New-York tribune., 1918-02-24


at distant target, and for about five
minutes l thoroughly enjoyed myself.
And then l heard sound
turned instantly, to see the door
opening, and very hurriedly I stepped
back behind the nearest window curtain.
And then in came our servant-not the
lady had seen departing from the house,
need scarcely say | was fully halt
exposed, and l dared not make a move
ment to draw the curtain round me;
IN fact, even if l had, my feet would
have remained perfectly visible All I
could DO was to stand as still as statue
and pray that Heaven would blind her.
She walked in briskly, middle-aged
capable-looking woman, holding a broom
and glanced all round the room in a pur-
poseful way. Among the things she
looked at was me, but to my utter aston
1shment she paid no more attention than
II had been piece of furniture For a
moment thought she was blind, but her
sharp glances clearly came from no sight
less eyes. Then wondered whether she
could have such horrible squint that
when she seemed to look at me she was
really looking in another direction. But
| could see no sign of cast in those
eyes, either. And then she picked up an
armful of small articles and walked
quickly out, leaving the door wide OPEN
What had saved me l had no idea.
but l was resolved not to trust to that
curtain any longer. In the middle of the
room was a square table of moderate size
with cloth over it. Without stopping to
think twice, | dived under the cloth and
crouched upon the floor.
The next instant in she came again.
and | found that my tablecloth was SO
scanty that could follow her movements
perfectly. She took some more things
out, and then more again, and finally she
proceeded to set the furniture, piece by
piece, back against the wall, till the table
was left lonely and horribly conspicuous
IN the middle of the floor And then she
began to sweep out that ROOM
There was small scope for an exhibi
.tlon of resource, but ! was as resource
full as I was able I very gently pulled
the scanty tablecloth first in one direc-
tion and then in the other, according tc
the side Of the room she was sweeping.
and as noiselessly as possible I crept
loot Or two further away from her each
time. And all the while the dust rose in
clouds, and the hateful broom came so
near me that it sometimes brushed nv
boots. And yet the extraordinary woman
never showed by single sign that she
had any suspicion of my presence.
At last, when the whole floor had been
swept-except, of course, under the table
she paused, and, from the glimpse I !
could get of her attitude, she seemed to
be Eliminating. And then she stooped.
lifted the edge of the cloth, and said in
an absolutely matter of-fact voice.
"Will you not better get out till I'm
through with my sweeping?"
Too utterly bewildered to speak, /
crept out and rose to my feet.
"You can get under the table again
when I'm finished," she observed, as she
pulled off the cloth.
10 such an observation there seemed
no adequate reply, or at least | could
think of none. / turned in silence and
hurried back to my bedroom And there
sat for space too dumfounded for
coherent thought
Gradually / began to recover nv wits
and ponder over this mysterious affair.
and theory commenced to take shape.
Clearly she was insane or at least half |
wltted, and was quite incapable of draw
ing reasonable conclusions And the
more l thought it over the more did
several circumstances seem to confirm this |
view My fire, for instance, with its
smoke coming out of the chimney and the
supply of peat and firewood which Tiel or
were constantly bringing up. Had she
noticed nothing of that? Also Tiels fire.
quent ascents of this back staircase to
part of the house supposed to be closed
She must be half-witted.
And then l began to recall her brisk
eye and capable air, and the idiot theory
resolved into space. Only one alternative
seemed left. She must be spying upon us
and aware of my presence all the time
But, if so, what could l do? / felt even
more helpless than l did that first night
when my motorcycle broke down. | could
only sit and wait, revolver in hand
When I heard Tiers step at last on
the stairs | confess that my nerves were
not at their best
I'VE are betrayed!' | exclaimed.
He stared at me very hard.
What do you mean?" he asked quietly,
and | am bound to say this of Ticl-
that there is something very reassuring
in his calm voice
/ told him hurriedly. He looked at ms
tor moment, began to smile, and then