Evening star., 1918-08-25
SUDDENLY. UNCURTAINED A
FEARED A BREATH.


In another moment he appeared at the
front door, where Mr.. Gryce Joined
him, and together they took their
first look at the small, but surprising
ly well furnished, interior.
The hall in which they stood was
without staircase and had many Of
the appointments OF room. Doors
opened here and there along its length,
and In the rear they saw closed one
evidently leading into the yard.
There was no one within sight. One
would have said that with the death
and carrying out Of the owner Of this
little dwelling all life had departed
from 1t. Yet these two men knew that
life was there: and. raising his voice,
MIR. Gryce called out in the least
alarming way possible: ~
Madame Duclos" following this
utterance of her name with an apol-
ogy for the intrusion and prayer for'
one mthute's interview. ,L y -
where.
Apprehensive of. they knew not
what, the two detectives started ST.
muitaneously.. one for the. door on
the left. When they met again In the.
III lighted hall Mr.. Gryce was shak-
Ing his head. but Sweetwater had lift
ed a beckoning finger. unconscious
" noderating his step. Mr.. Gryce fol-
lowed him through one room to the
door OF another. which he saw stand
Ing partly open. = iAsA,, =
Through the crack thus, made be-
tween the hinges they could get a
very fair glimpse of what was going
on inside. They. saw q bed, and,
woman kneeling beside this bed. her
eyes upraised In prayer, The look
which had awed them at the window
N . MI IN
high and so full of religious faith that
for an instant they were conscious of
the reversal Of all their ideas.
But only for an instant: for
while they waited, hesitating to
break in upon her evidently sincere
With half-insane look about her.
disappeared from their view In the
direction of .le hail. Fl.
Sweetwater was after her. in q
twinkling; but by the time he and
Mr.. Gryce, each going his separate
1t was to see the end door-the one
giving upon the plateau-closing be-
hind her. Her
"Madame! called out sweetwater.
bounding briskly. in her wake.
preached with hastening steps the
door which Sweetwater had left open
behind him, and took q quick survey
of the fenced-in plateau, the bridge
and the towering trees beyond, to.
ward which she seemed to be maxi
"She cannot escape" was his ready
conclusion. and he shouted to. Sweet
water to go easy.
Sweetwater, who was in the act of
setting foot upon the bridge down
which she was running, Stacked up
At this command and presently stop
ped. cor she had stopped herself and,
was looking back from q spot about
halfway across, with the air Of one
willing. at last. to hear what they
Swhat are you r. she cried "And,
what do you want OF me?'
Are you not Nine. Duclos?',
Yes. / am Antoinette Duclos."
''Then you must know why you are
Nan Nsntsa SarS Sy the 1su poSs ssrhorse'
Her hand went up
I've nothing to say---nothing. Will
you take that for your answer and
let me go?"
way. Miss Duclos' death was OF
nature demanding an inquest. Your
testimony. hard as 1t may be for you
to give 1t. Is necessary for a righteous
verdict. That is all we want"
ut is o too mnsh Ish. she cried CT e.. ,ana Ana
another step or two along the bridge
till she had reached the broken rail;
and, before Sweetwater in his dismay
could more>, than give q Mortified
bound in her\ direction. she had made
the fatal leap and was gone from
their sight into the gorge below.
!
BOOK Nv.
NEMESIS.
FROM LIPS LONG SILENT.
"This finishes my usefulness as, 0