Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1888-02-02

gun was still loaded. Footprints ol
some animal were observed in a patch
of soft ground near BY, bat it was not
certain whether this was the beast
that had killed Standish; for while the
footmarks were like those Of small
panther, the wound seemed rather as
If inflicted BY the teeth of q tiger. A
large hunting party bad beaten the
neighboring country without finding
any dangerous wild animal.
This narrative set me on very
gloomy train Of thought. The details
Of Standish's end were horribly like
those ofMr. Macdonald's-the sudden.
ness. the stealth. the mystery. the
ferocity Of the attack were the same
in both cases. Yet, what possible
connection could there be between the
Craddock Park mystery and the death
of an engineer on the Salampore ral-
way? Still, could not keep this
haunting feeling of some impending
doom from shadowing my mind.
Four men had met in that little room
in Wolseley Road on that memorable
night in November; two of the four
had already perished by the same
mysterious and horrible death. Was
it possible that the same end was re.
served for the other two, and, if so,
who would be the next victim? It
was a wild idea, I felt; but I simply
could not get it out of my head, and
it made me very gloomy and depressed
at the dinner table that nightJ
My kindly old host noticed this,
and his genial nature could not rest
satisfied till all around him were as
CHEEKY as himself. So when our tete.
tete dinner was done-we had been
very late in dining that day-he
resolved to have up bottle of Ger.
tain very rare old wine, which he kept
under special lock and key for great
occasions. This precious liquor he
was now resolved to:devote to clear.
Ing away my melancholy.
He would never trust butler with
the key Of his cellar-least of all
would be let a servant touch this
priceless vintage. He was going to
fetch the bottle himself, but of course
l interposed and insisted on going for
him. With sigh Of resignation he
gave me his bunch of keys, carefully
instructing me as to their particular
uses, and the treasures to which they
respectively gave access. Then he
dismissed me, and went down to the
cellar.
The cellar of Barton Manor was far
older than the house. It was hewn
out of the rock on which the hall had
stood and was large and lofty. ! think
that when the old castle, whose walls
are still to be traced in the manor
garden, was standing the vaults be.
meath must have been the storehouse of
the garrison. When the modern house
was built two windows were cut up
through ii the rock to give light to the
cellars; but the present owner had
protected these openings with double
gratings and put an iron plated door,
with a strong and cunning lock, to
defend his precious wines.
took up q candle, lit it and went
down the winding stair that led to
the cellar. The vault below was 90
lofty and so far beneath the floor of
the hall that the staircase cut in the
rock seemed as if it would never end.
felt like one descending into se-
pulchre. The clash of the keys swing
ing from my hand was the only sound
in the chilly silence, except when
noises came, mufiisd and faint, from
the house above. At last I reached
the heavy door Of the cellar, and with
some labor unlocked it and swung it
back. Then I drew out the key, as
/ wanted another on the bunch for re-
leasing the precious bottle / had been
sent to fetch. For q moment stood
in the doorway, holding my light high.
and gazing round me into the great
cavernous room. ! could not see all
of it, but the long rows of casks and
the racks of bottles were very i'm
pressive in their silent array CT poten.
tial conviviality. Then I glanced UP
at the windows. whose gratings were
now and then made visible BY q flick
er of summer lightning across the sky
and as I did so / suddenly heard Q
crash of glass far up in tie hOuss
above. Then. as / still listened, cam.
a faint sound Of footsteps rapidly grow
ing louder, as If something va. com
ing down the winding stair with Ion,
leaps.
] did not stop 10 face whatever thi
/ ui1hf ha. l;l - ~.n.... A. sh: