Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-05-12

Now, although. In the light or her
apparent affection for her aged hus-
thought to be exceedingly happy over
this, 1t was distinctly noticeable that
she was nervous and Ill at ease. that
there was a hunted look in her eyes
and that. as the day wore on. these
things seemed to be accumulated. More
than that. there seemed added proof OF
the truth Of young Bawdreys assertion
that she and Capt. Travers were In
league with each other. for that day
they were constantly together. con-
stantly getting OF into out-of-the-way
places and constantly talking in an
undertone of something that seemed to
worry them
Even when dinner was over and the
whole party adjourned to the DRAWN
room for coffee. and the lady ought, in
all conscience. to have given herself
wholly up to the entertainment of her
guests. it was observable that she de-
voted most Of her time to whispered
conferences with Capt Travers. They
kept going to the window and looking
up at the sky. as II worried and an
noyed that the twilight should be SO
long In fading and the night in coming
on. But, worse than this. at 10 o'clock
Capt. Travers made an excuse of hav-
ing letters to write. and left the room.
and 1t was scarcely six minutes later
that she followed suit.
But the captain had not gone to
stead. he had gone straight to the
morning room. an apartment immedi-
ately behind that in which the elder
Mr.. Eawdrey's collection was housed.
and from which a broad French win
dow opened out upon the grounds, and
1t might have caused a scandal had IL
been known that Mrs Bawdrey Joined
him there one minute after leaving the
drawing ROOM
1T is the time. Walter, 1t is the time.'
N a lae NJ q
she closed the door and moved across
the room to where he stood, a dimly
seen figure in the dim light. God help
ana pity, me! but l am so nervous I
The note said at 10 tonight in the
morning room. and 1t is 10 now. The
hour is here. Walter. the hour Is herer'
So Is the man. Mrs. Bawdrey." an
swered low voice from the outer dark
ness. Then figure lifted itself above
the screening shrubs just beyond the
ledge Of the open window and Cleek
stepped into the room.
She gave a little hysterical cry and
reached out her hands to him.
oh. I am SO glad to see you, even
though you hint at such awful things.
am so glad" she said. Il almost died
when read your note. To think that 1t
Is mnrder-murder! And but for you
like to know that the doctor brought
the stun you sent by him and my
darling is better-better."
Before. Cleek could venture any reply
to this Capt. Travers stalked across
the room and gripped his hand
And SO you are that great man Cleek,
are you?" he said. Bully boy! Bully
boy! And to think that all the time it
wasn't some mysterious natural aff1ic-
ton: to think that 1t was crime
what poison?"
"Ayupee, or. as it is variously called
in the several islands Of the Eastern
ipo peia ciesS 10 antjas and
venom which the Malays use in poison
ing the heads of their arrows"
What! that awful stuff" said Mrs.
bawdrey, with a little shuddering cry.
AND some one In this house" Her
voice broke: She plucked at Cleek' S
agony of entreaty Who" she i'm
plored. who in this house could? You
said you would tell tonight-you said
you would. on; who could have the
not heard 1t. that once upon a time
there was bad blood between Mr. MUIR
dock and him; that Mr. Murdoch is a
family connection. but even he. oh.
Cleek?"
mrs. Bawdrey. can't just yet" he
made reply. I'm my heart I am as GER
tain Of it as though the criminal had
confessed; but | am waiting for a sign.
and until that comes absolute proof
is not possible. That it will come and
may. indeed. come at any moment now
mat 1t Is quite dark. am very certain.
When 1t does
He stopped and threw up a warning
mana: AS he spoke a queer thudding
sound struck one dull note through the
stiffness of the house. He stood, bent
forward. listening. absolutely breath
less: then. on the other side of the wall.
tnere rippled and rolled a something
That was like the sound of a struggle
between two voiceless animals, and
the sign that he awaited had come,
FOLLOW me quickly, as noiseless as
you can. Let no one hear, let no one
see" he said in a breath Of excitement.
Ihen ne spring catlike to the door.
whirled 1t open. scudded round the
angie OF the passage to the entrance
OF the room where the fraudulent COL
Iectlon was kept, and went in with the
slfene neetness OF panther. And
moment later. when Capt. Travers and
MRS. Bawdrey swung in through the
door and Joined him, they came upon a
horrifyfng sight.
For there. leaning against the open
door of the case where the skeleton of
the nine-hngered man hung. was Dol
Tops. bleeding and faint, and with a
score OF toothmarks on his neck and
throat. On the floor at his feet Cleek
was kneeling on the writhfng figure of
man who bit and tore and snarled like
cornered wolf and fought with teeth
and feet and hands alike in the wild
EFFORT to get free from the grip of
destiny. A locked handcuff clamped
one wrist. and from it swung, at the
END OF the connecting chain, its un-
locked mate; the marks Of Dollops'
fists were on his lips and cheeks, and
at the foot Of the case, where the
hanging skeleton doddered and shook
to the vibration of the floor. lay
shattered phial of deep blue glass.
Got. you, you hound" said Cleek
through his teeth as he wrenched the
mans two wrists together and snapped
the other handcuff into place. You
beast OF tngratitude, you Judas! Kiss
ing and betraying like any other Is
CARROT! And a dear old man like that,
Look here. Mrs. Bawdrey: look here,
Capt. Travers; what do you think of a
little rat like this?"
They came forward at his word. and.
looking down, saw that the figure he
was bending over was the figure of
Philip Bawdrey.
oh" gulped Mrs. Bawdrey. and then
shut her two hands over her eyes and
fell away weak and shivering. oh,
Mr.. Cleek. it can't bet can't! To do
a thing like that?'
oh. he'd have done worse, the little
reptile. if he hadn't been pulled up
short" said Cleek in reply. He'd have
hanged you for 1t, If it had gone the
way he planned. You look in your
boxes: you. too. Capt. Travers I'll
wager each Of you finds a phial of
ayupee hidden among them somewhere.
Came in to put more Of the cursed stuff
ON the ninth finger of the skeleton. SO