|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 66
He proceeded with caution, walking softly close to the side of
the road, and frequently pausing to listen. Advancing in this
fashion, he found himself standing ere long before an open
gateway, and gazing along a drive which presented a vista of
utter blackness. A faint sound reached his ear--the distant drone
of a powerful engine. A big car was mounting the slope from Lower
Claybury Station.
CHAPTER XVIII
WHAT HAPPENED TO HARLEY--CONTINUED
Not until Harley came within sight of the house, a low, rambling
Jacobean building, did he attempt to take cover. He scrambled up
a tree and got astride of a wall. A swift survey by his electric
torch of the ground on the other side revealed a jungle of weeds
in either direction.
He uttered an impatient exclamation. He calculated that the car
was now within a hundred yards of the end of the lane. Suddenly
came an idea that was born of emergency. Swarming up the tree to
where its dense foliage began, he perched upon a stout bough and
waited.
Three minutes later came a blaze of light through the gathering
darkness, and the car which he had last seen at the Savoy was
turned into the drive, and presently glided smoothly past him
below.
The interior lights were extinguished, so that he was unable to
discern the occupants. The house itself was also unilluminated.
And when the car pulled up before the porch, less than ten yards
from his observation post, he could not have recognized the
persons who descended and entered Hillside.
Indeed, only by the sound of the closing door did he know that
they had gone in. But two figures were easily discernible; and he
judged them to be those of Ormuz Khan and his secretary. He
waited patiently, and ere long the limousine was turned in the
little courtyard before the porch and driven out into the lane
again. He did not fail to note that, the lane regained, the
chauffeur headed, not toward Lower Claybury, but away from it.
He retained his position until the hum of the motor grew dim in
the distance, and was about to descend when he detected the sound
of a second approaching car! Acutely conscious of danger, he
remained where he was. Almost before the hum of the retiring
limousine had become inaudible, a second car entered the lane and
turned into the drive of Hillside.
Harley peered eagerly downward, half closing his eyes in order
that he might not be dazzled by the blaze of the headlight. This
was another limousine, its most notable characteristic being that
the blinds were drawn in all the windows.
On this occasion, when the chauffeur stepped around and opened
the door, only one passenger alighted. There seemed to be some
delay before he was admitted, but Harley found it impossible to
detect any details of the scene being enacted in the shadowed
porch.
Presently the second car was driven away, pursuing the same
direction as the first. Hot upon its departure came the drone of
a third. The windows of the third car also exhibited drawn
blinds. As it passed beneath him he stifled an exclamation of
triumph. Vaguely, nebulously, the secret of this dread thing
Fire-Tongue, which had uplifted its head in England, appeared
before his mind's eye. It was only necessary for him to assure
himself that the latest visitor had been admitted to the house
before the next move became possible. Accordingly he changed his
position, settling himself more comfortably upon the bough. And
now he watched the three cars perform each two journeys to some
spot or spots unknown, and, returning, deposit their passengers
before the porch of Hillside. The limousine used by Ormuz Khan,
upon its second appearance had partaken of the same peculiarity
as the others: there were blinds drawn inside the windows.
Paul Harley believed that he understood precisely what this
signified, and when, after listening intently in the stillness of
the night, he failed to detect sounds of any other approach, he
descended to the path and stole toward the dark house.
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|