Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1916-03-01

shoot to kill with the most coldblood
ed intent-given one of three targets
while for Popinot's creatures, if they
them with as little conjunction as
though they were the rats in fact thai
they were in spirit.
Distinguishing the lights, he stepped
quickly to a window and from one
edge of it's shade looked down into
the street.
He was in time to see a stunted hu
man silhouette detach itself from the
shadow of doorway on the opposite
walk, move to the curb and wave an
arm-evidently signaling another sen
tinel on farther corner and out OF
Lanyard's range Of vision.
Herein was additional proof. if any
lacked, that De Morbihan had not ex.
| aggerated the disposition Of Popinot
, This animal in the street, momentarily
revealed by the corner light as he
darted across to take position by the
door, this animal with sickly face and
pointed chin. with dirty muller round
its chicken-neck, shoddy coat clothing
its sloping shoulders, baggy corduroy
trousers tapping round its bony
shanks-this was Popinot's. and but
one of thousand differing in no es-
sential save degree of viciousness.
1t wasn't possible to guess how thor
in cooperation with Roddy's murderer,
by way of provision against mis-
chance; but the adventurer was sat-
isfied that in his proper guise as him.
self, he needed only to open that pos
tern door at the street end of the
passage to feel knife slip in between
his ribs-most probably in his back,
beneath the shoulderblade.
He nodded grimly, moved back from
the window, and used the fash-lamp
to light him to the door.
CHAPTER XII.
Flight.
Now when Lanyard had locked the
door the gruesome peace of those two
bedchambers 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-
ed, while not before noon at the ear
Hest would any Partisan landlord who
knew his business dare permit the rest
of an Anglo-Saxon 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
that sinister old rookery sang in his
ears untroubled by any untOward
sound.
That wistful shadow of his memo
ries, 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
of the corridor, opened, and Lucia
Damon stepped out.
He halted and shut his teeth upon
an 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
businesslike Burberry rainproof en-
veloped 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 a
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
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, a
lifted hand enjoining rather than beg
cling 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 repulsion to something
strangely like welcome, and dropping
the hand that had sought the doorknob,
she, TN turn, moved quietly to meet
him.
He was grateful for this considera-
ton, for this tacit indulgence of the
wish he had as yet to voice, and drew
4 little hope and comfort from it in
an emergency which had surprised
him without resource other than to
throw himself upon her mercy. And
IS soon as he could make himself
heard in the clear yet concentrated
whisper that was trick of his trade,
le addressed her in manner at once
and apologetic:
IF you please, Miss Bannon-not a
word. not a whisDeri"