
i went TO my own room, then. But 1 did
not even undress, rehlIing my pipe and seating
myself at the open window. 1 had Fu-
Manchu once. But having looked upon the
awful Chinese doctor. the memory Of his face.
with it's filmed green eyes. could never leave
me. The idea that he might be near that
moment, a poor narcotic.
The bowling and laying of the mastif
almost continuous.
When all else in Redmoat still. the
dogs mournful note yet the night with
something menacng in it. 1 sat looking out
across the soping turf to where the shrubbery
showed black island in green sea. The
moon swan in coudless sky, and the air
was warm and fragrant with country smells.
1t was in the shrubbery that Denby's collie
had met his mysterious death-that the thing
seen by Miss Ethan had disappeared. WHAT
uncanny secret did 1t hold?
Caesar became silent.
AS the stopping of a clock will sometimes
awaken a sleeper, the abrupt cessation of that
distant bowling, to which had grown accus-
toned now recalled me from world of gloomy
ilnaginings.
glanced ray watch in the moonlight 1t
was twelve minutes past midnight.
AS replaced It. the dog suddenly burst out
afresh but now In tone Of sheer anger. He
was alternately bowling and snarling in a way
that sounded new to me. The crashes. he
leaped to the end Of his chain. shook the build
ing in which he was confined. 1t was as 1
stood UP to lean from the window and
n,and a view Of the corner of the house that he
broke loose.
With hoarse bay he took that decisive
leap and 1 heard his heavy body fall against
the wooden wall. There followed strange,
cultural cry and the growing Of the dog died
away at the rear of the house. He out!
But that cultural note had not come from the
throat Of a dog. OF what he in pursuit?
At which point his mysterious quarry
tered the shrubbery I do not know. l only
know that I saw absolutely nothing until
Caesars 1.-the shape was streaked across the
lawn, and the great creature went crashing
into the underground
Then a faint sound above and to my right
told me that was not the only spectator Of
the scene. 1 leaned further from the window.
lis that you, Miss Eltham?' asked.
"Oh. Doctor Petrie!' she said Il am SO
glad you are awake! Can do nothing to
help? Caesar will be killed.!
Ibid you what he went after?"
mo" she called back-and drew her breath
sharply.
For a strange figure went racing across the
grass. 1t was that of man in blue dressing
gown, who held lantern high before him and
a revolver in his right hand. Coincident with
, my recognition of Mr.. Ethan he leaped into
the shrubbery in the wake of the dog!
But the night had yet another surprise, for
Maryland Smiths voice
ome back! Come back. Eltham!'
an out into the passage and downstairs. The front
vas open. A terrible conflict waged in the shrub
between the mastif and something else. Passing
to the lawn, met Smith fully dressed He had
ropped from frst-foor window.
he man is mad!' he snapped. "Can he know what
there? He should not have gone alone!"
gether we ran toward the dancing light of ElthamS
n. The sounds Of conflict ceased suddenly. Stun
over stumps and dashed by housekeeping branches.
ruggled forward to where the clergyman knelt
the bushes. He glanced with tears in his eyes.
$ revealed by the dim light.
ook!' he cried.
e body of the dog lay at his feet
pitiabe to think that the fearless brute should
met his death in such a fashion, and when bent
lamined him 1 was glad to find traces Of life.
rag him out He is not dead!' said.
nd hurry!" raped Smith, peering about him right
1T.
three hurried from that haunted place. dragging
e with us. We were moested. No sound dis
the perfect stiffness.
the lawn edge we came upon DENLY. half-dressed.
most Immediately Edwards. the gardener. also ap-
l. The white faces Of the house servants showed
window and Miss Ethan called to me from he:
he dead?'
o." replied, 'only stunned
carried the dog round to the yard and examined
ad. 1t had been struck by some heavy. blunt in
ent. but the skull not broken 1t is hard to kill
tn
I'LL you attend to him. doctor?' asked Ethan.
must see that the villain does not escaped
face was grim and set. This was a different man
the difident clergyman we knew: this was "Parson
again.
accepted the of the canine patient. and Ethan,
the others. went or for more lights to search the
'ery. AS l was washing a bad wound between the
rs ears. Miss Ethan joined me- 1t the sound
voice. think. rather than my more scientific min
On, which recalled Caesar to life For, she
d. his tail wagged fcebly, and a moment later he
led to his feet-one Of which was injured.
wing provided for his immediate needs. 1 left him
lrge Of his young mistress and joined the search
They had entered the shrubbery from four points.
rawn blank.
here is absolutely nothing there, and no. one can
~ have left the grounds" said Ethan amazedly
smith, angry but thoughtful. tugging the lobe OF
i ear as was his habit in moments Of perplexity.
the electrical contrivances from every point They
IN perfect order. 1t became more ana more incom-
lsibie how any one could have entered ana Quoted
rat during the night. The tarbed-wire fencing was
and bore no signs of having been tempered with.
ith and undertook an exhaustive examination OF
rubte"y.
the spot where We lad found the dog, some Ave
to the west of the copper beech. the grass and
were trampied and the surrounding iaurels and
int couid be found.
he ground is dry" said Smith. I'VE cannot expect
my opinion" 1 said some one tried to get at
Z; his presence is dangerous. And in his rage he
loose
think SO. too' agreed Smith But why did this
make for here? And how having mastered the
ct out of Redmoat? am open to admit the posi-
open and hiding until dusk. But how in the
of all that's wonderful does he get out? He must
s the attributes of a bi-d!
lend of her description Of the thing which she had
easing INTO this strangely haunted shrubbery
b. NJ LOT N sam toll ant rf ArtP