Evening star., 1925-02-17
Continued from Yesterdays starD


fstening, and wished she dared to open
It There was no sound from outside.
She leaned her forehead against the
glass, and wondered how many years
had passed since the morning. 1t seemed
impossible for this day to come to an
md
Then quite suddenly a key turned in
The lock, and the door opened, not wide
~. but as one opens the door Of a room
where some one is asleep. A mans head
was silhouetted against the hall light.
Part of his shoulder showed in dark
overcoat
beneath d good deal of American twang
Informed Jane that this was her official
f&tnh.er ,, .,. .,., %, ID ..
he asked the question, a second man
came up behind him and stood there
listening.
Yes" said Jane, muffiing her voice
With her handkerchief.
He hesitated moment and then said !:
well. goodnight to you"-and the
other man. speaking over his shoulder,
said in an easy, cultivated voice without
any accent at all:
| pleasant Dreams Miss Renata."
James Goodnight" was just audible
and no more, but obviously it satisfied
the two men, for the door was shut, the
key turned and withdrawn, and pres
emily the hall light went out, and the
darkness was absolute and unreleved,
except where the midnight sky showed
Just less black than the interior of the
room.
After what seemed a long, long
To- nd n
It was strange to grope for and find
Renata's neatly folded nightdress.
Presently she lay down, and pres
emily she slept. Time ceased; the day
was over.
She woke suddenly a few hours
later. 1t was still dark. She came
broad awake at once. and sat up In
bed as if some one had called to her.
CHer mind was full of one horrifying
thought.
The plank-what had Arnold done
with the plank"
Impossible that he should have
helped Renata down the fire escape
and carried the plank as we'll. and
somehow Jane did not see Arnold
troubling to come back for it.
One thing was certain-if Arnold
had left the plank in it's compromis-
ing position, it must be removed be-
fore daylight.
Jane got out of bed. shivering. She
went to the window, opened it and
leaned out. The yard, news, wall
and parapet-all were veiled in the
same thick dusk. She strained her
eyes, but it was impossible to distin-
guish anything. There was nothing
for it but to cross that horrid little
hall again, open. the window and
make sure.
sled rage and terror in her heart she
felt her way to the door, opened it
noiselessly and crossed barefoot to
the window. The hasp was stiff, it
creaked and the window stuck.
Recklessness took possession of
Jane. With d jerk she pushed it up.
AS it chanced, recklessness made less
noise than caution would have done.
She leaned right out, and there, sure
enough, was the plank.
Even James anger could provide
her with nothing more cutting than
|'How exactly like Arnold Todhunter,"
She stood quite still and considered.
A bold course was the only one.
Remembering the plank's previous
fall and the perfect calm with which
I the neighborhood had received it, she
decided to take the same chance
again; only, she must be quick and
have 1t all planned in her head
first a shove to the plank. then down
with the window and latch it, five
Eteps-no, six-across the hall, and
then her own door, and on no account
must she forget the key.
She drew d long breath, leaned out
and pushed. The board was heavier
than she had supposed-harder to
move. She had to pull it in until the
sudden weight and strain told her
that it was clear of the coping upon
which the farther end had rested. Then
she pushed with all her might, and
as IT fell her hands were on the win
dow, quick and steady. Next moment
she was crouching in Renata's bed,
the clothes clutched about her, the
hoor key cold in her palm. She
pushed it far down beneath the
Elothes and sat observation-disclosures
The crash with which the plank
had landed seemed to have deafened
her, but as the vibrations died away
Ehe heard, sharp and unmistakable,
fs {eps. si'SN OF Il ,A''" ana ""''S'"s '"0'
The next moment her door was
ptened and her light switched on.
Qtick as thought. her hand was over
hkr eyes and the sheet up to her chin.
tMolloy stood in the doorway, and
btyond him the other.
tWhat'S doing? Did you hear it?"
stamnered, and then the other
an pushed him aside.
I'D like a look from your window
you'll excuse me, Miss Renata, he
i'd and crossed the room.
AS he leaned out Jane watched him
pm beneath her hand, and recalled
nata's words, He generally wears
fur coat; they call him Number
To' This man wore a fur coat over
e-blue silk pajamas. When he turn
saying. 81 can't see d thing" she
IS ready with her stammered,
THAT was it?'
Such fearful crash, lit
ghtened me most dreadfully." And
re Jane spoke the literal truth.
q don't know" 1t was Molloy who
swered again, but the other mans
es travelled round the room and a
bling of terror came over Jane.
[f she had forgotten anything, if
ere were one shred of incriminating &
dence, those eyes would miss
thing, She felt as if they must
krce the bedclothes and see her
and the hidden key. but he merely
dded to Molloy, and they left the
pm, switching out the light and
liking the door.
Jane drew "A long breath of relief,
rned upon her side and in five min
rs was asleep again.
The day came in with a thick mist.
ne opened her eyes upon it sleepily.
She began to think what a strange
cam she had had, and. then, as sleep
bed from her, she remembered that
was not a dream at all. She was
nata Molloy under lock and key,
4 IN front of her stretched a day
at ght be even more crowded
tn adventure than yesterday.
She jumped out of bed and she
essed her eyes frightened and her
h1rage rose With Renata's scissors