Once again the night was pitch black. Hovering clouds obscured the starlight. It was an ideal time for a secret prowl.
Striding up the road to Hawthorne's, Stuart found his thoughts reverting to the mysterious person whom he had seen beside the pillar of Mayo's wall.
Was that being at large tonight? The thought caused Stuart's hand to creep to his coat pocket. Perhaps the man had some connection with those fiends in Maryland! If so, an encounter here would be enjoyable. Stuart felt that he would like to meet both the old man with the smiling face and the monster, Grady.
Cautiously nearing Hawthorne's, Stuart saw a light in the window. He made a sweeping circuit through the woods, and crawled toward the house.
Beneath the window, Stuart crouched as he looked about him. Positive that no one was near, Stuart rose and peered through the window.
Hawthorne, at his table, was going over accounts. In a corner was a dull-faced young man
— probably the promoter's assistant. Hawthorne had mentioned that such a man lived here. Stuart dropped away from the window and prowled about the house. Satisfied that there was no one in the vicinity, he turned toward Mayo's. Stuart knew that there was no one but the Filipino servant at the millionaire's lodge. With Mayo away, what were the chances of the strange, shadowy person being present? None, Stuart decided.
He felt sure that the man — if it were actually a living being and not an imaginary figure that Stuart had seen — would be more concerned with Mayo than with his home. With Mayo away, Stuart decided that the premises about the lodge would be deserted. It was an ideal time to investigate that neighborhood. Stuart reached the approach to the house, and noted that the lamps on top of the pillars were not lighted. So he went directly through the gateway, and soon saw a light in the low-lying second floor of Mayo's lodge. That, Stuart decided, must be Louie's room.
There was also a light downstairs — a single lamp in Mayo's living room. Stuart again adopted his circuitous tactics and peered into the downstairs room. No one there.
He went in back of the house, and reached a large level area — Mayo's landing field. From here he could see the Filipino's quarters.