Evening star., 1917-09-23

We skirted the clock tower. and bore
around to the right. Then drew well
back in tho corner Of the cab.
The woman with the basket was de-
scending!
Pull up few yards beyond" d.
rected.
AS the car restarted. and passed us.
tho taxi became stationary. 1 peered
out Of the little window at the back
The woman was returning IN the dl-
rectton of Waterloo road.
Drive slowly back along Waterloo
road" was my next order. pretend you
are looking for fare; Will keep out
of sight"
I was borne back again upon my
course. The woman kept to the right
and. once we were entered into the
straight road which leads to the bridge.
again raised the speaking-tube.
Pull up" I said. "On the right hand
Keep we'll behind, but don't lose sight
of her"
Just before she reached the place
where the mysterious assault had taken
place the woman crossed the road and
disappeared from view.
1 leaped out of the cab. thrust half-a-
crown into the mans hand. and ran on
to the corner. The night was now Tar
advanced and I knew that the chances
of detection were thereby increased. But
her fears, and I saw her Just ahead OF
me walking resolutely past the lamp
beyond which short time earlier she
had met with a dangerous adventure:
She entered the gate OF block OF
dwellings even more forbidding in ap-
pearance than those which that night
had staged a dreadful drama.
AS the figure with the basket was lost
from view I crept on, and in turn eau
tiously entered the evil-smelling hall
way.
Footsteps were receding up the stone
stairs I could not see the woman, but
from the sound of her tread it was pos
sible to count the landings which she
fourth, and I heard her step upon yet
another flight, I knew that she must
be bound for the topmost floor. and OBJ
serving every precaution. almost hold
ing my breath in a nervous endeaVor 70
make no slightest sound. 1 rapidly
mounted the stairs.
I was comeing to the third landing IN
this secret fashion when quite distinctly
1 heard the grating OF a key in lock!
Since four doors opened upon each OF
the landings. at all costs. ! thought
Throwing caution to the winds l raced
up the remaining flights and
there at the top the woman confronted
me. with blazing eyes!-with eyes that
thrilled my every nerve; for they were
violet eyes, the only true violet eyes l
have ever seen! They were the eyes OF
the woman who like charming, mock
ing, will-o- the-wisp had danced through
this tragic scene from the time that poor
Prof Deeping had brought the prophet 8
slipper to London up to this present hour
There at the head Of those stone steps
in that common dwellinghouse, / knew
her-and in the violet eyes it was written
that she knew and feared me!
'sWhat do you want? Why are you
following me?'
She made no endeavor to disguise her
voice. I think she spoke the words al
most involuntarily.
l stood beside her Quickly as she had
had noted that the door she had beer
about to open was numbered forty-eight
'You waste words" 1 said grimly
'Who lives there?"
nodded in the direction Of the door
way.
II live there" she said slowly. What
do you want with me?"
IT want to know replied. 'for whom
are those provisions in your basket! And
l want to know who killed the hashishir
who lies dead at no great distance from
here"
How can I tell you that? OF what
are you speaking?'
Her voice was low and musical: that
of a cultured woman. She evidently
recognized the futility Of further subter-
fuge in this respect.
You know quite well of what I am
speaking! You know that you can tell
me If any one can! The fact that you
20 disguised alone condemns you! Why
should remind you Of our previous meet
ings-of the links which bind you to the
history of the prophets slipper" She
shuddered and closed her eyes. 'Youl
present attitude is a sufficient admis-
sion"
Our alteration had not thus fal
served to arouse any Of the inhabi.
tants, and on that stuffy landing. be.