Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-11

was full of dangers for me. If I fell
into their hands I should doubtless
share the fate of Col. Engleden and of
Millwaters, and get a bullet through
me or knock on the head and
grave in one of the crevices OF the
moor. All the. same, was going to
know to whom those three shadows
TT was now dark, as dark as ever
it would be that night, but the dark
ness was not going to last long.
During my period of waiting IN the
hotel at Harrington, had ascertained
that the moon rose that night ABOUT
half past 10 o'clock. It was not 10
minutes past; the moon would very
soon show its face above the ridge be-
hind me. And 1t was Just then at the
full and in that clear atmosphere its
light would be quite sufficient to make
moving objects easily recognizable.
Now, for anything knew to the con-
trary, there might be fourth man IN
this party, and he might even then be
watching me from one of the front
windows. And the space before the
house was a clear one, with no corner
If I crossed it, anybody with sharp
eyes. keeping guard from the house,
would see me at once. Still, the thing
had got to be done-I had got to know
who the men were, and what they were
after.
'The bank of the narrow stream on
which / was standing was thickly
fringed with alders; under their pro-
tecting shade I crept further away to
my right, and then, to my great salts
faction, saw that there was side WIN
dow to the room in which the shadows
were moving. And by the way the
light streamed through it on a fringe
of trees and brushes outside judged
that the window was uncurtained. II
I could worm my way round the out
buildings and get to where could see IN
at that window
ct had to go long way round, keep
ing 6rst in the cover Of the alders, then
behind hedge that shut off an orchard
from the farmstead. then behind long
black wall that lay in shade, and finally
through a succession of sheds, stables
and the like. But at last was close to
the northwest angle of the house, and
from a black nook in the deep shadow
of the old tower I was able to see the
side window. And as had previously
concluded it had neither blind nor
curtain.
"The problem now was how to ap-
proach it. / solved that by dropping
on hands and knees in the grass ano
advancing, always in the shadows, IN
| JildI llEnly uIlCOkIl1OIIdUIc 4&oIiAOA1 ulAOI
| I had reached the wall of the house.
Thence transferred myself to the belt
of bushes which faced the window. The
cover was thick there, and, when stood
up and looked cautiously through a
screen of laurel, I found that could
see right into the room in which / had
watched their shadows cross and re-
cross: I was, indeed, so advantageously
placed that / could see pretty well all
over it. And now there was but one
man in it, and he was the last man in
the world haG expected to see at that
moment.
"Sadler! There were more reasons
than one for the surprise felt at see
ing Sadler in that place. BY that time
I knew Sadler we'll enough by sight. ]
had seen him two or three times on the
magistrates bench, and oftener about
the town at Barowsburgh; twice I had
some conversation with him on the
subject of Col Engleden's disappear
snce-a topic on which ne was inclined
to be lf-condemnatory and almost
lachrymose, it being his conviction that,
if he had,'t advised Col. Engleden to
see Wraisby Abbey by moonlight that
| gallant gentleman would not have met
| his sad fate But wherever had seen
! Sadler, on the bench, in his jawelers
shop. or in street or market place he