Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-14
CONTINUED From Yesterdays STAR,
CHAPTER Lxn.

A UDREY BEDFORD had dream,
n and it was particularly I'M
IN pleasant one. She dreamed she
y was lying on narrow ledge
like the top of q T, the lower
stalk of which was high tower. And
as she iay, her head wracked with dis
tracing pain, the tower swayed back
ward and forward, and she with it.
Every nov and again the board upon
which she lay tipped up gently, and she
screamed in her sleep and clutched
tightly to the edge, expecting to be
precipitated into the black void below.
The reality was headache; that was
her conscious obSession. It was an ache
that began behind her eyes, shot to her
temples and thence, by million fiery
routes, to the back of her head. She
groaned as she turned over and buried
her face in the crook of her arm. She
had never had such headache. She
reached out for the bell by the side Of
her bed, and in confused way went
over the remedies she would use, begin
ming and ending with a cup of tea. She
wanted that drink very badly; her
tongue was parched, her mouth bone
dry and she had a horrible taste. She
turned over again, groaned and sat up.
It was quite dark, and she was not
lying on bed at all; she was on mat
tress and there was a blanket over her,
and when she reached out she touched
the floor. Unsteadily she rose to her
feet, leaning against the wall to pre-
vent herself from falling, for her head
was going round and round. Then she
began to feel for the door, found 1t after
while and pulled 1t open. It was dark
outside. At the end of what seemed to
be long tunnel she saw little glim-
rner Of light and staggered toward 1t.
One-hah of her brain told her she was
walking down short, unfinished cor
ridor, and that the light she saw was q
naked lamp hanging by wire from the
ceiling.
She saw a wash bowl in a little room
leading off and went toward it CRATE
fully. When she turned the faucet
the water was brown and discolored,
but presently it ran clean. and, using
her hands as cup, she drank greed
lily. She washed her face; a towel
was hanging from peg-it looked
almost as if it had been placed there
specially for her benefit, for there was
no furniture in the apartment save the
mattress and blankets.
She let the bath-tap run; the sound
of the running water was very COM
panionable. Then, sitting down on the
projecting window ledge, she tried to
get back to the beginning of this ex-
perience. The last thing she remem-
bered was talking to Mr.. Torrington.
No, 1t was later than that; she was in
her room, putting on her hat to go
out. Step by step she traced her con-
scious movements, and came, with q
start of horror, to the dinner table of
Dora Elton, and the wine that creamed
and dubbed and tasted so vilely. Dora!
FTantically she searched the receSSeS
Of her memory to carry her beyond
that last remembered period, but in
vain. She was at Dora's house. She
remembered now that the woman had
once told her that the upper story of
the CurZon street establishment had
never been furnished.
She was still stupid from the effect
of the drug, but only now did she un-
derstand why it was so dark Every
window was covered with a thick shut
ter, the shutters being held in place by
steel bar, hammered tight into a
socket Using all her strength, she
tried to lift one after the other, but
though she made complete circuit of
the room, she found none that would
yield.
The door was locked: she looked
through a keyhole, but could see
nothing. And then her exertions, on
top of the drug, produced the inevitable
result. She felt her knees give way,
and had just sufficient presence Of mind
to lower herself to the ground before
she again lost consciousness. She woke
feeling cold and Stiff, but the headache
had almost gone and she retraced her
steps to where the water was.
She managed to find light in the
room where she had been when she
first woke. This proved bare apart
ment except for the NATURES on the
floor and broken chair. BY dint Of
Juggling she managed to get stout
rail loose; it was her only weapon and
would be of little service if she attempt
ed to use it in her present weak state.
But it was something; it lent her a
little more confidence. BY degrees she
managed to pull the remainder, Of the
chair to pieces until she got stout
leg and portion of the back, and with
this she attacked the bars of the shut
tiers, but without result.
Hungry and weary, she lay down on
the bed, pulled the blanket over her
and fell asleep almost Immediately.
When she woke it seemed warmer, and
her hunger had subsidized to a numb,
gnawing pain. She sat on the bed try
ing to think. And then she heard the
sound of a,voice. A man was speaking.
Was it Martin No, it was too deep for
him. She crept to the door and listened,
and as she did so she heard stealthy
footstep on the stair just outside the
door.
Who was it? Her heart beat tumultu-
ouSly. The voice from below came
again and, hearing it, she almost
Swooned.
It was Lacy MARSHALL! She put her
hand to her mouth to arrest the
scream. Lacy Marshall, and he was
talking.
Yes, it was somewhere here"
She was going mad-she must be.
Mad already! Somewhere below was
Lacy Marshall, and Lacy marshall
was dead!
And then as she stood, frozen with
horror, the footsteps sounded again in
side, and, crouching down, she looked
through. A faint light Illuminated the
staircase and she saw the figure of
man. but his face was turned away.
1T was somewhere here" said Mar
shafts faint voice again.
The man on the landing was listen
ing as intently as she. While she looked
he turned his head She saw the long
nose. the pointed chin and the high,
bunpy forehead Malpasl When she
looked again he was gone.
Malpas and MARSHALL! What did 1t
mean? Her limbs were trembling; she
had to use the wall as a support as she
crawled back to her room. She was not
III CufZOu StTeeL al all, she Was III LLlc
hands of the devil-man! The horror of
it seized her and for second her rea-
son rocked. And then somebody raped
softly on the passage door,
She held her breath and waited, her
eyes. fixed on the place where the terror
would appear.
CHAPTER LxIII.
rYrr ta,..,..., - ,.........<s ftor ~,
interval Audrey kept quiet,
scarcely daring TO flicker an