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โ€œOn the morning after the episode which I have just related attached to the main door of the hacienda was found that same token.โ€

โ€œAnd it was??โ€ said Harley, eagerly.

โ€œIt was the wing of a bat!

โ€œI am perhaps a hasty man. It is in my blood. I tore the unclean thing from the panel and stamped it under my feet. No one of the servants who had drawn my attention to its presence would consent to touch it. Indeed, they all shrank from me as though I, too, were unclean. I endeavoured to forget it. Who was I to be influenced by the threats of natives?

โ€œThat night, just at the hour of sunset, a shot was fired at me from a neighbouring clump of trees, only missing me I think by the fraction of an inch. I realized that the peril was real, and was one against which I could not fight.

โ€œPermit me to be brief, gentlemen. Six attempts of various kinds were made upon my life in Cuba. I crossed to the United States. In Washington, the political capital of the country, an assassin gained access to my hotel apartment and but for the fact that a friend chanced to call me up on the telephone at that late hour of the night, thereby awakening me, I should have received a knife in my heart. I saw the knife in the dim light; I saw the shadowy figure. I leapt out on the opposite side of the bed, seized a table-lamp which stood there, and hurled it at my assailant.

โ€œThere was a crash, a stifled exclamation, shuffling, the door opened, and my would-be assassin was gone. But I had learned something, and to my old fears a new one was added.โ€

โ€œWhat had you learned?โ€ asked Harley, whose interest in the narrative was displayed by the fact that his pipe had long since gone out.

โ€œVaguely, vaguely, you understand, for there was little light, I had seen the face of the man. He wore some kind of black cloak doubtless to conceal his movements. His silhouette resembled that of a bat. But, gentlemen, he was neither a negro nor even a half-caste; he was of the white races, to that I could swear.โ€

Colonel Menendez lighted the cigarette which he had been busily rolling, and fixed his dark eyes upon Harley.

โ€œYou puzzle me, sir,โ€ said the latter. โ€œDo you wish me to believe that this cult of Voodoo claims European or American devotees?โ€

โ€œI wish you to believe,โ€ returned the Colonel, โ€œthat although as the result of the alarm which I gave the hotel was searched and the Washington police exerted themselves to the utmost, no trace was ever found of the man who had tried to murder me, exceptโ€โ€”he extended a long, yellow forefinger, and pointed to the wing of the bat lying upon Harleyโ€™s tableโ€”โ€œa bat wing was found pinned to my bedroom door.โ€

Silence fell for a while; an impressive silence. Truly this was the strangest story to which I had ever listened.

โ€œHow long ago was that?โ€ asked Harley.

โ€œOnly two years ago. At about the time that the great war terminated. I came to Europe and believed that at last I had found security. I lived for a time in London amidst a refreshing peace that was new to me. Then, chancing to hear of a property in Surrey which was available, I leased it for a period of years, installingโ€”is it correct?โ€”my cousin, Madame de Stรคmer, as housekeeper. Madame, alas, is an invalid, butโ€โ€”he kissed his fingersโ€”โ€œa genius. She has with her, as companion, a very charming English girl, Miss Val Beverley, the orphaned daughter of a distinguished surgeon of Edinburg. Miss Beverley was with my cousin in the hospital which she established in France during the war. If you will honour me with your presence at Crayโ€™s Folly to-morrow, gentlemen, you will not lack congenial company, I can assure you.โ€

He raised his heavy eyebrows, looking interrogatively from Harley to myself.

โ€œFor my own part,โ€ said my friend, slowly, โ€œI shall be delighted. What do you say, Knox?โ€

โ€œI also.โ€

โ€œBut,โ€ continued Harley, โ€œyour presence here today, Colonel Menendez, suggests to my mind that England has not proved so safe a haven as you had anticipated?โ€

Colonel Menendez crossed the room and stood once more before the Burmese cabinet, one hand resting upon his hip; a massive yet graceful figure.

โ€œMr. Harley,โ€ he replied, โ€œfour days ago my butler, who is a Spaniard, brought meโ€”โ€ He pointed to the bat wing lying upon the blotting pad. โ€œHe had found it pinned to an oaken panel of the main entrance door.โ€

โ€œWas it prior to this discovery, or after it,โ€ asked Harley, โ€œthat you detected the presence of someone lurking in the neighbourhood of the house?โ€

โ€œBefore it.โ€

โ€œAnd the burglarious entrance?โ€

โ€œThat took place rather less than a month ago. On the eve of the full moon.โ€

Paul Harley stood up and relighted his pipe.

โ€œThere are quite a number of other details, Colonel,โ€ he said, โ€œwhich I shall require you to place in my possession. Since I have determined to visit Crayโ€™s Folly, these can wait until my arrival. I particularly refer to a remark concerning a neighbour of yours in Surrey.โ€

Colonel Menendez nodded, twirling his cigarette between his long, yellow fingers.

โ€œIt is a delicate matter, gentlemen,โ€ he confessed.

โ€œI must take time to consider how I shall place it before you. But I may count upon your arrival tomorrow?โ€

โ€œCertainly. I am looking forward to the visit with keen interest.โ€

โ€œIt is important,โ€ declared our visitor; โ€œfor on Wednesday is the full moon, and the full moon is in some way associated with the sacrificial rites of Voodoo.โ€





CHAPTER III. THE VAMPIRE BAT

An hour had elapsed since the departure of our visitor, and Paul Harley and I sat in the cosy, book-lined study discussing the strange story which had been related to us. Harley, who had a friend attached to the Spanish Embassy, had succeeded in getting in touch with him at his chambers, and had obtained some few particulars of interest concerning Colonel Don Juan Sarmiento Menendez, for such were the full names and titles of our late caller.

He was apparently the last representative of a once great Spanish family, established for many generations in Cuba. His wealth was incalculable, although the value of his numerous estates had depreciated in recent years. His family had produced many men of subtle intellect and powerful administrative qualities; but allied to this they had all possessed traits of cruelty and debauchery which at one time had made the name of Menendez a by-word in the West Indies. That there were many people in that part of the world who

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