The Washington herald., 1914-11-01

titles of ii. Her dress was plain IN tn.
extreme. She looked from cammerie.
to Brooke.
"It is young man." Camneriey ex.
planned softly, who has come here II
the guise of reporter to know If
can tell him anything about the Sileni
People
Not a muscle of her face changed
only sudden light shone in her eyes
Brooke, who was glancing at her, shiv-
cred. For some mysterious reason be
felt that he was in danger.
This visitor of ours" Cammerley
continued, looking at Brooke dispas-
sionately has been associated with :
young lady in various investigations
during the last few months. He would
call himself, / suppose, private-inquiry
agent, OF something of the sort. He has
become interested in the craze of the
moment. He is exceedingly curious
about the Silent People"
The woman sighed. When she spoke It
was with a slight foreign accent
What is It that one hears about
them? she murmured. There have
been others who have sought to dis
cover their identity-others who are
themselves silent now forever"
:, The young man" Cammerley said
thoughtfully, is of harmless type"
Brooke, as he stood there, was con-
scious of soft footsteps in the hall
footsteps which seemed to gather vol
ume all the time, not the footsteps of
one or two people, but the footsteps of
dozens.
You were looking for adventures,
perhaps, my young friend" Cammeriey
continued. You have been success
tuL Some one who visited me once
remarked that this might well be a
house OF mysteries, so strangely stu
ated in such a neighborhood. Perhaps
it is. Lookp
He pushed the door a little further
open. The hall seemed filed with men
men who were waiting patiently, men
who exchanged not syllable, pale
faced most of them, dressed in the garb
of operatives, with something curious
about them which, although he did not
understand il made Brooke shiver.
Cammeriey closed the door again.
As think you already knew before
you came, he said quietly. you are IN
the presence of the Silent People-Lucy
Fragade and / myself. Those outside
have also learned the gift of silence.
They are some of those who do our
bidding"
Brooke stared at the woman. The
name was we'll enough known to him
Lucy Fragade, who had been expelled
from Russia, imprisoned in America,
imprisoned again in Germany, and
forced to escape from France; the
daughter of an anarchist, a woman who
preached force and bloodshed with an
eloquence which no man of her cause
had ever approached. He recognized
her from her portraits. She was gazing
at him hxedly. She was more like them
now than ever
There is a room at the back of this
house" Cammerley continued, into
which others have been invited who
have come as you have come, and the
world has seen no more of them. The
river flows within forty yards of my
back door, and the lanyard is empty at
night. am afraid, Mr.. Brooke, that
the public will have to wait a little time
for that interview with me which you
proposed writing"
Brooke looked from one to the other.
Up to the present moment, at any rate,
he had felt no fear. Yet there was some
thing a little disquieting in the ex-
preston with which they regarded him;
something ominous, too, in that sense
of men waiting without. He remember
ed several disappearance lately. He
knew suddenly that murder had been
done in this place. Yet he was stih
without fear. Perhaps he was, to some
extent fatalist Death seemed to him
always thing so unlikely.
| shall be missed" he remarked af-
fably. Miss Robinson knows that I
have come to see you"
Cammerley nodded.
The young lady who overheard our
at the Forward Club" he
explained to Lucy. 1t is a pity that
she did not accompany you, sir"
Perhaps" Brooke replied, "she Is
better where she is !"
The telephone bell rang. Cammerley
held the receiver to his ear.
This is Mr. Cammerley speaking"
ne declared. What can do for you
Yes, Mr.. Brooke is here. You are Miss
Constance Robinson"
Brooke made a movement toward the
telephone, but stopped.
No, am afraid that / cannot say"
Cammerley continued. what time Mr..
Brooke will return. He will leave this
room in few minutes. As for the rest,
/ is difficult Yes, l understand"
He listened for some time. His face
showed no change of expression. He
glanced toward the clock.
Very we'll" he said, "the course
you suggest will be quite agreeable to
ne. 1t would give me great pleasure
70 meet you personally Yes, pray,
,ome. As you say, it is only an affair
of ten minutes in a taxicab."
Brooke sprang toward the telephone.
She shall not come herel" he shout
ID. MIR. Cammerley handed him the
eceiyer.
Really" he said, you people are
wasting lot of our time this after
loon, Tell her yourself to keep away,
hen"
Miss Robinsonr he called out.
Constance, are you there7 Constance p
Miss Robinson is here" was the
aim reply.
You are not to come to this mans
louseP Brooke exclaimed. ''If YOU do,
lon't come alonel You understandY
Quite we'll There is pApbably
light misunderstanding. Au revoirP
Listen T. Brooke begged.
The connection was gone Cammerley
emoyed the instrument out of reach