The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-03-09
From the Chapel Roof.
CBelgrayia.l

main force drew his bulky form clear up,
and tumbled over into the gutter on the
other side of the battlement. Number
Two followed, and the rest in due order,
each performing. with success a feat
which, difficult at any time, was partic-
ularly dangerous in the darkness of the
night.
Just as Number Five pulled himself
over the ladder was shaken from below,
and voice came up from the darkness
with an interrogating
"HalloY'
"Hallow said Number One, equal to
this as, apparently, to any emergency.
"What are you up tor said the voice
from below.
"We are going to strike the derrick"
said Number One. whose quick eye had
noticed, standing out from the shadow
Of the battlements, derrick or pole.
which had been used by the masons for
hauling up materials.
"All right" said the voice, and the
owner walked off with noiseless football
across the smooth shayen lawn.
Led by Number One, and keeping we'll
within the shadow of the battlement, the
little party, having first hauled up the
ladder, strode stealthily along the gutter
towards the spiral staircase, which
here opened on the roof by means of
door. Honest men having any business
In this part of. the chapel would have
gone to the Dean, asked for the keys, un-
locked the door of the staircase in the
courtyard, and quietly and decently
walked up. Our five friends, for reasons
! of their own, found it necessary to ap-
proach the stair case by the means here
described. They found the door open,
and were presently toiling their way up
the vending staircase to the higher roof
On to this a door gave, and here, as be-
fore, there was safe promenade behind
the battlements.
The upper or main roof of st. Georges
Chapel, as every one knows, has pretty,
shapely, defined apex. Number One,
after few whispered instructions to his
companions, began climbing up the roof
on his hands and knees, an undertaking
in which he found considerable assist
ance from the hooks let into the lead.
after the manner of steps, for the use of
the plumbers. On reaching the top the
five crawled down the other side, follow
ing close upon the steps of their leader,
Arriving at the bottom, the party made
direct for the door leading to, the spiral
staircase on the other side Of the chapel,
corresponding with the one by which
they had assembled This door also was
open, and Number Two, Three and Four
safely passed in.
Number Five was about to enter when,
looking back at the perilous pathway
they had traversed, he saw, clear out
against the sky, the figure of man
crossing the apex of the roof. Selling
Number One by the arm, he pointed to
the figure, which was just emerging from
the sky light, and was evidently coming
down on their trail.
1.-TWO, Three and Four have passed
n," said Number One. "We number,
up to five, and that is not one of our.
party"
With swift motion his hand went to
his belt. The evil light flashed in his.
eyes, the honest red on his cheeks faded,
and the man, who was evidently crawl
ing down the roof, would not have liked
to have seen the stony, set expression of
the face that looked pat him. He was
coming down backward on his hands and
knees, and looked in the shifting lights
like one of the grifins let loose from the
battlements. But he was too evidently
man, and how long he would be living
man after he reached the parapet and
stood face to face with Numer One was a
calculation not pleasant to undertake.
"Let us get into the staircase and shut
the door," said Number Five. "Then
he can do or say what he pleases."
Suiting the action to the word, he
made toward the staircase and was fol-
lowed by Number One, whose eye seemed
to linger regretfully on the unconscious
man coming slowly down the roof. In
side the staircase, they closed the door,
sent home the bolt, and were safe.
Passing down the staircase-Number
One always leading with an absence of
irresolution which testified either of his
practical knowledge of the locality or
! to his having made careful study Of it
from,the plans they reached door open
ing on the right, apparently into some
room. This they passed, and, coming
to a similar door below, opened it and
SSentered.
I Here was strange sight. The room
I was about eighteen feet wide by forty
long. 1t is Of course, well known to all
who have busipesss in connection with
the castle, though it had probably never
before been entered by the common peo-
pie who live outsideroyal castles. There
is no reason why should not particular
| ize it. It is UNDERSTOOD to have been
originally designed as sort of retiring
roDm or vestry for the officiating minis
ter of the chapel. Perhaps it has not
\ thus been used for mere then hundred
| years, and has meantime obtained the
significant apellation of "HelL" 1t looks
right out on the courtyard through the
windows Of quarried glass set in the thick
walls of the tower. 1ea