The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1921-08-27


The Elms now?"
"That Is what propose to find
out tonight" answered Hugh. I'VE
have staged little comedy for Peter
sons especial benefit, and we are hop
Ing for the best"
"Oh. boy, do be carefulr She
looked at him anxiously. "I'd never
forgive myself If anything happened
to you. I'd feel it was all due to
me. and I tust couldn't bear It."
Dear little girl" he whispered ten
derby, you're simply adorable when
you look like that But not even for
you would back out Of this show
now" His mouth set in grim line.
ITS gone altogether too far. and
they've shown themselves to be so
completely beyond the pale that it's
got to be fought out. And when 1t
has been." he caught both her hands
In his and we've won
=. why then, girl O. mine, we'll
get Peter Darrell to be best man.
Which was the cue for the COM
mencement Of the last and longest
interlude, terminated only by the sud
den and unwelcome appearance of a
notorious covered within and with
out by unromantic sightseers, and
paper.bags containing bananas.
They drove slowly back to Guild
ford. and on the way he told her brief
ly of the murder Of the Americans
secretary in Belfast, and his inter
view the preceding ~afternoon with
the impostor at the Carlton.
"Tt's tough proposition" he re-
marked quietly. They're absolutely
without scruple. and their power
seems unlimited. know they are
after the duchess Of Lampshire's
pearls: I found the beautiful Irma
consuming tea with young Laidley
yesterday--you know, the dukes eld-
est son. But there's something more
in the wind than that, Phyllis-some-
thing. which, unless Tn a mug of the
first water, Is an infinitely larger
proposition than that"
The car drew up at the station,
and he strolled with her to the plat
form. Then the train came in, and
he put her into a carriage. And two
minutes later, with the touch of her
lips warm on his. and her anxious
little cry. Take care, my darling =
take care!" still ringing in his ears, he
got into his car and drove off to an
hotel to get an early dinner.
FOUR.
At quarter to ten he backed his
car into the shadow of some trees
not far from the gate of The Elms.
Save for light in the sitting room
and one in bedroom upstairs. the
front of the house was in darkness.
and, treading noiselessly on the turf
he explored all round 1t. There was
one bedroom light at the back of the
house, and thrown on the blind he
could see the shadow OF man. AS
he watched, the man got up and
moved away, only to return In mo-
ment or two and take up his old posi-
ton.
aIt's one Of those two bedrooms"
he muttered to himself, IF he's here
at all"
Then he crouched In the shadow OF
souse shrubs and waited. Through
the trees to his right he could see The
Larches, and once, with sudden
ouickening of his heart. ne thought he
saw the outline Of the girl show ur
| In the light from the drawing-room
But II was only for g second, and
then It was gone.
| He peered at his watch: It was just
ten O'Clock. The trees were creakins
gently in the faint wind; all around
| him the strange night noises-ncises
which play pranks with mans
nerves-were whispering and mutter
ing. Bushes seemed suddenly to come
to life. and move; eerie shapes
crawled over the ground toward
him-fgures which existed only IL
his imagination. And once again thu
thrill Of the night stalker grippet
him.
/ He remembered the German whit
/ had lain motionless for an hour in
little gully by Hebuterne. while b
from behind stunted bush had trie<
TO locate him. And then that on.
creak as the Boche had moved his leg
And then ! the end. On tina
night. too. the little hummocks hat
moved and taken to themseaye'
strange shapes. fifty times he hat
imagined he saw him; f1fty times h
knew he was wrong-in time. HI
was used TO It: the night held M
serrcrs for him. only fierce excite
ment. And thus II was that as b.
crcuched In the bushes, waiting TO
the game 10 start, his pulse was a
normal. and his nerves as steady a
| If he hs,i been sitting down to supper
The only difference was that in hi
Ihand he held something tight-gripped
| AT last family in the distance b
heard the hum OF q car. Rapidly |
grew louder. and he smiled grimly 4
himself as the sound of Eve unme
tedious voices singing Justify strucl
| his ear. They passed along the rca'
| in front of the house. There was
sudden crash-then silence. but onl