The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1917-10-25
THE ORIENTALIST
! UR auto had gone dead after

block. Inc cnauHeur was UuSy
ing himself getting the machine into
shape again. Resilius Marvel could
brook necessary delay, but it was his
characteristic never to sit placidly by
with folded hands. He had estimated
q stoppage of some continuance, had
leaped from the vehicle, and asked for
my company with brief glance.
1t was quaint part of the great
city, remembered by old settlers only.
Once the narrow winding street, ex-
tending only two blocks, had been res
fdential. Business had reached and
swung over and fallen into the des-
uetude of rag warehouses and storage
cellars. Some of the rickety old-fash-
Toned structures had gone to decay
and disusc. We strolled along the
stone walk, cracked and irregular,
while my friend descanted on the gild-
ed past of those old tOttering man.
SionS.
1t was sudden, startling, tragic-the
cry, the call, the appeal that abruptly
rang out upon that dull afternoon air.
The near hum of business activity did
not soften or dash it out. Marvel came
to sharp halt and followed his ex-
ample. Those keen eyes of his gave
one comprehensive sweep of what lay
opposite us. Mine followed the indi-
cation of his own, roved across the
gray house fronts and rested on the
third story, where every sash was
boarded up or out OF place.
For the love Of heaven-Oh, some
one come into the house!'
Those were the words, uttered in
weird, thrilling accents. Time, place
and the speaker, a fair young girl, har-
monized with suggestion of the in
tense and dramatic. She was framed
wildly against the dark background
of the vacant room, one hand support
ing her against the rotting window
frame. She wavered as though she
would fall over the low reaching case
ment into the street. Her face was
white as marble, her eyes stricken with
some fearful emotion of horror or eX-
citement. She saw us. and her cry
was meant for US.
| noted Resilius Marvel incline that
shrewd face of his as though striving
TO peer into a mystery, his keen pro-
fessional instincts at once aroused. He
was as a man before whom the end
of a puzzle mad been cast, with a chal-
lenge for expert elucidation. His fea-
lures instantly assumed a certain
grimneSs, as if he discerned menace
in the situation, urgency, perchance
peril.
Come he said simply, quickly, and
started to cross the street. but a
Shrek, ringing, far-echoing, curdling
half halted him. Together we noted
sharp turn to the episode, blotting
out what had materialized so sudden
ly. From behind the wavering girlish
form pair of arms extended. They
were sinuous, though Stalwart, and
full silken vestments enclosed them.
They encircled the Shrieking girl and
drew her back, one of them muffling
her face in the folds of a fleecy, bill
lowy scarf that, with the garb of the
new actor in the momentary drama,
gave an oriental tinge to the situation.
There was Darkness then where
there had been animation. TraveSty,
drama or tragedy, the curtain was
down and the act ended. l wondered
what Marvel would do next. His sure
definite leap over the cObblestones en-
lightened me. He reached the oppo-
site pavement, made q rush, and as his
powerful body came like battering
ram against the closed door guarding
the old wreck of q rOokery, it flew
from its hinges like barrier of straw.
The dull afternoon light of day pen
etrated long passageway feebly, and
beyond was gloom. There was a flash
as we reached a shaking, uncertain
stairway My friend had brought out
his portable electric tube. l followed
1t and himself, guided by the shifting
focus point that showed splintered
treads fast rotting away. We reached
landing. A frail door guarded the
second flight. 1t was unlocked, how
ever, and yielded to touch. At the
top of the stairway we came into a
large room. 1t held the open window
space at which the girl, now so mys-
teriously vanished, had appeared to
our vision for the space of few mo-
ments. AS Marvel passed / saw him
stoop. 1t was to pick up a crumpled
piece of paper. Then, his eyes fixed
on the floor, he traced track in the
accumulated dust of years, showing
where trailing garments had made q
broad plain mark.
There was an open door at the end
of the long room. 1t led out upon a
platform which spanned an alley.
Leading from the platform was rick
ETY. flight of narrow stairs As we
glanced over the railing we saw fe-
male form just leaping from the lower
step. AS she turned to run down the
alley towards the next street she
turned slightly.
1.-THE same girl" observed Marvel
sententiously.
"Yes," 1 asseuted, noting that her
hand was held closely across her chest
and that she tottered as she ran, evil
IDENTIFY on the verge of collapse from
nervous excitement.
l saw Marvel make a movement to
dash after her. Then he saw it was
too late. At the mouth of the alley
stood an automobile. evidently in wait
ing for the girl. She fairly fell into
Its seat as she pulled herself up the
step, the urgency with which the
chauffeur acted telling that she had