The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1917-11-03

auto had gone dead al

D 'rikins a great loose paving
- dock. The chauffeur was busy
inZ himself getting the machine int"
snap. again. ResiliuS Marvel could
brook necessary delay, but it was his
characteristic never TO sit piacidly hE
With folded hands. He had estimated
NtOppdEe Of some continuance, had
Ieapcd from the vehicle, and asked for
my company with brief glance,
1t VAS a quaint part vi TIE great
city, remembered by Old settlers only
once the narrow winding street, cX-
Tending only two blocks. had been res
idential. business had reached ana
swung over and fallen into the des-
uetude Of rag warehouses and storage
cellars. Some of the riekety oId-faSh-
Toned structures had gone to decay
and disuse. We strolied along the
stone walk, cracked and irregular,
while my friend deScanted on the gild-
ed past of those old totterins man
SiOnS
Ii 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
10 sharp halt and / followed his rX-
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 vas
boarded UP or out of place.
For the love of heaven--Oh, some
one come into the house"
Those were the words, uttered III
weird, thrilling accents. Time, place
and the speaker, a fair young girl, har-
monlzed with suggestion OF the i'll
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-
Element. 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 man before whom the end
Of puzzle mad been cast, with chal-
Ienge for expert calculation 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 q |
shrek, ringing, far-echoing, curdling /
half halted him. Together we noted |
Il sharp turn to the episode, blotting |
out what had materiaiized 50 sudden
~. From behind the waverinS girlish |
form pair OF arms extended. They
we're sinuous, though StaIrart, 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 1eecy, bill
lowy scarf that. with fine gurh Of the
new actor in the mamentary drama,
gave an oriental tinge ~ the situation.
There was darkness then where
there had been animation. Trayesty.
drama or tragedy. the curtain was
down and the act ended. | wondered
what Marvel would do next His sure
definite leap over the cobbleStones en-
lightened me. He reached the oppo-
site pavement, made Il rush. and as his
body came like battering
ram against the closed door guarding
The old wreck of rookery, it flew
from it's hinges like barrier Of straw.
The dull afternoon light of day pen
long passageTay tecbly, 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
il and himself, guided by the shifting
focus point that showed Splintered
trends fast rOtting away. We reached
2 landing. A fraif door guarded the
second flight. It was unlocked, how
EVER. and yielded to- touch. At the
'0p of the stairway We came into n
large room. 1t held the open window
space at which the girl, nov SO mys-
icriously vanished, had appeared to
our vision for the space Of a few mo-
nents. AS Marvel passed | saw him
Htoop. 1t was to pick up Il crumpled
piece of paper Then, his eyes fixed
N the floor, he traced track IN the
accumulated dust of years, showing
where trailing garments had made
'road plain mark.
There was an open dpor NJ the end I
If the long room. 1t bed out upon
platform which SPAWNED an alley
Leading from the platform was rick
'ty flight of narrow stairs. As We
danced over the railing We saw Il fe- i
male form just leaping from the lower
step. AS she turned io run down the ;
illey towards the arxr street She
Urned slightly.
The same girl" observed Marvel
Yes" l assented. noting that her ,
land was held closely across her chest
md that she tottersd As she ran, evil |
iently on the verge OF collapse from