Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1915-09-08

anu presently, IN ms uzual nappygo-
lucky way, he had forgotten alI about
them.
Through the night, now standing BY
the hour on sidings, now at water
tanks, now crawling forward. the
snow-white train had covered the Few
miles which separated its last STOP
from the chief city OF the north woods,
which was to see the finish OF Celes
tia's upstate" campaign.
An energetic tramp walking the ties
could have covered the distance in
about a quarter Of the time.
Less than midway between the last
stop Of the suow-white train and the
chief city Of the north woods was
Tommy's old stamping ground. and
the cave in which Celestla had been
brought UP.
Tommy, travelling through the night
at first on a bicycle, along the ties.
and then on foot. knowing now that
there was q cave 20 be found, and
about where to look for it. had dis
covered the entrance thereto. just at
dawn, and had penetrated deep enough
70 discover certain traces OF human
habitatiou and deceit
OF these last he selected O tar
nished metal star that had once shone
like gold. and put ii ia his pocket.
Futher into the labyrinthine sys-
TEN OF cavorns he dared not penetrate,
for fear Of being lost. but sought
hotel fer rest. The rest turned into
the same kind Of rest that a fallen
tree enjoys. He slept like 8 log on
his marrow bed, and was aroused late
in the afternoon by q sound Of voices.
The partitions of the little north
woods hotel we're OF thin pine boards
She occupant OF room No. ! could
hear the snorings of the occupant OF
No. Sour rooms away. Mary Blacks
stone had the next room to Tommys.
and to this room came Mrs Guns
dorf with the hand she dared not
show and her story of murder done IN
the night
To Tommy it did not matter who
had murdered Celestia. She was dead.
lie listened in kind OF trance 60 tho
story OF the killing lie heard Mrs.
Gunsdorf rejecting the pearl necklace.
and he overheard a violent struggle
ia which Mary Blackstone prevented
Mrs. Gunsdorf from killing herself
and got the knife away from her
and a little later he heard Mary say
ing. Take this, it's only quarter OF
a grain You1l sleep and forget"
Then he Ieu mis- room and burst
open the door OF thous and I'm a voice
so weak with passion and horror that
it could hardly be heard. he whispered
to them the things that they were
and was gone
A moment later he was running at
.ull speed toward the railroad station.
and a few minutes later the two won.
"a, in an automobile which Mary had
Ger mandaered. were fleeing, as they
imagined, for their lives.
TO get away-to hide in the woods
to escape to Canada-anywhere for
q respite-nothing else seemed to mat
ter to them.
Some man tried to oppose Tommys
entrance to the observation end OF
Celestias car, only to be thrown so
violently to one side that he realized
he had encountered q force with which
he could not cope. And Tommy, half
dead with grief and rage. burst into
the car and found himself face to face
with Celestia.
She was standing and appeared TO
be in the best Of health; but she had
a dazed look, or rather an inattentive
look. She did not seem to resent Tom
my's violent Intrusion IN the least,
nor to be surprised at It, nor to ex-
press any other emotion. The clock
in the car indicated few minutes to
five.
'I am going for q drive" said Ceies-
tia, IN an expressionless voice. 'Is
the car there7"
YES, the car is there" said Tom
my.
Il have to 90 at five o'clock"
She neither looked at Tommy noI
spoke to him, but as the clock began
to strike FIVE she hurried out on the
rear platform, descended to the ground,
and crossed the down track to large
black touring car that was waiting at
the side Of the road, the engine turning
slowly.
ITO Be Continued