The Washington herald., 1914-06-07

OmO81oU AD1W 0eeuyI0R SoU1O0Nys W00
sss. infnisgsmsnts Uiu Be- OissrsasIy presseatsd
never working through any motive save his own
impetus. kind face, the woman had, yet the
possible outcome Of the weak, unhappy girl she
had captured so boldly seemed to make not the
slightest impression upon her. Only at the end
of their drive, when the chauffeur opened the
door did she speak.
"Any attempt to escape would be quite use
less" she said in dull, mechanical tone of
voice. IF you are wise you will not make the
situation any more difficult for yourself by being
foolish"
As the motor car ceased purring at the curb.
the woman pressed the door bell. Came scuf-
fling along the hall, . shadow futtered there
second, then the door swung open. Lucille
stepped across the threshold with her captor.
surprised to see no one in sight Apparently the
door had opened of its own volition. Before her
was q straight stairway, appearing to end at the
second fight. To her left was q living room
into which she was ushered- Again the woman
pressed Q bell.
"You viii want some tea and cakes" she
said quietly.
keenly. What change from the place she would
have expected and yet how natural that the in
transitional spy should choose just such an un-
pretentious place from which to pull his wires,
play upon the strings of the world How typical
of Hugo Loubeque was every detail!
She turned at . suggestive clink of china.
She had heard no ono enter the room, yet, in
the shadows, she saw an attentive butler hold
-
woman poured. The man moved toward her,
moved silently, swiftly, surely. There was some
thing about his manner, his perfection, strik-
ingly reminiscent Of some she had seen be-
fore. He stood before her and, even as he bent
his head murmuring q query to her prefer
ence regarding sugar or lemon, she recognised
him. .
'Thonpsonr abe gasped. -rhompsonl You
here! What are you doing here?"
yes, Miss Love! Thank you, Missl I an
employed by Mr.. Loubeque, Miss Love! Thank
your
She s.azed at him incredulor.ly. .. the
mask of q face, upon which not the flicker Of
expression was stamped. And then gradually she
understood, knew who had stolen the papers from
her fathers safe, realized how completely they
had all been fooled BY this cunning servant.
She shrank away from him though from the
plague, but stin he showed sign Of anger
chagrin. , no.
sway! I can't bear to look at you"
Yes, Miss. Thank your
When she looked up he had disappeared.
Swiftly she gathered herself together. Such
childish tricks must not be permitted to shatter
her courage for even an instant. She must strike
q system Of surveillance had been thoroughly
established. She slfpped stealthfy to the door
through which she had entered the house. In
the hall she looked cautiously about, then put
her foot upon the stairs and proceeded to move
to the first fight Midway she was paralyzed
into inactivity by finding the stairs to be In
motion.
Horror seized her. Then once more she
braced herself. Only another trick of Loubeque's
it was. The stairs seemed to fold up within
themselves like q miniature escalader. They
grey steady once more and the girl looked about
an unfurnished room of stone wall. But she did
not see this wall, did not mark the lack of dec
orations furniture in the room, for a COM
pany Of men formed . crescent facing her, one
tall figure standing apart from the rest, immov-
able, silent.
The solitary figure lifted his hand Then,
frozen with terror though she was, Lucille saw
that each figure was swathed in a black robe
and that plain, silk mask Of black covered
every face. Masks through which threatening
eyes glared out upon her, masks so light they
fattened against the weerer's features with
hideous significance.
Slowly the company passed her. pausing be-
fore her to peer narrowly into her face,
though impressing her every feature indelibly
upon their minds. When she regained her pow
of observation the line had passed, had
paused and disappeared. She looked about her.
She alone.