This Way for a Shroud

The night was hot and close, without a breath of air, and heavy', black clouds hung in the sky. All day there had been a brooding, still atmosphere that had been getting hotter and more electric as the hours passed.

Conrad stood on the stoop of the hunting lodge and stared up at the sky.

"I'll be glad when the storm breaks," he said to Madge Fielding. "This is making me feel like a wet rag."

Madge, who had spent the entire day with Frances, had come out on the verandah for a change of air. In spite of the close atmosphere, it was at least a little cooler outside than in the lodge.

"I'm just off to check the guards," Conrad said. "Want to come?"

"I'll come," Madge said. "I don't think the storm will burst before we get back, do you?"

"I don't think so. There's no wind yet. Anyway, I'm going in the car as far as the road."

As Madge got into the car, she said, "You know I feel I've been here for months instead of a week. How long do you think we'll have to remain here?"

"I don't know. I wish I did. The D.A.'s coming down on Saturday. He's going to talk to Miss Coleman. It's up to him now. She's defeated me. If he can't persuade her to talk, we'll have to think what to do with her. We just can't keep her here much longer. But if she decides to talk, then we'll stay here until the trial: probably for three months."

"What do you think of her, Paul?" Madge asked as Conrad drove down the mile-long drive.

"She's a nice girl," Conrad said cautiously. "What do you think?"

"I like her, and I feel sorry for her. I think she's in some kind of mess."

"Has she said anything?"

"Oh, no. But I've watched her. She's having quite a time, trying to make up her mind about something. She broods an awful lot. I think she is wavering, Paul. A little more persuasion might bring her down on our side. She's very worried about Weiner. She keeps asking me if I think he's safe."

"Oh, he's safe enough," Conrad said impatiently. "It'll be when I take him to the court-house that the trouble will start. They are certain to have a go at him

between here and the court-house. It's their only chance."

He slowed down as the massive gates came into his headlights.

Five policemen, each armed with a riot gun, were standing by the gates. One of them came up to the car as Conrad pulled up.

"All okay?" he asked through the open window.

"Yes, sir. Nothing to report."

"There's a storm coming up. Keep your eyes open tonight. Have you all got slickers?"

"Yes, sir."

"Stay out here even if it rains stair-rods," Conrad said. "Two of you will be enough. The other three can keep under cover, but I want two of you out here all night."

"Yes, sir."

"Okay. I'm going down to the road-block now."

The policeman saluted and walked over to open the gates.

Conrad drove down the long narrow road until they came to the road-block. He spoke to the guards, warned them to keep on the alert, satisfied himself the search-light was working and there were no absentees, then he swung the car on to a dirt track that led to the cliff head.

Half-way up the track, he came to another guard post, and leaving the car, he walked with Madge up the steep path that brought them to the top of the perpendicular cliff.

There were three sentry-box huts on the cliff top, about a hundred yards apart. Guards were patrolling the cliff, and one of them came over when he caught sight of Conrad in the failing light.

Leaving Madge, Conrad walked the length of the cliff head with the guard.

"Watch out tonight," he cautioned. "It's going to be bad, and it'll be on a night

like this they might try to reach the lodge, if they're going to try."

"They won't come this way, sir," the guard said. "I've done a bit of mountain climbing myself. No one could climb up here. I've looked it over pretty thoroughly. It's impossible to climb."

"All the same, keep your eyes skinned. Your lights all right?"

"All checked and correct, sir."

As Conrad joined Madge, he felt a little puff of hot wind against his face.

"Did you feel that? The storm can't be far off now." He looked up at the dark sky. The great black clouds were piling up and beginning to move. "Let's get back. We don't want to get wet."

"They must be safe," Madge said, speaking her thoughts aloud as they drove back to the hunting lodge. "No one could get through to them, could they, Paul?"

"Don't worry," he returned. "I'm satisfied it's all right. I don't think an attempt will be made so long as they remain here. Maurer will try to get them when they come into the open. That's the time we shall really have to be on our guard."

Thunder was rumbling in the distance as Conrad put the car into the garage, and walked with Madge back to the lodge. Every now and then he caught a glimpse of one of the guards, a police dog at his heels, moving through the trees.

"It's still some way off," he said, as they mounted the steps to the verandah. "I'd better grab a slicker before they all go."

"You won't be going out again tonight, will you?"