The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1921-12-29
FoUR

FQ1N
A. quarter % geu b. hacked rs
cnf into TIE shadow = some tres
Z o., far from she gate - Tie Ems,
Save FOR : light is de sitting fssgn
AMI one e. 3 bedroom upstairs. the
frnrf - the hof.e vas IN darkness.
+ and frealiug nolaelrssy On the turf.
h. explored 30 round IL There vas
one bedroom Ilgii 81 the bach q the
house nud thf0vu 90 the blind be
could ses me shadow o. a man. A.
be- watched The man g0t up and
moved away. only 70 return IN a mo
meat o. tuo eat take % his cid posi-
lion
-Ifs one Of those two bedrooms
De- muuered = himself ~ hes here
~ an
Then ~ cr0urhed IN the shadow Of
some shrubs and waited Through
The trees 20 his right b. could see The
Larehes and once. with a sudden
qultkeuing ~ bis heart be thought he
saw the outline 81 the girl show NJ
10 tie light from the drawing-roOm.
But Il was only for second. aud
then Il was gone
lie peered ~ his watch: II was Just
ten O'Clock The trees were creaking
gently IN the faint wind all around
him the strange night nolses-noises
which play pranks with a mans
neryes-Were whispering and mutter-
ing Bushes seemed suddenly 10 come
20 life, and move; eerle shapes
crawled over the ground toward
him-fgures wblci. existed only In
his Imagination. And once again the
thrill u the night stalker gripped
him.
He remembered the German who
had lain motionless for an hour in
little gully BY Hebuterne while he
from behind stunted bush had tried
10 locate him And then that one
creak az the Boche had moved his leg.
And then the end. ON that
night. too. the little hummocks had
moved and taken 10 themselves
strange shapes nifty times he had
Imagined he saw him: fifty times he
knew he was wrong-in time. He
was used TO II; the night held no
terrors FOR him only fierce excite
ment And thus II WAS that as he
erumched IN the bushes, waiting for
the game 90 start his pulse was as
normal and his nerves as steady AS
II he had been sitting down TO supper.
The only difference was that IN his
hand he held something tlght-gripped.
Al last family IN the distance he
heard the hum Of car. Rapidly II
grew louder and he smiled grlmly to
himself rs the sound o. FIVE unme-
lodlous voices singing Justify struck
his ear. They passed along the road
IN front OF the house There was a
sudden crash-theu silence; but only
for moment
Peters voice came first
you priceless old ass. you've
rammed the blinking gate"
II was Jerry Seymour who then
took up the bawI His voice was in
tensely solemn--also extremely loud.
"Preposhterous Perfectly preposh-
ferrous We must 90 and apologize
TO the owner 4 i
mustn't apologize.
Quite objectionable. i
You can't go about country Il
knocking down gates. Out OF
lueshtlon
Half-consclously Hugh listened, but,
now that the moment for action had
come. every faculty was concentrated |
on his own job. lie saw half dozen
men 90 rushing out into the garden |
through side door, and then two
more ran out and came straight toward |
him. They crashed past him and went |
on into the darkness. and for an In |
slant he wondered what they were |
doing. A little later he was destined |
to find out
Then came peal at the front-door
bell. and he determined to wait no |
longer. He darted through the gar
den door. 10 find a flight OF stairs in |
front 81 him. and in another moment |
he was on the first floor. He walked |
rapidly along the landing, trying 10
find his bearings. and, turning a corner,
he found himself AZ the top Of the /
main staircase-the spot where he had /
fought Peterson two nights previous
ly.
He walked quickly on 10 the room
which he calculated was the one where
he had seen the shadow on the blind.
Without seconds hesitation he flung 1
the door open and walked in. There
lying Ia the bed was the American.
while crouched beside him. with a re
volver In his hand, was man.
For y few seconds they watched one
another In silence. and then the man
Strengthened up.
The soldierI" he snarled "YOu
young pun"
Deliberately. almost casually. he
raised hts revolver. and then the IN
expected happened. A SET % liquid
ammonia struck him fHn IN the face
and with q short laugh Hugh dropped
his waierplstol IN his pocket and