Evening star., 1927-11-28
By Frank L. Packard
Author of "The Mirocie Man." doors
OF the Night" Jimmie Dale Etc.
Copyright. Geo. q. Doran Co.

twitching violently as he shrieked out
ms words, was already verging on q
state of acute hysteria. Even to hint
at the possibility that they were being
watched would not only have a prob
ably very dangerous effect upon the
maniac, but would in itself defeat any
chance of turning the tables on that
watcher outside the window! Whose
eyes were those. whose face was that
behind the mask? Intuitively he felt
he knew-the trail went back, broad
and we'll defined, to London. New.
combe. Capt. Francis Newcombe, Who
else could it be? His jaws clamped
hard together now. How turn intui-
tlon into a practical, visible certainty,
by stripping that mask from the
others face?
The eyes were still there in the tank.
Ills mind was working keenly, swift
ly now. Suppose he made some ex.
cuse to leave the aquarium and stole
around outside to that window? No;
that would not do. In the first place,
he probably could not get away from
the old madman. And if he could, he
dared not, for the length Of time it
would take him to accomplish any
such purpose. leave the other alone
with that money on the table and sub.
ject to attack from an open window
only few feet away. There was only
one thing 10 do. The man outside the
window there. unaware that his pres
ence was known, would naturally not
consider that he. Locke, was a factor
to be reckoned with when, say. the old
madman left the aquarium here to
return the money to it's hiding place,
wherever that might be. And there.
fore, if he, Locke. could manage to
keep ward over Mr.. Marlin without
being seen himself. the man out there
would almost certainly rise to the bait
and bring about his own downfall.
The money was in evidence for the
first time, it's whereabouts known. and
the man in the mask would be illog-
ical indeed if he allowed it to be re.
stored to the security of a secret hid
ing place without making an attempt
TO get 1t when an opportunity such
as this apparently presented itself. But
against this was a certain risk to
which the old man would be subjected;
II not physical risk. then a mental
one-which latter. to one in Mr.. Mar
Inns condition, would probably be the
more dangerous of the two. And then
there was the chance, too, that if luck
turned an ugly trick the money itself
might be in jeopardy. The old ma
MACS unconscious cooperation must
be secured. The hiding place was
somewhere outside the house. That
was obvious, both from Mr.. Martins
nocturnal habits and from the even
more significant fact that the old mad
man. in coming to this appointment
here tonight. had brought the money
with him from somewhere outdoors.
Also 1t seemed to be no secret that
Mr.. Marlin roamed abroad at night.
Polly had spoken of 1t without reserve.
1t was therefore but fair to presume
that one as interested as was the man
outside the window. and particularly
If 1t were Newcombe, was in posses.
sion Of this knowledge. And being in
possession of it, was equally capable
of putting two and two together and
would expect the old maniac to go out
again tonight-with the money. If,
then, without unduly alarming him,
Mr.. Marlin could be persuaded to re-
main in the house with his money to-
night, 1t would not only be the safest
thing the old madman could do. but
would afford him. Locke, an excellent
chance to trap the man in the mask
w4!e the latter waited for his prey to
COZ out.
Mcke leaned forward now, crossed
his 0eQas on the table and nodded his
head earnestly at the old maniac. One
corner OF the table at least was dis
tinctly visible from where the window
would be along that little alleyway be.
tween the rows of tanks, but he was
careful not to glance in that direction.
The reflection of the masked face still
showed in the same place. What was
the old madman saying? Well. it
didn't matter. did 1t? He interrupted
the other now.
You are right. Mr.. Marlin" he said
gravely. II agree with everything
you have said. It Is a most serious
situation. I had no idea that there ex.
isted any such vital and immediate
necessity Of realizing cash for every
description Of asset that we can lay
our hands upon. And I had no idea
Of the immense potential value that
this money here on the table, for in
stance, possesses. AS you say, when
the crash comes 1t will be worth un.
told millions-a fabulous amount"
Yes. yes! agreed the old man ex-
citedly. He began to pat and fondle
the bundles Of bank notes Millions.
Millions! Hundreds Of millions,''
THE amount is so vast" said Locke,
still earnestly, that I cannot help
thinking about what you said in ref
erence to being followed out there in
the woods last night. l don't think
you should risk any chance of being
followed tonight when you have all
this great wealth with you. even
though you are quite sure you have
put whoever it may be off the scent,
and that he or they will be busy some-
where else. I don't think. if I were
you, l would go out of the house
again tonight"
The old madman Strengthened up
and for a moment stared at Locke,
and as he stared the red spots began
to overspread his cheeks and the pu-
pills of the blue eyes seemed to enlarge
and darken. And then. with a sudden
sweep of his arms. he gathered the
bundles of bank notes together,
them up frantically in the
oiled-silk covering and thrust the
package under his dressing gown.
Hah.' His voice rose in a wild and
savage scream. You think / should
stay in the house, do you? Hah,
see' 1 see. That is what you want me
to do. is it? You want to trick me!
You are one of them-one of them
one of them! You could never find
the money where hide it. You could
never open Gods time lockl So YOU
want me to keep it in the house to.
night where you can get it. And you
think that l am madman and can.
not see what You are after!
You are one of them-one of them
hat follows-follows everywhere-and
watches"
He burst into wild peal of laugh.
and another. He clutched
fiercely at the package under his
1ressing gown. His face was distort-
I'd: His free hand pounded the table,
saliva showed at the corners of his
ips.
For Gods sake, Mr.. Marlin" cried
Locke. "listen-'
'One of them. One of them"
screamed the old man-and turning
dashed for the door.
Locke's chair overturned with a
rash as he sprang to his feet, and.
larting around the table. started to