Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-03-06
CHAPTER. XI.

CHAPTER XI.
MR.. WATKINS NARRATIVE CONTINUED.
When 1 got home, l went straight
into my office by myself, locked the
door, cut open the cord which bound
the mouth of the bladder, ripped the
skin up carefully, or as carefully as l
could with my penknife, and from the
interior took out half a sheet of note
paper. On one side was writing in ink.
1t was the conclusion of letter of no
importance; indeed it was a trades
mans letter and signed John Costello,
a musical instrument merchant in our
country town. On the other side were
characters in red, written with some
blunt instrument like the pointed end
of a match or bit of timber, and at the
foot of the writing, in larger letters,
were two names-v;z, John Free
man, Edward Freeman each name
in different handwriting and represent
ing the signatures of the lads, which l
knew The body of the red writing
was Edward Freeman s. 1t was to the
following effect:
We are here at the bottom of the Devils
Parlor." There is a way right down to Most
of Charley's loaves have come down to us. We
came in by the square hole high up in the
cliff. BOtn well. JOHN FREEMAN.
EDWARD FREEMAN.
By the square hole!' The piast's
hole! Who could have thought it? The
little black spot far away up in the face
of the sea cliff.
The murder was out; all was known.
Thrusting the letter into my pocket, l
rushed at the door like mailman, and
forgetting that 1 had locked it myself
Numbered upon it with my fist, roaring:
Saddle Gray Francy!'-it was the
name of my fastest horse Saddle
Gray Francy!' kept shrieking.
The boys, who We're all the time in
the passage outside my door, clamored
in reply. One of them seemed to run off
into the yard shrieking out my mes
sage. My wife and the servants ran to
the door of the Office. In short, it seemed
as if the whole household had gone sud
denly mad. OF course what | describe
here took only few seconds to pass. l
opened the door and rushed along the
passage. no5 caring whom | threw
down; through the kitchen. out into the
yard and straight to the stable l ran.
There already my orderly and Joseph,
working as for life and death. We're
saddling and bridlinS Gray Francy. In
another moment | was on his back,
without my hat. and tearing down the
avenue and then along the road which
led to the rectory. was aware of peo-
pie standing here and there with scared
faces. but little l cared for that Since
I I
day. nor if | live for a thousand years
could l be so again. | took Francy at a
leap over the avenue gate of the rectory
and galloped up to the house, shouting
as l did So
They are found
The avenue is short one. My voice
could have been heard from the gate in
every room of the house, and was. No
commander in the hottest moment of
battle ever roared to his men as did
that day as | galloped up to Mr.. Free
man hall door. Every one there knew
the significance of my wild shoutings.
They are fOund!' could refer only to
the two lost ones. Mrs. freeman rushed
from the hall door before reached it.
She raised her hands to the sky as if in
prayer; then sank on her knees and fell
forward. The boy Charley came after
and then the servants. After all came
Mr.. Freeman, his face as white as pa
per. but his manner calm and collected.
Through the wood and shrubbery sew
eral men came rushing and tumbling
and behind me up the avenue others
who had followed me along the road.
In few words l told Mr.. Freeman all.
Have you the letter." he said.
When l showed it to him. he looked
down first at the signatures, then read
the letter and handed it back to me
without a word, but the look that was
in his face, What pen could interpret
Certainly not mine. l did not wait an
instant longer, but galloped back
straight to my own house. had recov-
cred my self possession after this wild
debauch of the reason. On the way l
met the boys and the orderly and after
that three of my men weafing their
usual cast iron expression and striding
quietly in the direction taken by their
insane officer. Indeed am much too
excitable to command a force whose
gravity would put the Spaniard to
shame. AS it was now drawing toward
dusk and various preparations and ar
engagements had to be made, postponed
the descent till next morning. l procured
ropes that night from the village. /
sent for a man now farm laborer in
the neighborhood, but who / knew had
formerly worked in mines in Cornwall,
and consulted him about the best means
of descent. He went from me to the forge
of our village blacksmith, who, under
his directions, made that night sort
of iron stirrup to be attached to the
ropes end. l set the boys to make
torches of splintered bogwood. Harry,
however, who was ingenious, provided
besides sods of turf soaked In paraffin
oil. These, stuck on the ends of skew
ers, he assured me, would make grand
blaze. We tried one and found it excel
lent. The news few like wildfire over
the country, and those who held by the
piast theory were put to shame. Crowds
of people came about the house till the
nuisance reached such dimensions that
ordered my men to clear them away,
which they did with difficulty. The