The Washington times., 1915-05-09


ed Want to see the lady of the
house."
Almost Immediately he was conscious
OF woman standing In the hall before
him. She was quietly but Handsomely
dressed; her hair was gray. her smile,
although a little peculiar, was benevo-
lent.
you had better come in she in
vited. please do not stand in tho door
way"
Quest, however. who had heard the
footsteps of the others behind him. lott
cred there for a moment.
You're the lady whose name is on
This place is all right. eh?"
Il really do not know what you
mean" the woman replied. coldly. but
II you will come inside ! will talk to
you in the drawing room"
Quest, as though stumbling against
the front door, had II now wide open.
and In q moment the hall seemed full
The woman shrieked The butler sud
ssn and sss, uBGn R ths sSnnns nss down to
steps. Almost at that insta mt there was
a scream from upstairs. Quest took a
running jump and went UP the stairs
four at a time. The butler. who SO far
ired biindly in front q him. missing
Quest only by an inch or two,
c,,.S pSnt ont be S. Ssoo ..s RsI the Ts~n z
quietly"
Once moro the shriek rang through
| the house. Quest rushed to the door
OF the room from whence It came, tried
the handle and found II locked. He ran
back j. little way and charged It, From
inside he could hear turmoil of voices.
White with rage and passion, he pushed
and kicked madly.. There was the sound
through the door within an inoh of his
head. then the crash OF broken crockery
| and q mans groan. With a final effort
Quest dashed the door in and staggered
the far conner. the front of her dress
| torn and blood upon her lips. She. held
revolver IN her hand and was cover
ing a man whose head and hands We're
bleeding, Around him were the debris
Mr.. Quest!' she screamed. Don't
| all right"
| who stood glaring at him was well
dressed and still young. He was un-
armed, ho~cter. and Quest secured him
| in momeLt.
No one wanted to do her any harm"
Hardaway and his men came trooping
up the stRirs. Quest relinquished his
prisoner ana went over TO Lenora:
They got me in here--they told me that
this was the street in which my aunt
! nS ed-and they wouldn't let me 60. The
woman was horrible. And this after
He hasn hurt your Quest demand
ed. fiercely. as he passed his arm around
her.
She shook her head.
He would never have done that" she
murmured. had my hatpn1 In my,
gown an1 l should have killed myself
nrst."
Quest turned to Hardaway.
I'm take the young lazy away, he
Hardaway nodded and Quest support
ed Lenora down the stairs and into the
taxicab. which was still waitinE. She
leaned back and he passed his arm
Are You faintT' he asked. anxiously.
as they drove toward tho hotel.
"A little" she admitted. not very.
Rut, oh! l am 60 thankful-so thank
tul.''
He leaned a little nearer toward her,
denly the color flushed into her cheeks.
Il couldn't have done without YOU
Lenora had almost recovered when
they reached the hotel Walking up
and down they found the professor. HIS
face, as he came toward them. s,at was a.
Lenora's deshabille, which was IN a
measure concealed by the cloak which
Quest had thrown around her,
My friend" he exolaimed-"Mr;;
whom whom we ashti'
What do you msan." Quest demand
The professor wruns, his HANDS, >.
Il put him in our James II prison
hs declared. why should ] think Of
the secret passage No one has used It
for a hundred years He found It.
| learned the trick
you mean" Quest CRIED
broke in. craig has escaped again!
They are searching for him high and
low, but he has gone"
quests arm frightened for a moment
In Lenoras. 1t was curious how ne
seemed to have lost at that moment all
the relief Of that one thought
overshadowsd everything else In the
world.
tered.
you some day and you'll see how won
derful his escape has been-leads on to
the first ioor OF the house. He must
have got into my dressing room, for his
old clothes are there and he went away
In q suit Of mine. No one has seen him
or knows anything about him All that
the local police can md out Is that a
man answering something like his de-
scription caught the morning train Tor
Southampton from Hamblin roads
They had been standing together In q
little recess OF the hall. suddenly le-
nora, whose face was turned toward the
| entrance doors. gave little cry She
took a quick step forward.
LAURA" she exclaimed. wonderinsly.
"why. it's Laura"
They all turned around. A young
woman had Just entered the hotel, fol-
lowed by a porter carrying some lug
gage. Her arm was IN a sling and there
was a bandage around her forehead.
She walked. too. with the help of a
stick She recognized them at once and
| waved It gaily.
"Hullo. you peopiel" che cried Soon
run you to earth. eh?"
They were for moment dumhfound-
ed. Lenora was the first to find words.
But when did you start Laura" she
asked. II thought YOU were too I'll to
move for weeks"
The girl smiled contemptuously.
IT left three days after you, on the
Kaiser Frederic" she replied. There
was some trouble at Plymouth. and we
came into Southampton early this morn
ing. and here am. Say. before we go
any further tell me about Craig
"We've had him." Quest confessed,
. "snd lost him again. He escaped last
! Might -