Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-05-03
CHAPTER v1I1-continued.

tries to be friends with her.
CHAPTER vIII-Continued.
Leaving It barely ajar. she stepped out
beneath the stars, hesltated for a mo-
ment Of cautious reconnaissance, then
darted across an open space of moonlight
as swiftly as the shadow of cloud wind
sned athwart the moon and so gained the
shelterinR shadow of the high hedge be-
tween the formal garden and tennis court
The dew-drenched turf that bordered
the paths muffled her footsteps as
effectually as could be wished, and Keep
ing circumspectly in shadow, the bet
Ter 10 escape observation from any of the
windows, sho gained at length that cor
ner of the terrace overlooking the water
where she and Trego had paused for their
first walk 49, -.
Nothing now prevented her from appre-
cIating the view to the full. Enchanted
she withdrew little way from the brow
of the cliff to a seat on the stone wall
overshadowed by the hedge, and Tor a
long time sat there motionless, content.
Below her the harbor lay steel gray
and still within its guardian headlands,
hundred slim, white pleasure craft ridlng
It's silent tide. Far out Sound steamer
cravled like some amphibious glowworm
IT'S triple tier of deck lights almost
blended into one. Farther still the lights
Of the mainland glimmered low upon the
horizon.
At a little distance and a point invisible
an incautious footstep grated upon a
gravel path OF the terrace ana was M
stantly hushed.
But the girl, stiffened to rigidity In her
place. fanced she could hear the whisper
of grass beneath stealthy feet.
Abruptly a man came out into broad
moonlight and, pausing on stone plat
form at the edge of the cliff by the head
,1try1 n GtQ
to the sands. looked back toward the
house.
Sally held her breath. But her heart
was like a mad thng-the man was Don
aid Lyttleton. He still wore evening
dress, but had exchanged the formal coat
for that hybrid garment which sally mad
lately learned should not be termed
tuxedo. The brim of a soft, dark hat
masked his eyes. He carried one Shout
der stiffly, as II holding something in the
hollow of his arm. She could not mako
out or imagine what this might be.
His hesitation was brief Satisfied, he
swung round to the stairway, in another
instant had vanished. Only light footballs
on the wooden steps told of steady
descent and at the same time furnished
assurance that Sally had not victimized
herself with waking vision bred of her
infatuation.
The footballs, not loud at best. had be-
come inaudible before she found courage
to approach the platform. With infinite
pains to avoid a sound, she peered over
the edge of its stone parapet
For little the gulf swan giddily be-
meath her who was never quite easy at
any unusual height. But she set herself
with determination to master this weak
ness and presently was able to examine
the beach with a clear vision
1t was only partially shadowed by the
cliffs. but that shadow was dense, and
outside 1t nothing stirred. None the less.
after time she was able to discern Lyt-
tleton's figure kneeling on the sands at
the immediate foot Of the cliff. hundred
feet or so to one side of the steps. And
while she watched he rose, stood for
little staring out to sea, wasted a num-
ber of matches lighting cigarette (Which
seemed curious. in view of the unbroken
cAlm), and moved on out of sight be-
yond shoulder of stone.
She waited fully ten minutes but he
did not reappear.
Then, retreatlng to her seat on the
stone wall, she waited as long again-still
no sign of Lyttleton.
But something else marked that second
period of waiting that intrigued her no
less than the mysterious actions of her
beloved-this although she could imagine
no link between the two
Some freak of chance drew her atten-
ton to a small dark shape, with one
staring red eye, that was stealing quietly
across the Sound in the middle distance
of indefinite contour against the darken-
ing waters, but undoubtedly motorboat
since there was no wind to drive any sail
ing vessel at its pace, or indeed at any
pace at all.
While she watched it incuriously II
came to a dead pause. and so remained |
for several minutes. Then. deliberately, |
with infinitely sardonic effect, II winked |
its single eve of red at her-winked por-
tentously three times.
She made nothing of that, and in her |
profound ignorance OF all things nautical |
might have considered II some curious bit |
OF sea etiquette had she not the next in |
stant. caught out OF the corner of her eye |
the sudden glow of a window lighted in |
the second story OF Gosnold House.
AS she turned in surprise the light went |
out. pause OF perhaps 20 seconds en- |
sued Then the window shone out again |
-one in the left wing, the wing at the end |
of which her bedchamber was located. |
But when she essayed to reckon the rooms |
between 1t and her own 1t turned black |
against, and after another 20 seconds once |
more shone out and once more was
darkened.
After this it continued stubbornly black.
and by the time Sally gave up trying to
determine precisely which window II had /
been, and turned her gaze seaward again,
the boat had vanished. It's lights. at
least, were no longer visible, and 1t was
many minutes before the girl succeeded in
locating the blur 1t made on the face Of
the waters. 1t seemed 10 be moving. but
the distance was so great that she could
not be sure which way.
signal-yes, obviously but between
whom and for what purpose?
Who was on that boat? And who tho
tenant of that room of the flashing win
dow2 She was satisfied that the latter
was one OF = row OF six windows to three
rooms occupied by Mrs Standish, Mrs.
Artemas. and pretty young widow who