The daily morning oasis., 1918-02-17
Three Women
And a Mystery
Continued from page q

Pausing in my swift advance, first
listened for another move within, then
slid quietly forward. AS 1 passed the
crack of the door l caught one glimpse
OF my patient and the bed on which
she lay. Certainly that was hand
and arm l saw stretched across the
table have mentioned, but when l
followed up my discovery by quick
rush which carried me round the door
and over the intervening threshold,
another and a quicker rush took place
within, md l arrived just in time to
perceive the tail of vanishing skirt
disappear into the hallway through a
further door.
was not long in reaching that door;
but swiftly as moved could not over
take the intruder. By the time 1 was
In the hall she had entered the library
opposite, and when l thought to catch
her there slight click in the direction
OF one of the windows told me that she
had escaped from the house, and that
If | wished to come upon her I must
seek her on the lawn or in the garden
walks, where had so lately traced her
shadow.
Meanwhile I had leaped to the
window and looked out Yes, she was
there! 1 could see her tall and care
fully enwrapped figure outlined against
the moonbeams. She was making for
the gate; in another moment she would
be in the road. Where to GO? That
was of small consequence now. The
proof of her duplicity was to be got
within the walls rather than beyond
them. l had but to go to her room and
discover her bed empty, to have all the
evidence l needed in the attack
meant to make upon her character in
my next interview with Mr.. Cassetty.
Filled with this idea, which l felt
impressed was a most happy one, !
first carefully locked the window of
which she had made such traitorous
use, then, with another quick glance
into the room where my still sleeping
patient lay, turned toward the stair
case, which 1 had never before found
occasion to mount.
l felt that l knew my way.
Molly, the maid, had more than once
spoken of Miss Ffolliet's room, and of
how Mr.. Cassetty had been careful to
remove her to the one over the library,
so that her stepping out overhead
should not disturb Miss Cassetty By
fixing the exact position of the library
on the lower floor, l could make no
mistake as to which door l ought to
enter on the one above. Yet it was
not an agreeable errand 1 had under
taken, and felt something like thief
as wound my way upstairs in the dead
of night, without even lighted candle
in my hand, into regions l was not
supposed to invade, save on an errand
of life or death. But was this not an
errand of life or death? l was certain
that it was, and so gained courage for
my task.
The moonlight, which had freer
access above than below, stood me in
good stead as / glided past the stairhead
and took that turn to the right which
felt convinced would lead me to the two
guest chambers. By its aid l could
see both their doors, and decide without
the least hesitation which led to the
room directly above the library. But
when l reached it, l found that it
required more hardihood than l had
previously supposed, to turn the knob
and cross the threshold.
Though l knew the room to be empty
there is something about an intrusion
of this nature which might well make
sensitive person shrink. But one
thought, given to my sweet young