Evening star., 1927-11-28


IL mans form now as the other came
through the door-and then in the
darkness it was lost again. But the
patter Of footsteps ahead of him, hur'
rying along, served as a guide. He
followed the other to the end of the
hall, turned into the covered passage
way, and was halted again by the old
man, this time at the door or the
aquarium.
"Tee-heew Uttered the maniac. "They
think they are dealing with a fool.
Wait, Wait, young man, l will see
that the window shades are all down
before we turn on the light--though
there will be no one here tonight ex-
cept ourselves-tee-hee ee.-they Will be
somewhere else
The old man opened the door and
disappeared And now Locke, as he
waited. and though he listened, could
not hear the other moving around in
side--what sound the old man made
was drowned by the noise of running
water through the pipes that fed the
tanks, and, added to this, the low, con-
stant drip and trickle that pervaded
the place.
Presently the lights went on.
"Here.' cried the old man. Come
over here"
Locke blinked little in the light as
he stepped forward. 1t reflected be-
wilderingly from the glass faces of the
tanks that were everywhere about.
He joined the old man in the center
of the aquarium Here there was an
open space from which the tanks radi-
ated much after the manner of the
spokes of wheel. and this space was
utilized as sort of luxurious observa-
ton point, so to speak, for a heavy
Oriental rug was on the tiled floor, and
ranged around table were number
of big easy chairs.
From under his dressing gown now
the old man took a package that was
wrapped in oiled silk, and laid it on
the table.
Money" he cried abruptly. "Hah'
We know it's power, young man, you
and IT, He began to tumble with the
cord that was tied around the pack
age; and then suddenly commenced to
totter again. did l not tell you l was
being followed, always being followed?
Well. last night they followed wrong
scent. Tee-hee! Tee-hee! / told you
YOU would see who was the fool, They
are there tonight-digging-
digging. Tee-hee. Tee-hee! They
will dig the place all up before they
are sure it is not there"
Money, That package! Locke's lips
frightened little. Was this, as he had
more than helf expected. what he was
to "see''-the half-million dollars at
last that Polly had seen? And what
did the man mean by wrong scent? ?
And "digging"?
"Yes, of course. Mr.. Marlin" said
Locke quietly. "Of course, they will
But who is it that is following your
The old man dropped the package
from his hands and leaned across the
table. his eyes suddenly ablaze.
"If knew. would kill them" he
whispered. 1T is everybody-every
body"
Perhaps you are mistaken" Locke
spoke in a soothing tone. did you
see anybody following you last night?'
"It Is not necessary to see"-the old
madman's whisper had become sud
denly confidential-I know. They
were there-they are always there
watching-eyes are always watching"
He broke into his insane litter once
more. 'Tee-hee, yes, yes: and we are
being watched by thousands of eyes
tonight-look at them-the pretty
things-see them swimming all around
you-but they look and they say moth
ing-and they do not follow me-" His
voice was rising shrllly; ne began tC
gesticulate with his hands. pointing
with darting little motions at one tank
after another. do you hear? You
need not be afraid because they watch.
They will not follow u.s."
Locke sat down leisurely in a chair
facing the other across the table. He
was rather curious about this myste.
rious digging of last night. a little
more than curious; but. also. it was
necessary to calm the old maniac s
growing excitement.
II am quite sure of that. Mr. Mar.
lin." he agreed heartily. I'VE should
be perfectly safe here, especially as
you say that you have succeeded in
making whoever was following you
watch somewhere else. That was very
clever of you. Mr.. Marlin"
The old man put his fingers to his
lips.