Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-08-04

.=s"SI thelr questions ne spoke IN
English. Greg marked that he said
nothing about having ridden in his
cab earlier, but let them assume
that he had never seen Greg before.
-Greg supposed this was because he
did not care to confess that the eX-
PLANTATION of Greg's temperance
= was a complete mystery to him: for
=all his cool airs de Socotra was
deeply puzzled by that.
The two men who had seen to the
disposal of the body apparently did
mot recognize Greg. They could not
have seen him but for a moment as
The drove on the ferry in the dark.
- All the men in the room were
amazed and panic stricken to learn
that some outsider knew of the little
BLACK book. but no word was dropped
that gave Greg any hint of the con-
tents. A furious polyglot discussion
arose. The more frightened demanded
that Greg be put out of the way in
stanter-one spoke of burying his
body under the cellar pavement.
Others who kept their heads better
insisted on the necessity of first find
ing out who had sent him. and how
much he knew of their affairs.
: De Socotra listened with a cynical,
detached air. Finally he said: We'll,
gentlemen. there's no advantage in
letting him hear more than he knows
ALREADY. ! would suggest that you
-confine him in another room, until
You settle what is to be done with
him"
: At this moment one of the Span
-lardS. a stocky, ScowlinS youth with
"a purpliSh scar on his left cheek bone,
-peeped through the curtains hanging
before one of the windows. He said
lin EngliSh: His cab is still at the
door The engine is running"
Who can run it?' asked de Socotra.
- Il can" said the previous speaker.
= Then go down and run it away
=somew here-anywhere, and leave it."
The man moved toward the door.
-Gregs heart sank. thinking of the
girl. The door was well guarded. but
there was no one in front of him at
the moment. He Hprang across the
-foom. Taken by surprise they were
not quick enough to stop him. Snatch
ing curtain aside with blow of
his two fists he smashed out the glass
behind and ID, cried ; 49,.
He was instantly snatChed away
from the window but he had the sat
isfaction of hearing the old flivver
:. get under way long before the man
could get down stairs: he had the
and cynical de Socotra grind his teeth
land mutter curse as he realized
s,that the explanation of what he SO
'i'much wanted to know had been just
outside the door all this time.
~ TIE uproar in the room was re-
"doubled They rushed at Greg now.
"pummeling him. and trying to kick
"rhm. He fought back blindly. He
would have been worse hurt had they
mot got in each others way. 1t was
"some moments before de SoCotra could
make his voice heard.
- Gentlemen, You forget yourselves.
Hands off him. The window is out.
'',,IDo you want to arouse the neigh
.borhood?'
:. They drew back scowling. The
room became quiet again. Greg,
bruised: tiery-eyed and painting. had
his back against the wall.
. De Socotra went on in his icy voice:
IF it is necessary to execute this
man in the interest of the cause all
right. But l will not have you maui
him like a pack of terriers. YOU
..Sforza, conceal yourself behind the
curtains and see if an alarm has been
raised in the street"
. one disappeared through the cur
..tainS. The negro was dispatched for
wrists were unceremoniously tied be-
hind his back. and his ankles tied.
The man at the window reappeared
near by by had been thrown up. the
aroused ones had apparently gone
cback to bed without taking action.
1.-THE negro picked up the helpless
Greg and carrying him into the back
room on the same floor dropped him
like sack, and left him alone.
=, Fer awhile he took no notice of
':fis surroundings. To be trussed up
like a fowl ready for roasting seemed
RIO be the lowest degree of ignominy
possible to man: a despairing rage
filled him: his heart seemed like to
burst his breast; he rolled helplessly
ON the floor.
- Then dmly he began to realize
that his impotent rage was only de-
stroying him. and little by little with
"A great effort of the will he succeeded
.dn dsciplining it. He had to think,
and in order to think a clear brain
was necessary.
> Must he end in that house like a
'.trapped rat? Youth at the flood could
not conceive of coming 70 end
He put that thought from him IL
will get out. l will he told himself
r:''They dare not kill me if 1 am not
= Meanwhile the girl outside might
t,contrive to aid him. But he deter
-'dnined not to count on her. She was
'She would not know what to do.
wi at could she do? If she applied
ifor help it would be only to betray
her own secret. She ran her own ter
.that thought must be put out of his
mind too. Let him once get out and
. he would save her.
- Greg took careful stock of his sur
n.'toundings.. The room he was in was
III companion to the room in front.
ut occupied the whole width of the
u:houSe. and il had but the one door
''bpening into the central hall. Oppo-
site were three tall windows looking
Ito the rear. Enough light came
Through them to show Greg that this
room. like the others, was bare of
sifurniture. There was a handsome
,.,chimney piece against the right hand
avail. The house was solidly built
'"and no sounds reached him.
a. Suddenly the door was opened
softly, and for an instant Gregs as
'htonished eyes beheld woman's
figure outlined against the faint light
,:dn the hall. She came in and closed
s'the door behind her. and he heard her
rhand feeling softly along the wall for
1.-THE switch. 1t clicked and the room
.was flooded with light. Greg saw her,
nthen' the light went out again. Her
"startled eyes had taken in the fact
lat a glance that the windows were
uncovered. Presumably they were
Commanded by the windows of houses
in the rear.
- In that briefest of glimpses she
Twas unforgettably impressed on
IGreg's vision 1t was a strange ap-
shparition in that empty and sinister
'house; a beautiful woman. a lady in
evening dress. 1t was black velvet,
,snugly fitting, against which her
''arms and neck CLEANED like marble
,.She was a dark beauty, another Span
i.iSh- American perhaps, but taller than
1.-THE run of Latin women; she had hair
like a ravens wing. eyes like twin
l,black pools and voluptuous crimson
".lips. She was carrying something,
a,but he had not time to see what 1t
WAS.