Mountain advocate., 1916-05-05
CHAPTER XII.
Flight.

Now when Lanyard had locked the
9oor the gruesome peace Of those two
0edchambers was insured, barring the
unforeseen. for as long as the drug
held sway over the faculties of the
American. and Lanyard felt justified in
reckoning that the others uncon-
seriousness would be tolerably protract-
Cd, while not before noon at the ear
Hest would any Partisan landlord who
knew his business dare permit the rest
OF an AngloSaxon guest to be dis
turbed-in the absence, at least, Of
definite instructions to the contrary.
For full minute after withdrawing
the key the adventurer stood at alert
attention; but the heavy silence Of
chat sinister old rookery sang in his
ears untroubled by any untoward
sound.
That wistful shadow of his memo
nes, that covering Marcel Of yester-
day. In acute terror of the heavy hand
Of Nine. Troyon, had never stolen down
that corridor more quietly; yet Lam
yard had taken not five PAGES from his
door when that other, at the far end
q the corridor, opened, and Lucia
Bannon stepped out.
He halted and shut his teeth upon
IN involuntary oath-truly It seemed
as though this run of the DEVILS own
luck would never end!
Astonishment measurably modified
his evaporation. What had reused
the girl out OF bed and dressed her
for the street at that unholy hour?
And why her terror at sight of him?
For that the encounter was no more
welcome to her than to him was as
patent as the fact that she was pre-
pared to leave the hotel forthwith. A
businesslkc Burberry rainproof en-
Seloped her from throat to the hem
OF short walking skirt of rough
tweed. beneath which boots both stout
and brown were visible.
At sight of him she paused with
nervous start and instinctively stepped
back. cropping blindly for the knob of
her bedChamber door, while the eyes
that held to his with an effect of
frightened fascination seemed momen-
tarily to grow larger and darker In
her face of abnormal pallor.
But these were illegible evidences.
and Lanyard ignored them, intent on
securing her attention and silence be-
fore she could speak and so perhaps,
betray him and ruin incontinently that
grim alibi he had prepared with such
elaborate pains He moved toward her
swiftly, with long, silent strides,
lifted hand enjoining rather than beg
ging her silence and attention. AS he
drew nearer he was aware that curl.
Gus change was coloring the complex
ion of her temper. she passed quickly
from dread TO something oddly like re-
lief, from Tepulsion to something
strangely like welcome, and dropping
the hand that had sought the doorknob,
she, in turn, moved quietly to meet
him.
He was grateful for this considera.
tion, for this tacit indulgence OF the
wish he had as yet to voice. and drew
q little hope and comfort from It in
an emergency which had surprised
him without resource other than to
throw himself upon her mercy. And
as soon as he could make himself
heard in the clear yet concentrated
whisper that was a trick of his trade,
he addressed her in q manner at once
peremptory and apologetic:
IF you please, Miss Bannon-not q
word, not a whisper!"
She paused and nodded, eyes stead
fast to his, questioning but compliant.
Doubtfully, wondering that she didn't
show more wonder, he went on in the