Evening star., 1917-10-21

NAH Hilton to spend a week
\Y\V "roughing" IT with him in
" warwickshire l accepted
with alacrity. If ever a man needed a
holiday was that man. Nervous break
down threatened me at any moment
the CHASTITY outrages perpetrated by
Hassan of Aleppo. with all of which
had been associated. were now taking
toll of my nervous system.
A brief wire had contained the well
come invitation. and. up to the time
when I had received it. had been un-
aware that Hilton was back In Eng
land. Moreover, beyond the fact that
his house. ''Uplands." was near H,
for which I was Instructed to change at
New Street station, Birnning CHAM, I had
little idea of its location. But he had
added Wire train and will meet at
H; so that / had no uneasiness on
that score.
had contemplated catching the 2:45
from Euston. but by the time had got
my work into something like order 1
decided that the sos would be more
suitable, and decided to dine on the
train.
When at last I found myself in the
cab. bound for Euston. 1 sat back with
a long-drawn sigh. The quest of the
Prophets slipper was ended; in all
probability that blood stained relic was
already eastward bound Hassan of
Aleppo, its awful guardian, had tri-
umphed and had escaped retribution.
Earl Dexter. the daring cracksman who
for a time had actually held the thing,
was dead.
My cab was held up by a temporary
block in the traffic-and my imagina-
tion played me a strange trick.
AT0n ha~ 20 al 49,,
most at the moment that the press of
vehicles moved on again. Certainly,
had no more than a passing glimpse of
the occupants; but I could have sworn
mine. and that the gaunt face of the
man who sat beside the violet-eyed
girl was that of Earl Dexter.
The travellers, however. were imme-
diate1y lost to sight in the rear, and
| was left to conjecture whether this
had been not uncommon form of
optical delusion or whether / had seen
ghost.
At any rate. as l passed in between
the big pillars of the station I scru-
tiniIed. and closely. the numerous hur-
rying figures about me. None of them,
by any stretch of the Imagination.
could have been set down for that of
Dexter. the Somhrero Man. No doubt
concluded. I have been tricked by
chance resemblance.
Having dispatched my telegram. I
boarded the sos. l thought / should
have the compartment to myself, and.
70 deep in revery was i. that the train
was actually clear of the platforms ere
I learned that ! had a companion.
He must have Joined me at the moment
that the train started. Certainly. I
had not seen him enter. But. sud-
denly looking up. met the eyes of this
man who occupied the corner seat.
facing me.
This person was olive-skinned, clean
shaven. fne-featured and perfectly
groomed. His age might have been
anything from twenty-five to forty
Eve. but his hair and hrows were Jet
black. His eyes. too were nearer to
real black than any human eyes I had
ever seen hefore-eXcepting those of
Hassan of Aleppo.
Ny travelling companion watched me;
Of that I was certain. I could feel
his gaze. But he made no move and
no word passed between us. This was
the situation when the train slowed
to my indescribable relief frankly
/ was as nervous in those days as
woman) the Oriental traveller step
ped out on to the platform.
Having reclosed the door, he turned
and leaned in through the open win
dow
Evidently you are not concerned.
Mr. Cavanagh." he said. BE warned
DO not interfere with those that are"
The night swallowed him up.
Ny fears had been justified; the man
was an hashishin--a spy of Hsssan
Of Aleppo, What did 1t nean7"
with the result that. having gulped a