Part 46 (1/2)

”A friend who has just come,” Garth explained to Mrs. Taylor. ”There is nothing to frighten you. The woman you saw is McDonald's daughter. I had satisfied myself she was in the house. We are pretty near our goal now.”

”But why,” Nora asked, ”should McDonald's daughter cry through the house in this fas.h.i.+on? Why didn't Mrs. Taylor see her face?”

But Garth had started up the stairs. The two women followed, as if each was unwilling to be left alone. Garth snapped on his pocket lamp. The light shone on the only two doors on the attic floor. From behind the first keened once more that ghastly and smothered escape of suffering, scarcely audible. As Garth stepped towards the door Mrs. Taylor cried out again:

”Is it safe?”

”Don't go in there unprepared,” Nora warned him.

”I want the woman in that room,” Garth muttered. ”I've heard her and I know she's there. The case is finished with her arrest.”

He took out his revolver, flung open the door, and flashed his light about the interior of the room. He lowered his hand with the revolver.

The lamp shook a little. There was no one in the room.

”You heard her, too,” he said. ”Look here.”

The others followed him in. The light played on the usual attic chamber, common to old houses. The plaster was stained and cracked. The single window at the end was boarded over. An iron bed rested against the wall, and the customary conglomeration of old furniture cluttered the floor.

But there was no possible hiding place or means of escape except a door in the side wall, and Garth found that locked, and when he had entered the other attic room to which it led he found that empty too except for dust and lumber. Yet, as he searched, that stifled and unearthly moaning reached him again.

Feeling himself caught in the sway of incomprehensible forces that mocked him, he sounded the walls and measured until he was convinced the two rooms could hold no secret place. Meantime the women watched with a deepening fear.

”Just the same, she's in this house,” Garth said. ”By every rule of logic she's in this attic. But I'll go through every nook and cranny.

Nora, you and Mrs. Taylor take the bedrooms. I'll go through the cellar and try the lower floor again.”

On his way down he saw the doctor, whom the policeman had brought, bending over McDonald.

”The wound is nothing,” the doctor said in answer to his question, ”but he's had a slight paralytic stroke from the shock.”

”When,” Garth asked eagerly, ”will he be able to talk?”

”Certainly not for several days,” the doctor answered. ”I'll carry him to his room and make him as comfortable as possible.”

As Garth went on down, helpless and bewildered, he heard again the old woman's jibing laugh. It a.s.sumed the quality of a threat as he searched unsuccessfully the cellar and the back part of the house. He met Nora in the library. Mrs. Taylor and she had found no more than Garth. As they talked, Reed's tall figure appeared in the doorway. Garth had supposed the man had gone home immediately after bringing Mrs. Taylor from the station.

”What are you doing here?” he demanded.

Reed yawned.

”Mrs. Taylor and this young lady woke me up searching through the spare bedroom in which I was resting. They were after a woman in black. That sounds rather silly, doesn't it? I've heard Taylor drool about his pet guest--lady in black, strangled in attic by jealous husband. I see you're surprised to find me still here. I thought it was understood I should stay and be of what help I could to Mrs. Taylor and her mother.”

”Then I'm afraid you'll have to stay for some time,” Garth answered dryly. ”The house is guarded. No one will be permitted to leave until I have found or accounted for McDonald's daughter.”

”Clever girl that!” Reed said indifferently. ”Never heard her open her mouth.”

He took a book from a shelf and seated himself in a comfortable chair by the lamp.

”If I can be of any use you'll find me here or in my room.”

”I'm wondering,” Garth answered, ”if Clara knows anything about McDonald's daughter. For to-night the back part of the house interests me.”

At his nod Nora followed him into the hall.