Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1894-03-29
bin, Don't pretend you have forgotten

DEng Don't pretend you nave IorgoIlen
the way to it
NO, / have not forgotten" answered
Duke II a iaitering voice. And 10
Minna's surprise and horror. he led the
way straight in the direction OF the
secret door.
But il was no longer 20 be seer A
row Of white bins partly fiilei, occupied
the space against the wall before them
Duke started in q bewildered man
ner at the new Obstruction
1T was here. TN sure il wa here
was al he said.
His uncle shook his arm impatiently.
Nonsense he said abruptly. If it
had been there then, IL would have been
there now"
somebody must have blocked il up
again he said az last.
HIS uncle moved impatiently.
Now who would, who could do such
a thingy' asked Mr.. Bennington sharp
IL.
Dukes answer was given with dis
concerted simplicity.
I'm sure i don't know" he said
Then a fresh idea seemed TO strike him,
and he began trying TO move the bins
away. Glancing round toward b other
two young men, he called to them 70
help him.
Reluctantly enough, and sharing Min
mas fear. they did so.
But when by their united exertions
they had succeeded in removing the
wine-bins, it was only 4 find a fresh
obstacle. The doorway was blocked and
entirely hidden with boards and cd
broken bricks
Duke uttered an exclamation so en-
tirely Ike genuine surprise that IL was
almost impossible 10 believe that he
could be only acting.
Its boarded up" he exclaimed
The bricks, however. were on, built
In one upon another without cement Of
any kind, so that when he pulled at n
Of the boards the whole obstruction
began TO give way. A few mor efforts
disclosed the paddock on the door.
That's it; l told you So be cried,
turning TO his uncle. Il knew the door
was here, though how il came 10 be
blocked up again / can't imagine. But
now. where's the keyT
we must do without that" said the
elder man shortly" The doors old. and
/ don't suppose il VIII hold out against
any one who means business. Where
there's a will there's a way.
Selling one Of the displaced bricks. he
dealt on the door a shower OF blows
which made the old wood split and
crack until at last with q loud noise, IL
broke away from its hinges and few
open, hanging l. paddock At the
same moment al he smell OF putre-
faction filed the er cellar. Every
one but Mr.. WlAa'm Darlington drew
back in horror and dismay. He, how
ever. in a state OF frenZied excitement
Jumped down into the inner cellar. and
STOPPING. touched the hideous and re-
voting heap on the floor Then he
sprang erect
1T IS the dead body Of your clerk,
Joseph Radstock." he cried. facing his
nephew with the steTnneSs OF a judge.
DIXIE reelsd az if he had heen sEEEacs-
II was impossible TO misread his look
of horror and utter ~bewilderment The
discovery came 10 him as an absolute
surprise.
The body Of Joseph Radstock?" he
exclaimed slowly, incredulously. 1T Is
not possible. Who put it there?'
His murderer. i suppose" returned
Mr.. Bennington, as harshly as ever.
Still Duke could not believe.
who could have murdered" he be-
gan.
But he stopped Short and ver his be-
wildered face there tang q look OF
horror so intense that the muscles Of
his face seemed TO contract so that he
looked like a withered old man. For
standing behind the rest Of the group.
her face even more iivid. more terror
stricken than his own. was his wife,
Cicely. And in her burning eyes he
read that the discovery was no new
thing 10 her.