The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1927-10-14
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GREEN CLOAK

uereu Dy MS OuOr.
Without waiting for any reply, he
turned abruptly to the girl and spoke
to her in Maori, asking her question,
if one could judge from the odd inflec-
ton of the thick. cultural words. In
her eyes already there was kind OF
smoldering fire. The doctor cried out
something more In Maori, and accom-
panied the exclamation with gesture
of both hands toward the doorway.
The girl darted out between Mallory
and me, like some wild beast un-
leashed. and set out down the corridor
at slow. swinging trot, her head bent
low and swaying sideways. 1t was
uncanny to see her. II felt my flesh
creep as set out to follow her.
Mallory had not understood. and he
made motion to detain her, but this
was checked by a pre-emptory order
from Ashton.
"Follow along!" cried the doctor
Keep as close as you can. We mustn't
lose sight of her!"
We had lost sight of her already
for she had turned to the right into a
cross corridor. When we REACHED the
corner where she had turned, we all
halted. as If some medusa hand had
suddenly turned us to stone.
The Meredith is a high building.
We were on the eighth floor, but the
girl was in the act of getting out of q
window. Mallory recovered the use OF
his muscles first, and rushed forward
in an attempt to forestall what seemed
to him deliberate attempt at suicide
"Hold on!" cried the doctor. "She's
only going where wilkins went. II
there was a way down there for him.
she'll be able 70 follow him safely"
"And wherever they can 60" said
Ashton, II guess we can follow"
He started down the corridor as he
spoke. should probably have agreed
with him, had not become aware just
then that the door beside which was
standing opened into the elevator
shaft, and the gauge showed that the
elevator was descending. signaled il
to stop, on the chance that it might
prove useful.
By that time Ashton had already
Joined Mallory at the window. APP
parently one glance was all they need.
ed, for they came hurrying back with
white faces.
"She has worked herself along six
inch LEDGE" said the lawyer, 'to an
iron standpipe. It's not conceivable
that Wilkins went that way"
"Don't forget that he was Bully
Franklin'S first mate" said the doctor.
"But this Is better way for us. Come
along"
We all four piled into the elevator
and told the boy to drop us, as quick
ly as he could. right through to the
basement. The excitement in our faces
was imperative. He threw the lever
over and let us down at tremendous
rate.
'This way" cried Mallory, rushing
off in the dark.
We lost sight Of him, but heard
sounds of a struggle he was having
with a badly warped door which evil
IDENTIFY had not been opened in long
time. He conquered it just as we
came up with him, and the next mo-
ment, peering out in the misty gray
light to see whether we had taken
the right direction after all, we made
out dark blurred figure, which was,
nevertheless, unmistakable. Still in
that crouching attitude, with bowed
head swaying from side to side, the
girl was working round in widening
circles, trying to catch the scent.
Presently she caught what she had
been searching for. Strengthened up a
little out of her crouching attitude, and
set out, briskly, at gait which was
neither precisely walk nor run, but
which, If she should keep it up, would
tax our powers to follow.
She threa1ed her way down a three
foot paved passage, which led out Of
the court and into a larger one,
crossed this and vaulted over a low
brick wall into the alley which BIZ
sected the block behind The Meredith.
She trotted the length of this, with us
struggling along behind her as best
we could, crossed the boulevard, with
out glance to right or left, and went
straight on down the alley and
through the next block.
"YOu See," commented the doctor.
she took elaborate precautions against
being recognized in the immediate
neighborhood of The Meredith. Almost
every guest at the hotel, as we'll as
the full force of servants, know him.
But his chance Of encountering any
such person diminishes rapidly as he
gets away from the vicinity of the
hotel He'll leave the alley to take
to the streets presently"
(TO BE CONTINUED.)