The Washington times., 1918-04-17
Part One-(Continued)

enough to carry through the door.
The shaking OF il redoubled. and
.unintelligible mutterings made
themselves heard. Then there fol-
lowed the sound OF retreating foot
steps.
HAsty Retreat.
'He has gone back to his prey"
muttered Monrief. but suddenly an
idea struck him. and he paled. is
there another way around? He is
feet. very fleet. There is no. time 70
be lost. This cursed ankle Of mine.
He hobbled away without giving
himself time for furthsr thought.
1t was painful going, and there
was a great stretch OF park before
he reached the gate behind which
he could find safety. But thece was
nothing for it, the effOrs had to be
made.
. He was worn out before he had
proceeded half way. IL vas almost
impossible to put his left foot to the
ground. He was suffering excruci-
anng pain, and, worst OF all, was
the terror of what might be pur-
suing him. He glanced over his
shoulder at every step he took. But
there was no indication OF danger,
nothing to disturb the serenity OF
the night. 1t was with his own
fears that he had to contend.
Cursed fool that ! was" he pant
ed. What possessed me to wait so
long? / should have been clear OF
the place by now, not suffering these
internal agonies and with devil. a
vile. murderous devil on my track
~,
tain that he was being tracked.
Monerief Is Overcome With Fear.
He staggered on a few PAGES.
Shall l never be clear OF this con-
founded park" he continued. Il
never realized its size before. What
was that?
1t was nothing but the wind rus
thing in the trees. but Moncrief had
thought IL was the sound OF his fan
cied pursuer's heavy breathing. II
was little use to assure himself to
the contrary. The next moment he
woulu pause and ask himself again:
What is that"
And every step he took afforded
him keen physical suffering.
As he proceeded his fear increased
rather than diminished. He could
catch me. even il | had but a dozen
PAGES left to 60" he groaned. "Is
any escape possible:'' The shadows
of the trees took strange shapes.
and seemed to threaten him. He
staggered from side TO side. and al
last he fell.
\ paroXysm OF EroundlesS fear
possessed him. Il am weighted
down by this gold" he cried. Il
shall never escape while my pockets
are full of it," He rolled on the
ground in inability to rise Curse
the gold" He cleared his pockets
Of the money they contained and
wildly threw il from him. Was
not his progress impeded thereby?
He regained his feet. 1t seem
cd. indeed. that without the weight
in his pockets 1t was easier to
make his way onward. In that
hour he thought no more OF the
treasure which he had cast away.
The safe, the gate; he must reach
the gate. Nothing else mattered.
And so, in fear and suffering, he
hObbled on.
"where Il the Money!"
And so you have brought back
mott iag-not a farthing:?'
Lillian. quite herself again in ap-
pearance and manner. was repos-
ing comfortably on a sofa in her
boudOir when Moncrief WAS shown
in. He hobbled painfully, and he
had arrived in a cab.
Nothing"
lie was not going to give away
his own folly in clearing out his
pockets OF the comparatively large
sum they had contained. Restored
4, I haF
his alarm had been Eroundless,
that ne had not been pursued at
all.
And Pietro:"
Moncrief made an expressive Ees-
ture. "He will never trouble you
again" he said.
Lillian raised her eyebrows, and
a gratified expression passed over
her face.
He was kiIled-in the act:"
Yes You were right. Lillian. to
say that II was a dangerous game"
With Pietro as the possible vic
tim | did not mind said Lillian
lie is devil. an inhuman crea-
iurc, and he deserved all he got.
Pity is wasted OH hIm. How did
It happen"
lie found the money" Moncr.ef
lied GIibly. "IIe called out to me
that lie had got il The next mo-
ment hc must have been attacked.
His screams were ghastly. In the
urst impulse OF the moment
made 10 help him. but 7 slipped on
the stairs and hurt my ankle. 7
was helpless. In fact. I had ths
greatest difficulty 20 save myself
II WAS awful making my way back
across the park awful. And all for
nothing nothing
"It wasn't ~oT nothing. said LII
liam calmly. since f'ietro met with
hIs deserts. II II hadn't been he |
should have prevented YOU from
going. In fact. knowing as much
as YOU do wonder you were ready
To risk it
Il wasn't thinking ~ going down
myself" said M"ncrI-f with
sm"Ihered oath at a twinge of pain
from his foot.
For some I.ttle while longer their
talk was of Adderly and its
secrets.
But what's to be done now
asked Lillian. The position re-
mains as il was befor" you suE
Ceststl this last mad scheme. She.
considered il time to change the
subject. and 10 turn - the consid-
rrari"n OF h"r own interests. I've