Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-02-24

ment or cellar. That there might be
more than one means Of communica-
tion did no occur to him, as it would.
perhaps, had he had more acquaintance
with the history of certain old Eng
lish houses.
Having mapped out a plan of cam
| paign, to be ventured upon as soon as
might be, he recrossed the bridge,
drew up the plank and took the pre-
caution to lay it in a sequestered cor
ner where it would not be observed. in
case Randall had one confederate. who
now wasted his talents in the cabin
OF an Irish fisherman. 1t was not
likely that they would take to their
bosoms any c%onfidants they could pos
sibly do without.
when he had disposed OF all damag-
ing evidence Maynard returned to the
house and had scarcely stretched him
self out in an attitude of ease before
the fire in the smoking-room when the
butler tapped to inquire if there was
nothing he could do for his Grace be-
fore shutting up the house and obey
ing his Grace's directions by going to
bed.
Nothing at all, thank you," said
| Maynard.
The servant retired, but not to make
ready for rest.He was very conscious of
the message he had sent, and not COM
fortably sure what were to be the con-
sequences thereof.
The %obsequious Polperro did not
know why his master had been so
keenly DESTROYS of being kept informed
Of all that went on at the Grange dur
ing his short absence. But he did
know that the wish had been impera-
tive, and it seemed to him not impos-
sible that his master might either re-
turn or send an emissary by the last
train from London.
Polperro had studied the timetable
since writing his letter, and had in
formed himself that the said train was
due at NARROW at 1890. He had then
| gone so far as to send word to a fly
proprietor in the neighborhood of the
village that it might be worth his
while to meet the last down train. II
his trip proved vain he should, al all
events, not lose by it.
The contingency of his masters re-
not follow his fellow-servants upstairs,
but with a glass OF hot toddy and a
weekly newspaper, made himself COM
Portable in a small room nea the SER
wants hall, which was sacred to his
leisure.
When ten O'Clock had passed and the
house was still, after an ~ostentatious
sound of locking UP, Maynard ventured
forth from the smoking-room. Lights
burnt for his benefit at the foot of the
main stairway, in the drawing-room,
and an apartment opposite known by
courtesy as the library.
Now for the cellars" he said to
himself; and after opening a number
of doors which proved misleading, he
found himself at length on the TIRES
hold of one which, at the end of a pas
| sage behind the dining-room, led down
a narrow stairway.
A faint light burnt below, for Pol
perro sat in his room, and had not
dreamt that the basement would be in
vaded or his peridy discovered.
Here in this region the sketch Anne
had made was of no further use to
Maynard. He could only guess at the
situation as connected with the moat.
In the basement the rooms lay all on
one side OF a long passage-that upon
which the windows could look out on
light and open air.
On the opposite side were various
curiboards and pantries, whose solid
stone walls backed upon the moat, and
it was there that Maynard told him
self he must prosecute his search.
The doors of these receptacles for
food, or dishes and oods and ends be-
longing to domestic offices, differed
from those of the rooms on the other
side of the hall, and by their lack of
height and dignity proclaimed them
selves for what they were.
Softly, lest the light might mean the
unlikely fact that someone was sitting
up in kitchen or servants hall, May
nard ignored the closed rooms, and ap-
piled himself to an examination OF the
larders and ~cupboards.
There were two of the former, a cou-
pie of store places for servants dishes,
and n where brooms and an unattrac-
tive assembly of d~ust-brushes and
boots stood revealed.
Maynard turned on the light Of his
dark lantern and carefully examined
the walls. All seemed commonplace
and ordinary enough. The paRtries
were fitted with many shelves set with