Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-10-26

DOSlIc the llDTdTNs WAS ile Only DtAltE
room that seemed to have been in COM
slant use, and at the far end, in tho
same place as the window was situated
in the library, n fernery had been built,
but it was bare Of foliage now and
boosted only n collection of dry and
withered shrubs. This was the last
room Darrent entered. He stood in tho
conservatory and opened the door lead
ing to the grounds. a fight Of steps, Iro-
tected by an ornamental iron awniu-,
over which ivy and creeping plants had
grown, led down TO u covered trellised
walk, where the thick intwiuing foliage
had kept the snow from penetrating.
Tho walk extended from the bottom oe
the steps to an open rockery some 30
feet away built in the dip Of tho
ground. Large masses Of rugged stone
had been piled together, and rough
hcwn steps led down TO a deep pool
filled with brushes and aquatic plants.
The pool which was frozen and black,
was overhung by dropping trees, whose
pendent branches almost touched is
surface-a charming spot in summer,
with its moss grown stones, its white
and yellow water lilies. its creeping
plants and miniature waterfall FLASHING
gently down, but now, in the grip #
tho ice king, its sylvan beauty was
transformed as by a magic wand. Ii
seemed a very fairy grotto. The OVER,
hanging trees cleaned white with
frosted snow, glistening like diamonds,
and from every rock hung fantastic ici-
cles in all the beauty of an Aladdin's
cave.
Darrcnt descended the steps and trav-
ersed the covered walk, which was en-
tirely free from snow, until he reached
the rough hewn steps that led down to
the pool, and as he zazed upon the
beauty of the scene before him and ad.
mired the pendent branches frosted
with their white, feathery powder his
keen eye wa attracted by the slender
trunk of a silver birch which some four
feet from the ground showed Il space a
few inches wide absent Of the snowy
covering which decked the remainder
of the tree. He carefully examined tho
spot. 1t looked as though a hand had
gripped it. Then he bent down and
scrutinized the earth at the foot Of the
birch. Yes, there was the mark as Of a
footstep. Any n coming from the
! covered walk that led from the CON
servatory to the rockery would have
been able without treading on any Of
the snow covered ground to have seized
the trunk of that tree and so swung
himself down toward the bottom of the
pool. Stepping carefully over the slip (
perry stones, Darrent and Thompson
reached the bottom and stood side by
side upon the frozen surface.
Evidently some one had been there
before them, for the impression Of foot
prints was visible, leading 10 the very
back of the grotto. Following the track.
they pushed aside the long streamers of
creeping plants coated with ice, that
jingled unsteady as they moved them,
and found the grotto extended some
feet beyond, and then it seemed to
cease, shut in by heavy masses of rock,
hut on closer approach a narrow open
ing at right angles became visible, and
into this the footprints led. With an
effort they forced themselves through
the entrance and into a kind Of tunnel.
at the far end of which a ray of light
shone like a star. The floor Of the tun-
mel was coated with ice, ana evidently
they were walking along the bed Of a
channel by which the overflow from the
grOtto found its way out into the river.
Slowly and painfully they CROPPED
along in the darkness, stumbling and
slipping upon the smooth surface of
the ice and bruising their hands against
the sides of the tunnel. Half way
through, the pathway grew narrower
and lower, and it was only by creeping
in a painfully STOPPING attitude that
they could get along at all. The light
grew nearer. They struggled on for a
dozen or so yards more and at length,
through a tangled mass of shrubs and
brushes, saw stretching before them the
broad expanse Of the river, while the
ring of the skates sounded merrily in
the distance.
The skaters passed, flying like the
wind, along the stretch Of perfect ice.
No one was in sight, either to the right
or the left, as, pushing aside the bushes,
Herbert Darrent and his companion
orept on their hands and knees from the
narrow causeway ont on 10 the frozen
river. and the way of the escape of the
murderer of Josiah Marsden was solve'
TO BE CONTINUED.