Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-10-13

I tagc over the way Just H. YOU came
out on the porch the friend for whom
he is waiting must be procrastinatol--
/ there he is Can you see him nov
under that cherry tree at the bnrkt'
The tree. mass Of snowy blossoms,
loomcd ghostlikc in the darkness and n
he spoke Il shadow moved beneath it.
Mrs MncNab nodded aud sat back
lit her chair.
II doubt that he's aught but harm
less lunatic.' she observed still h,
should not be at large to worry house.
holders How long are YOU
planning to stay in Rivcrboro. Mr.. lIar
yeyt'
Paul made n nonrommittaI reioinder
and the conversation flowed on in de
snltoly fashion for another half hour
before Mrs. MacNab rose
I'm going to bed myself, " Paul vol
uutcered. II have an early appoint
meut tomorrow and biz day before
me. Will you wake me at seven.
Please"
Snr agreed and Paul wsut TO his
room, where hr rXtinguishcd the light
and placed himself at the window as on
the night before.
The shadow beneath the cherry tree
across the lane shifted. and presently
Paul saw n dark figure climb over Che
padlockcd gate aud take up once more
his Stcathy patrol.
Miss Busby returned. escorted by q
tall and deliberate youth who took pro
/ tractcd leave of her at the porch steps 4;
! then the two clerks reappeared and
sought their rooms and in an hour com
| plete darkness and silence had fallen
| over the household. A glance from the
side window showed that no candle
burned in the kitchen tonight and Paul
began TO grow uneasy. What if his
/ vigil were to go unrewardcd and an
other day OF waiting enSue:
The clock somewhere below struck
midnight and as its final note died away
a single crunching step on the gravel
/ path brought Paul to the front window
once more. Mrs. MacNab in her long.
/ gray cloak was moving swiftly to the
gate. her feet making no sound upon the
grass border of the path save that one
msSNp which had sounded the warning
Paul seized his coat and hat and. >lip-
ping down the stairs. softly opened the
front door. Mrs. MacNab herself had
vanished, but as he drew the door shut
/ behind him he behcld the figure of the
/ shadow of the hedge. steal by swiftly ON
the opposite side of the lane Waiting
only until he had passed on few yards.
Paul followed. and strange procession
/ began.
They were moving away from the
trolley line in the same direction in
which Mrs. MacNah had driven off that
morning. She walked swiftly without
glancing back. Beneath the arc light
at the intersection of the road ahead
she crossed and disappeared into the
shadows once more, with the Italian
doggcdIy at her heels and Paul bringing
up the rear. one hand resting signih
cantly in his coat pocket
For a mile or two they progressed
steadily while the closely bundled cot @
tages gave place to broad stretches of
open fields with patches Of woods be .
tween and here and there a farmhouse,
dark and silent beneath the clOuded
brooding night sky The Italian neither
hurried nor slackened his pace, but
maintained IL uniform distance between
himself and his quarry. until dense
tract of woodland lOomcd before them
and sharp turn in the road hid the
foremost figure from view. Then the
second broke into a shambing run and
with almost incredible swifmcss. con
sidcring his intirmty. Paul closed in on
him.
The Italian heard his approach and
wheeled upon him with something up.
raised above his head which CLEANED
even in the darkness. lie csSayed to
leap upon his adversary. but Paul
lodged agilely and the hand which had