Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1891-08-13

Gradually he became aware OF the fact
that he was looking out on a roadway.
There was q house opposite him, but
at 4 considerable distance Then Beau
champe discovered that the building he
was IN was made Of stone And now,
he observed, there were a number OF
iron bars outside the windows. The
spaces between these bars were so small
that il was impossible for a boy, let
alone a man, to squeeze through them
Strange that all this had escaped his
notice the previous day.
II he had observed the iron bars, they
made no impression upon him Now
they angered him
Suddenly Beauchampe leaned for
ward. What was that between the
stones, Just inside the broad stone sill,
beside the foot Of one Of the strong iron
bars, bedded in lead? Beauchampe
pushed the window with all his might
1t was immovable- He turned, looked
at the door OF his room, then, suddenly
flung himself against the window, with
both palms outspread- The jar moved
the lower half Of the sash. He exerted
himself again.
Now the large window moved
alt moved" Beauehampe said inward
ly. He succeeded in lifting IL nearly two
inches. Then he put two fingers under
IL, but the object he strove to reach was
as far from him as though 1t lay in an
other world.
Beauchampe struck his forehead re-
peatedly. II he failed TO secure this
object, he would become insane. He
must have it!
He seized the wristband of his shirt
between his teeth, and tore ID of. Then
he twisted the raggeASdge downward,
bent one end in such a way that the cor
ner would drop in the crack between the
stones, and pushing the strip under the
window, drew it along slowly until the
and was over the object he sought.
Nine times did Beauchampe repeat
this, each time jerking the strip sudden
ly inwards, and each time his face ex-
pressed bitter disappointment
The tenth time he was very DELHI
crate.
This time he was successful Beau
champe suddenly seized the win
dow, and pulled at IT, but il refused to
move. He bent his fingers until the
and beveled towards the panes. At the
risk OF tearing his nails out he succeed
ed in closing the window.
Then he stopped and picked up a
small iron tack, such a tack as is used
in fastening carpets.
This was the object that he had ex-
erted himself to secure
Having secured it, he very deliberately
gathered up all the pieces of paper, the
lead pencil, the pewter dish, seated him
self on his iron bed, and holding the
tRck firmly between his thumb and fore
finger, began TO scratch the bottom of
the pewter plate.
at intervals he would lay the dish
aside and take up piece Of paper. And
all the while he inclined an ear lest
some one should surprise him.
l.. I'll Il, /. f.
ing q child's face, when the door opened
without warning sound, and DR. Varek
stood before him The door stood open.
Presently Hawkins stood near the door,
but did not enter.
The pewter dish was lying on the
floor, pieces of paper were lying near it,
ali covered with drawings
The Doctor stopped and lifted them
one by one, looked at them, and then
beckoned Hawkins.
Hawkins walked straight TO the win
dow, look at II, then motioned TO the
Doctor, who advanced to his side.
There is the mark of his nails"
They both turned from the window,
then, and looked At the artist Beau
champe returned their look, in which
suspicion was manifested as plainly as il
could be expressed in words with af-
tected Indifference.
The Doctor and his assistant looked
around the room slowly. Then Hawkins
eyes settled on the pewter dish. He
kicked 1t over with his foot, picked 1t
up. and was on the point OF dropping it
upon the floor again, when his attention
was arrested.
compressed his lips a trifie more, and
handed the dish to the Doctor, pointing
to the bottom with his foreiinger
DIR. Varek looked at the bottom of
the dish earnestly. The perspiration
stood like beads on Beauchampe's fore
head now.
VERY clever, indeed-very, said the
Doctor, as he looked at the artist 81
shall preserve this as a specimen of your
talent and perseverance. You have sue
ceeded in this as well as in the drawing
on the pieces OF the bowl you broke. 1t
is plain to US now. You found a knife
blade or a nail on the sill there. Let
me have it.
~ have neither a knife-blade nor a
nail, said Beauchampe.
mo matter. 1 will have you stripped
if you do not produce it; and when we
find IL If II is, as 1 believe, a nail, mark
my words, I will compel you to swallow
it. Choose now. on the Instant
Beauchampe handed them the tack in
silence, and both started when they
saw it.
Nevertheless, Carrick, you shall be
stripped, you head eombed-shaved If
necessary. If nothing more is found. 1
will believe you made these pictures
with tack. This shall be laid away
with my silverware; it is a greater Gu
riOsity every way than the drawings on
the pieces of the broken bowl.
"You are fiends; you are not menl"
exclaimed Beauchampe furiOusly.
They did not reply. They walked
away, locking the door carefully, while
Beauchampe flung himself face down
ward upon the bed, cursing them and
gritting his teeth in the impotency Of
his rage.
Now, for the first time since he en-
tered DIR. Varek's establishment, Leslie
Beauchampe sank into sleep while it
was yet daylight He reused himself
once, turned over and looked at his
window.
The gray of dusk fell on the floor
Beauchampe welcomed the fanciful
shadows cast upon the bare walls by the
trees near the house; he wanted rest,
craved sleep, for sleep meant brief
oblivion.
CHAPTER Vi.
Is A FOG.
IL was broad daylight when Livingston
and Simmons separated
In the meantime Simmons had accom-
plished wonders. His familiarity with
ia = IL Il -