The Holly chieftain., 1914-05-29
1yD FLETCHER ROBINSON

who 1t may be. You understand"
YES" l answered. But what are
you going to do?"
Discover a suitable place from
which can keep an eye on the sum
mer house. Goodnight to you"
When reached my room. took on
my coat, placed chair some six feet
back from the open window, SO that
tho rising moon should not show my
face to any watchers In the laurels.
and SO waited events.
1t was a soft summer night, such an
only temperate England knows. There
was not a breath OF wind; a perfume
OF flowers crept in from the garden;
every leaf stood black and still in the
stlvery light l heard the clock chime
three-quarters OF an hour In some
room beneath me. The last stroke had
barely shivered into silence when 1
saw Coran appear upon the lawn,
walking towards the summer house,
the outlines of which could distin-
guish amongst the heavier shadows OF
the trees by which 1t was surrounded.
l remembered my orders, and crept
softly to the door. which l had left
ajar. The minutes slipped by without
sound. and presently l began to won
der why Coran had not returned. His
room was not far from mine must
have heard his foot upon the stairs.
lie had disobeyed his orders, that was
evident. However. 1t was not my af-
fair. and l crept back to my point OF
observation.
Twelve! l heard the clock tap out
the news from the room below. l was
nodd1ng In my chair, barely awake.
Alter al, 1t was trivial matter this
trumpery blackmail. Half an hour
more. thought |. pulling out my watch.
and will get to bed.
The affair was becoming extremely
monotonous. dared not light Gig
arctic. for l felt certain that Peece
would notice the glow from outside,
and that should hear of 1t in the
morning. Ten minutes, a quarter OF
an hour-what was that moving under
the trees by the edge of the drive? 1t
was a man-two men. crouched for
ward with every nerve in me suddenly
awakened.
They were a good thirty yards
apart. the one following the other with
stealthy strides-not the sort OF walk
with which honest men go about hon.
est business
When the leader came to the path
which led towards the summer house
he turned down 1t, leaving the drive to
his right. He avoided the gravel,
keeping to the silent turf which
fringed 1t. His companion followed
him step by step.
1t was curious spectacle, these
slow-moving shadows that drifted for
ward through the night. now almost
obscured beneath the branches, now
showing in black silhouette against q
patch OF moonlight.
AS the first man melted amongst
the trees about the summer house, the
other moved forward swiftly for a
score of steps and then halted for a
moment, crouching behind a clump OF
laurel. Suddenly he sprang up again
and ran straight forward. cutting a
corner across the lower edge of the
lawn.
Peace had told mo to remain in the
house. But Peace had never expected
two men; was sure OF that. srept
down the stairs. out through the
French windows Of the drawing room,
and so across the lawn to- the trees
about the summer house.
There was no shouting, but could
hear the faint tramping Of a scuffle
and the thud of falling bodies Then
all was still again.
AS l passed through them 1 saw a
little group standing in whispered con-
Tersation. They turned sharply upon
me. One was stranger. but his COM
panions were Peace and, to my vast
surprise. Old Coran himself.
well, Mr.. Phillips" said the detec-
tive. land what do you wantY"
II thought" began.
"Oh, you've been thinking, too, have
you," he snapped. Here is young
man who was thinking he would like
to look at this extremely commonplace
summer house; here is Mr.. Coran who
was thinking he might help me by
lurking about his garden instead OF
going to bed; and here are you with
heaven knows what ideas in your
head. Perhaps you and Mr. Coran will
do what you are told another time"
Il saw two men," I explained hum.
bly,. II was afraid they might get the
better OF you. How was l to know
that 1t was Mr.. Coran who had diso-
beyed orders?"
You are both pleased to be humor-
ous," said our host, and l could see he