Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-05-09
CHAPTER XXXvTI


And SO he had watched. till
strange things had happened
things that seemed now like a dream.
and that had seemed scarcely less
so then. The car had come. with
queer quietness. Efficient men had
flowed out of the car, and carried
the pst caretaker away-Softly. rev.
e~rently-while he and the girl had
stood by. Once he had noticed tears
In her eyes. and had turned quickly
away. He felt almost like crying.
himself. But he had not cried, just
as he had not slept. Whatever was
effective in him must be preserved.
After that. another period Of wait
ing, with a terrible impatience to be
off. The cupboard door was being
patched UP again. A thin IL In
his shirt sleeves became the domi-
nant figure In the dream procession.
And he had done his work we'll. 1t
had been the girls idea to nave the
door refixed and relocked. II 1t were
left open, the raScals whom they
were trying to lay by the heels would
know that one. at least, OF their Sc
crets had been sprung, and would
take flight before others were re-
vealed. Brown heard her voice now,
gently but firmly putting her case to
a smooth official. The official had
hesitated a little at first. He seemed
TO be advocating some other policy.
But he gave way at last; her will
was carried out: and then they had
all slipped through thirty black
miles back to Newcastle.
And all the while. In a seat she
had graciously allotted him beside
her. ne had wondered whether this
was to be the end Of it-for him.
And during the conference that fol-
lowed in the dim little room at New
castle, a conference which until near
the end of It had been closed to him.
he had still wondered: and had
though of his London diggings. and
his London companions. and his
LonNon life. with old nausea. Oh,
yes, he would have 70 90 back TO Il
all. Well. OF course. he would And
perhaps. when you got used to Il
again. IL wouldn't be so bad. There
was a chance Of a rise-not much
OF a one. but a rise. just the same.
And he was developing a bit OF a leg
break But before he was reclaimed
before he was snatched out OF the
only real romance he might ever
know. could it not be preserved just
a little longer. Just for a few more
hours?
He recalled how he had awakened
with a start. wondering whether ne
had been crying out. and had fol-
lowed a man into the dim little room
The officials lining the room had
rather oppressed him: he felt he was
looking sleepy and blear-eyed, not al
all at his best: but she was there
too, and ii was her smile that drew
him forward, and made him forge'
the officials.
And IL was she who had unfolded
their plan. in which he was TO play
an important part. He-Brown. OF
no importance-was to disguise him
| self, and 20 with a note 20 Messrs
| Spriggs and Spriggs. who would be
officially informed that he was TO be
given the temporary job OF caretaker
at Coomber House. The other two
were to be sent back. the other two
who had gone to Byford Moor tc
help her. II too large an army col
lected in Byford Moor. the enemy
would scamper But Brown was 70
remain. albeit. under a red wig and
with an atrocious red moustache. tc
act as sentinel and to be at hand II
| she should need him during her dar-
inc. lonely Investigations
IF the circumstances weren't SC
personal, and so out OF the ordinary
an official had said TO her I'VE
wouldn't let you run these risks
alone"
I'm sure I'm right" she had In
sisted. land I won't be quite alone.
She had looked at Brown then
and he had blushed. to his annoyance
like a silly school girl. while the Of
ficials had whispered together and
somewhat abruptly. given ways
they had given way previously, ir
| Coomber House. And before he had
left the little room. to snatch ar
hour or two Of duly authorized sleep
she had whispered to him that she
would meet him at Coomber House
at three In the afternoon