Evening star., 1918-08-11
MRS. CLERY's DOOR,"

tive's grasp and leaned back while
Gryce laboriously perused 1t.
1t was lilly written, but well worth
the pains he gave to it--as witness:
To the Chief of Police:
Dear Sir: l am told that there is
a reward out for certain woman by
the name of Duclos. do not know
any such person, but there is wom-
an who has been lodging In my house
for the last two weeks who has acted
SO strangely at odd times that / have
become very suspicious of her, and
think 1t right for you to know what
she did here one night.
It's about a fortnight since she
came to my house In search OF
lodgings. Had she been young. I
to her, decent as she was in her
dress and ways; for she was a
foreign woman and don't like foreign
ers. But being middle-aged and ready
allowed her to come in but gave her
my very best room. This is not say
ing much, because the elevated road
runs by my door. darkening my whole
But she did not seem to mind this, and
l took little notice of her. till one OF
the other lodgers-a woman with a
busy tongue-began to ask why this
strange woman, who was so very dark
and plain, went out only at night!
Did she sew or write for living? II
not, what did she do with herself all
day?
AS the last was a question l could
easily answer. l said she spent most of
her time reading the newspapers: and
this was true, because she always came
in with her arms full of them. But
there / stopped, as l never discuss my
dodgers. Yet must acknowledge that
my curiosity had been reused by all
this talk, and l began to watch the
woman, who 1 soon saw was in what
I would call a flustered state of mind,
and as unhappy as any one could be
reavement But still 1 wasn't really
alarmed, being misled by the name S..c
gave, which was Clery.
Night before last went to bed early.
/ am heavy sleeper. as need to be
with those cars pounding by the house
every few minutes. But there are GER
tain noises which wake me. and I
found myself all of sudden sitting
up in bed and listening. with all my
ears. Everything was quiet, even on
the elevated road; but when the next
train came laundering along. l heard.
piercing shrilly through the rumble
had awakened me. What was it? 1t
seemed to come from somewhere in the
house. But how could that be! / was
startled enough, however, to get up
and slip on some of my clothes and
stand with ears astretch for the next
train.
1t came and passed. and right in the
middle of the noise 1t made l heard
again that quick, sharp sound. This
time 1 was sure 1t came from some-
where near, and opening my door, I
slid into the hall. All my dodgers were
in but one, 40 young gentleman who
has night key. And most of the
rooms were dark, as l can very well
tell from the fact that none of the
doors fit as they ought to and there Is
sure to be streak of light showing
somewhere about them Ii the gas
Is burning inside. Everything looked
so natural, and the house was SO still,
that 1 was going back again when
another train swept by and that sound
was repeated. This time 1 was sure
1t came from somewhere on the lower
floor, and mindful of Mrs. Clery's queer
ways, l stole downstairs to her door.
She was up--that was plainly enough
to be seen. But what was she doing?
! was just little frightened, or
would have knocked on the door and
asked.
AS I was waiting for the passing by
of the next train, my last lodger came
in and caught me standing there be-
fore Mrs. Clery's door 1 know him
pretty well; so l put my finger to my
lips and then beckoned him to Join me.
AS the train approached. l seized him
by the arm and pointed toward