The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-09-02
tCopyrighted.l

VICE a day he took enough e
feed the five women from tht
i table prepared for oxus and
FuIbert and took the. food himself
to them in two different baskets.
There is no use to here describe the
anguish. anxiety. and wretchedness of
Moisette's life, nor the sober resigna-
ton Of Vera's, for their existence had
no particular bearing upon events.
However, a scene in N. Martha's life
! must be narrated because It was de-
stined to have both terrible and happy
consequences.
The little drama was enacted by three
persons.
One the unconscious actor. FuIbert.
and the two who listened stupened. Nine.
Martha and BauciA
Its double scene was Fulbert's bed
room. and the little salon of Nine.
Aartha's apartment
1t took place on the night follow
ing that day when Oxus and Fulbert
had so deceived Hictaner with their
machiavelism and when the ulti-
matum had been drawn up while the
manshark put his Torpedo in COM
mission.
A clock In an ivory frame In Nine.
Martha's room had just struck mid
night. The poor woman was half re-
clining in a deep, easy chair, going
over in her mind the tragic compli-
cations OF her life.
The faithful Baucis was seated on
q cushion at her feet, working me-
chanicaIly at an interminable piece Of
embroidery. The electric light in the
ceiling fell from the ceiling upon the
two silent women.
Behind the wall on which the clock
hung a noise was heard.
''The father Is going Into his room"
BauciS whispered
Madame shuddered.
The slightest sound IN Fulbert's
room, adjoining, could be heard In
the little salon.
This phenomenon Of acoustics was
not due to q thin partition wall, for
on the contrary, II was some twenty
inches thick. But as often happens
in natural grottoes, the wall was
Of porous, spongy stone, all riddled
with holes inside. which gave It an
enormous resonance.
From the nrst day Nine. Martha
istic OF their secret chambers, but,
with that instinct Of cunning latent
in all women, they had not spoken of
It to Fulbert, who some times came
to talk to Nine. Martha, nor to Scopio,
whom they saw four times q day.
As Fulbert was evidently ignorant
OF this quality of the grottoes. they
were always very careful not to talk
aloud nor to make the least sound IN
the salon. And as an extreme precau-
tion, they took their meals In the
more distant room. so that no sound
could reach Fulbert
The priest, therefore, was not on
his guard with his neighbors.
The father is going to bed" said
Baucis, very low.
And the two women listened, as
they did each night.
They heard the excited man walk
ing to and fro, and the creaxing of
the chairs into which he occasionally
threw himself heavily. Then they
heard the sound Of a mattress being
crushed down.
THE father is in bed" Baucis re-
ported.
There was a long silence
Then q sort OF moan came from Full
bert's room. The two women trem-
bled and held their breath. Then
there was another long silence. Then
they heard vague ordinations and
confused words.
"He is dr., hing" whispered Nine.
Martha. Come, Baucis. All. II he
would talk! II God would explain in
this way some OF the terrible mys-
teries surrounding and torturing US!
Come, Baucis. Come"
Listening for NewA.
They rose and crept softly toward
the wall. They leaned against It gen
thy, with their ears to the tapestry.
There was another silence.
Then. suddenly a loud voice said:
mo, no, don't despair. Oxus."
Another long silence, then the voice |
went on, a little less distinctly.
Listen. OXus. this Is what we must |
do. Moisette will be hidden herein ]
the rooms back OF yours. Martha will |
be placed at the side behind mine. No |
one will know. and then we shall be ]
free to act. Listen, this is my plan"
Then. infinitely, with all the precise !
details, the sleeper revealed without !