Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-02-16
CHAPTER XIV.
THE ATTEMPT ON BERYL's LIFE.

CHAPTER XIV.
THE ATTEMPT ON BERYL's LIFE.
The instant that Beryl saw who it
was that was threatening to break into
her room and guessed the reason of the
visit she shrank back as closely as pos
sible to the wall and waited in breath
less suspense while Pierre Tnrrian COM
pleted his scrutiny of the room.
By stopping her head forward very
slightly she was able to watch him and
saw that he was bending sideways from
the ladder while seemingly holding on
to it with one hand.
So long as be continued to stare into
the room she did not move a muscle
and almost held her breath lest he
should hear her and being disturbed
make off.
For her rapid, shrewd brain had re-
solved that she would if possible let
him carry ont lis intention of getting
into the room,. III order that he might
the more clearly reveal his object, while
she took ample means to provide for her
own safety.
Her nimble wits devised an easy
method of tricking him if only ne
would give her an opportunity of
couple of minutes preparation, and
this, to her intense relief, he did.
Finding that he had not placed the
ladder sufficiently close to the window
to be able to open it, the man descend
ed it slowly and softly, just as he had
climbed it, and Beryl, straining every
nerve to listen, heard him 60 down.
With swift, deft movement she SO
made up the bed that it looked as though
some one were sleeping in it. and then
she opened the door, which was covered
by a curtain, and muff1ing her head in
dark shawl she stood in the doorway
sufficiently concealed by the door cur
tain and waited.
She had not long to wait.
Almost as soon as she had finished
her preparations she heard the top OF
the ladder humping softly against the
wall as Pierre Turrian cane up 1t again.
As he reached the top and his head
showed between the window and the
sky the moon shone out and lighted NJ
the window and the figure of the man
and came flooding into the room almost
to the feet of the girl.
She saw him peer eagerly into the
room, while it was thus illuminated,
and she could fancy his eyes cleaning
with satisfaction at finding all quiet
within and seeing what looked like the
form of the sleeper still and motionless
on the bed.
In another second the moonlight had
gone, and all was dark again, and be-
fore Beryl's eyes had recovered suffi-
ciently from the change from moonlight
to dark to let her see what he was do
ing she heard the click of the window
bolt as it few back before the thin knife
blade which Pierre Turrian had passed
between the sashes.
The next instant the lower sash was
raised cautiously, slowly and almost
noiselessly, save that the draft caused
by the rush Of air from the window to
the open door set the curtain rustling,
while Beryl felt the night air strike
cold and chill upon that part of her face
which was uncovered so that she might
see what was being done.
AS soon as the window was raised
high enough the man stepped in SO soft
ly and quietly that Beryl could scarcely
hear him, and then he closed the wlp-
dow behind him.
At that instant thought occurred to
the girl. What if the Frenchman were
not coming in search of her, but were
merely paying a surreptitious visit to
this wing of the house and had chosen
by chance her room to pass through? In
that case she stood right in his path.
But his actions almost Immediately
removed the doubt
The moon had not shone out again
from behind the clouds, and the room
was too dark for Pierre Turrian to see
with any clearness, but Beryl's eyes had
grown so accustomed to the gloom that
as he stood between her and the window
she could watch every action of his.
He stood quite still for almost half a
minute, looking toward the bed, as it
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that Beryl could even hear him breathe.
After pause be took something from
his pocket which she thought was a
handkerchief and shook it out lightly,
and, folding it carelessly, held it in his
left hand. Then he stood still, with his
head bent forward toward the bed as
though listening intently for the breath,
ing of the sleeper he thought was lying
there at his mercy.
Beryl clinched her teeth as she noticed
this.
Next, and with only slight pause,
be took something from another pocket.
What it was she could not see, but