Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-26
The Lady of the Night Wind

I misgivinss, q time that seemed inter-
minable; but at last Harvard left the
bench, and Belknap recognized him
and attributed the circumstance Of his
being there to accident.
Fifteen minutes later Katherine came
fully ten minutes before midnight.
She also approached the spot through
the woods, and so silently that even the
watchful Belknap did not hear her ;
but when she crossed the open space
to the elder he saw and recognized her.
Instead Of following after her, his
caution being predominant, he uttered
low whistle, which brought her to
standstill, listening. When he re-
peated it, she went to him among the
trees.
/ Neither Of them suspected that other
ears than their own had heard that
warning whistle; but there was one
who did-who heard 1t and crept to-
ward the sound of it-who caught a
recognizing glimpse of Katherine as she
returned from the tree to the wood
and who very nearly forgot to watch
! on, because of the utterly amazing fact.
Katherine went close to Belknap.
DO not speak," she said in a whis-
, per. Make no sound whatever, II you
can avoid it. Follow me.'
She led the way among the huge
trees where the darkness was 30 deep
that Belknap felt as IL he were pur
suing only a shadow that was more
dense than those around it. Mean
while, the owner of those other ears
that had heard the whistled signal, came
to a full stop, stood irresolute for a
moment, and then deliberately turned
away In the opposite direction.
Katherine led her companion to a
point where she halted n moment as II
to rest. In reality she did it in order
to press a finger upon a certain spot
in the bark of the tree against which
she leaned. After a second or two she
went on.
They came, presently, to long flight
of hard wood steps which she proceeded
to mount. When they we're nearly at
the top, Belknap murmured:
Can l venture to make a remark,
Mrs. Harvard?"
"If you speak softly, yes" she an
swered without turning her head.
"What is it?"
II thought that I had thoroughly
looked over the place. but I never saw
these steps before. I didn't know they
were here"
They weren't" she replied laconi
cally. Come on, please"
A steep and winding path succeeded
the steps. 1t twisted so amazingly
about between boulders that it was moi
discernble as a path even in daylight
Again Katherine paused. half way
along the winding path. She pressed
Belknap's suspecting that she did so
The first pressure converted the stair
they had just climbed into smooth ant
steep and inaccessible surface; tn,
second one converted the same sort o
inclined surface above them to steps.
Thus, presently, they arrived at tn,
door to the Nest. which was wide oper
for Katherine had negotiated tina
secret mechanism while she climbed tn
last fight of steps.
She passed inside, into black dark
ness. Belknap followed her, wonder
ingly; and as he was on the point o
asking a question, he heard the clicl
of closing door. There was no othe
sound or jar to it.
' Then, so suddenly that it startle,
him. the room in which they stood wa
flooded with light. and Belknap dis
covered that he was facing Katherin
across huge, square -cornered table o
solid oak, in a great room that nigh
have been "the dream come true" o
any artist. musician, writer or pro
nounced sybarite.
Long accustomed as he was to mani
, fest no surprise at anything. Belkna
/ could not conceal his amazement.
"Aladdin's lamp" he exclaimed
Where do you keep it concealed, dea
lady? And where is the iinee?"
|; THE jinee." she replied. smiling
little, "is here. Would you like proc
of it? Look behind you"
He turned slowly.
AS he did so the lights went out
!, | al ohNN Vht k"Ntu ihibtis "
, comparison with the recent illuminate
in the ceiling over their heads.
Even Belknap's stole self could bare
ly repress startled exclamation and a
involuntary shudder when he discoverc
that he had been standing within a fc'
, inches of foorless space into the blac
depths of which n spiral staircase de
scended; and as he turned again
question Katherine, the last light wa
shut off. =
"Oh. say" he exclaimed with
: half laugh. and yet with touch {
petulance: but before he could add
that remark all the lights were turne
y on again, and he saw that Katherir
y stood near the center of the other ha
n Of the room beyond the table. tt
Z trap in the floor behind him had close
: itself without n sound.
Il ''Be seated. Mr.. Belknap," she sa
b, to him formally. THAT is not ira
n in which to catch the unwary, that
d showed you. 1t is my cellar-my store
house, carved out of the solid rocl
s 1t is one-only one-of thOusaI
= secrets of this place"
n "Why did you show me that much ?
IL he