The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1927-08-05
CHAPTER IV-Continued

II was on the point OF toiepn0nlnS
for you," he said, but you've saved
the precious hour or two by coming
on your own account. Mallory re-
ported to me here at six o'clock this
morning, having come all the way
from Oak Ridge on foot, and without
getting the slightest trace of the mys-
teriOuS woman who invaded the Nor
gan house last night. confess that
her appearance throws different light
on Harvey's testimony. And l think
you'll agree that, in all probability,
she is the criminal"
"Pve no doubt myself" said Doc
tor McAlister, "that it was her hands
that strangled old Morgan"
swell, then, she's the criminal, isn't
she?" said Ashton; and regarding the
answer to this question as too obvious
to be waited for. he went straight on.
''The whole energies Of the police and
of all the detective force connected
with our office will be bent toward
finding her. What want from YOU
from both of you, independently-is
the most complete and careful de-
scription you can give Of the physical
appearance Of the woman who entered
Henry Morgan's study last night"
"You can describe her for your
SELF" said Doctor McAlister rather
shortly. you have talent that
way"
4 9v
"You've seen her. You've enjoyed a
good look at her. She's the girl that
Reinhardt sent for us to see at st.
Michael's two nights ago.
Ashton stared in clear amazement.
first at the doctor and then at me.
you're sure?" he gasped.
Perfectly" said l gravely.
For a moment he sat silent. Then
he frowned.
'May 1 ask whether you had any
suspicion, when we saw her there at
the hospital, that she might prove to
have some connection with this case?"
"Yes," said my chief bluntly; sits
your right to ask. I did suspect con-
. uGCtlOu DGlWCCA uOA anu fthC yam
Ridge mystery. recognized and I'M
derstood the language in which she
was chattering to herself. It's Ian
guage that, with minor variations, is
spoken in all those islands in the
South Pacific. The thing she was
singing to herself was death chant"
Ashton looked pretty grave at that.
81 won't presume" he said, ito Ques-
tion your motive for your reticence
with me the other night. Undoubted-
ly it seemed justifiable to you, but, as
a result Of it, a dangerous criminal is
now at large. l admit it was not
result you could have foreseen, for l
remember your recommendation that
she be closely watched, and I have
no doubt that with the clew you've
Just given me it won't be many hours
before we find her. A strange crea-
ture like that, half-wild. chattering a
language that no one can understand,
cannot remain hidden very long. I
can't understand, though" he went on,
''the reason you gentlemen have for
wishing to withhold from me your
full confidence. You haven't given it
to me yet. You've dicovered some
thing more that bears upon this case
which I haven't heard Of"
"We have" said the doctor. "and 1t
was with the purpose of telling you
about it that we came back to town
this morning-that was part of our
purpose, at any rate. Do you remem-
Der the green cloak which you so con-
fidently declared to be nothing but a
bit of fiction, born of viii Harvey's
puerile vanity? Well, we've found
that. A green cloak, with high col
lar, just as Harvey described it."
Ashton eagerly demanded the de-
tails as to where and how the cloak
was found, and these supplied him
with.
Then there was little silence. His
Z disoleasure over our previous reticence