The Monticellonian., 1915-10-21

i her ear. GO out-and if you meet anyone, just salute and walk past"
 "Yes-yes, l understand" she nod ded back, and thank you.
 He gave her no time to say more. even if it had been safe, but turned and locked the door of her room.
 Trying to keep the old stairway from creaking and betraying her, she went down She managed to reach the lower hallway without seeing any body or being discovered Quietly she went to the door and out. She had not gone far when she met an armed man, the sentry, who had been con cealed in the shrubbery.
 Who goes there?" he challenged.
 Elaine did not betray herself by speaking, but merely saluted and passed on as fast as she could without exciting further suspicion. Non plused, the man turned and watched her curiously as she moved away down the path.
 "Where's he going?" the sentry muttered, still staring
 Elaine in her eagerness was not looking as carefully where she was going as she was thinking about get ting away in safety. Suddenly an oyerhanging branch of a tree caught her hat, and before she knew it pulled it off her head. There was no con eealing her golden hair now.
 Stop" shouted the sentry. Elaine did not pause, but diyed into the bushes on the side of the path, just as the man fired and ran forward, still shouting for her to halt. She ran as fast as she could, pulling off the goggles and mask and looking back now and then in terror at her pursuer, who was rapidly gaining on her.
 Before she could catch herself she missed her footing and slipped over the edge of a gorge. Down she went. with rush.
 The sentry checked himself just in time at the top of the gorge and leaned as far over the edge as he dared. He raised his gun again and fired But Elaine's course was so hid den by the trees and so zigzag that he missed again. A moment he hesitat- ed, then started and climbed down after her as fact as he could.
 At the bottom of the hill she picked herself up and dashed again into the woods. the sentry still after her and gaining again.
 At the same time we who were still in the chase had circled about the country until we were very near where we started Following the dogs over rail fence, drew up suddenly, hear ing a scream.
 There was Elaine, on foot, running as if her life depended on it. l need ed no second glance. Behind her was a man with a rife. almost overtaking her.
 AS luck would have it, the momen- tum of my horse carried me right at them Careful to avoid Elaine, rode square at the man, striking at him Yieiously with my riding crop before he knew what had struck him.
 The fellow dropped. stunned. I leaped from my horse and ran to her, just as the rest of the hunt came up.
 
 Having waited until he was sure that Elaine had got away safely, the old tramp slowly and carefully fol lowed down the stairs of the ruined hotel
 
 As he went down he heard shot from the woods Could it be one of the sentries? He looked about keen ly hesitating just what to do.
 In an instant, down below, he heard the scurry of footsteps from the i'm provised laboratory and shouts. He turned and stealthily ran upstairs, just as the door opened.
 The tramp had not been the only one who had been alarmed by the shot of the sentry.
 Del Mar was talking again to the men when it rang out What's that?" he exclaimed Another intruder"
 The men stared at him blankly while Del Mar dashed for the door, followed by them all. In the hall he | issued his orders quickly.
 Here, you fellows" he called, di. viding the men, get outside and see what is doing You other men follow me- want you to see if everything is all right up above" Meanwhile the tramp had gained the upper hallway and dashed past l ho I,i i1h ha no npcynial Ont side, in the hall Del Mar and his men rushed up to the door of the room in which Elaine had been thrown. II was locked and they broke in. She was gone!
 On into the next room they dashed bearing down this door also. There was Shorty, trussed up in his under clothes. They hastened to release him.
 Where are they-where's the tramp?" demanded Del Mar angrily.
 "I think I heard someone on the roof" replied Shorty weakly.
 He was right. The tramp had man. aged to get through a scuttle on the roof Then he climbed down to the edge and began to let himself hand. overland down the lightning rod.
 Reaching the ground safely, he scurried about to the back of the build l ing. There, tied, was the horse which 1 Del Mar had ridden to the hunt He united it, mounted and dashed of down the path through the woods, talk ing the shortest cut in the direction | of Fort Dale.
 Dusty and fiecked with foam, the tramp and his mount, a strange com