Evening star., 1922-06-04


clumps of evergreens. the rows of
close clipped box. A full moon was
Just showing itself above the tree
tops. turning the lake into moving
silver. Fred rose from his wicker
chair and. crossing to his young
bride. touched her hair fearfully with
the tips of his fingers.
What IL We don't know anybody,
VIM" he said, "and nobody knows
us? It's been a perfectly good honey
moon. hasn't it, If you lust look
at it that way it works out all right
We came here really for our honey
moon. to be together. to be alone
Winnie laughed shortly. They
certainly have left US alone" she
sighed
But where else could VIC have
been happier" demanded the young
husband loyalty. Where will you
find any prettier place than this. just
as 1T Is at this minute. so still and
sweet aud silent: There's nothing
the matter with that moon, is there"
Nothing the matter with the lake?
Where's there a better place for
honeymoon? It's a bower-a bower
of peace, solitude, a-bower Of
A S though mocking his words, there
burst upon the sleeping country
side the shrek of giant siren. II
was raucous, virulent. insulting. 1t
came as sharply as scream of ter
ror. It continued in below of
rage. Then. as suddenly as ii had
cried aloud. IL sank to silence; only
after a pause of an instant. as
though giving signal. to shriek
again In two sharp blasts. And then
again il broke into the hideous. long
drawn scream of rage, tnsistent,
breathless. commanding. filling the
soul Of him who heard il, even of the
innocent, with alarm.
"In the name of heaven gasped
Keep. what's that"
Down the terrace the butler was
fastening toward them. When he
stopped he spoke as though he were
announcing dinner. "A convict. sir.
he said. has escaped from Sing Sing.
i
the whistle. l thought perhaps you
would wish Mrs. Keep to come in
doors"
Why" asked Winnie Keep.
The house is near the road,
madam" said the butler. And there
are so many trees and bushes. Last
summer two of them hid there. and
duh
The man glanced at Keep. Fred
touched his wife on the arm.
It's time to dress for dinner. VIM"
he said.
And what are YOU going to do" de-
manded Winnie.
I'm going to finish this cigar first.
Ii doesn't take me long to change.
He turned to the butler. And III
have a cocktail. too. I'll have it out
here"
The servant left them, but in the
French window that opened from the
terrace to the library Mrs. Keep lin
gered irresolutely.- Fred" she beg
eed "you-youre not going to poke
around in the bushes, are you?-Just
Her husband laughed at her Il GER
tainly am not he said. And you're
not frightened. either. Go in. I'll be
with you in minute.
But the girl hesitated. Still shat
terine the silence of the night, the
siren shrieked relentlessIy: it seemed
to Re at their very door to beat and
hr,i Do
shivered and held her fingers to her
ears
Why don't they stop it," she whis-
pered Why don't they give him
chance?"
WHEN she had gone Fred pulled
one of the wicker chairs to the
edge of the terrace and. leaning for
ward with his chin in his hands. sat
staring down at the lake. The moon
had cleared the tops of the trees,
had blotted the lawns with black,
rigid squares, had disguised the
hedges with wavering shadows.
Somewhere near at hand a criminal
murderer. burglar, thug-was at
c.
had tricked still beloved in rage in
amazement, still clamored not only
for his person but perhaps for his
life. The whole countryside heard
it; the farmers bedding down their
cattle for the night. the guests of the
Briar Cliff Inn, dining under the red
candle shades, the joy riders along
TIE Albany road. 1t woke the echoes
in Sleepy Hollow. 1t crossed the
Hudson. The granite walls of the
Palisades flung it back against the
granite walls of the prison. Which
ever way the convict turned it hunt
ed him. reaching for him, pointing
him out-stirring in the heart of each
who heard it the lust of the hunter.
which never is so cruel as when the
hunted thing is a man.
Find him.. shrieked the siren.
Find him, He's there, behind your
hedge, He's kneeling by the stone
wall. That's he running in the moon
light. That's he crawling. through
the dead leaves, Stop him, Drag
But from within the prison, from
within the gray walls that made the
home of the siren, each of 1900 men
cursed it with all his soul. Each.
clnginE to the bars of his cell; each,
trembling with a fearful Joy; each,
his thumbs up. urging on with all the
strength of his will the hunted. rat