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

under q sheltering projection Of brick
work he let the yellow ray travel over
the wall. No window. however small,
was to be seen overlooking the moat,
nor had he expected to find such. Were
there an aperture of any appreciable
size the suspected prison within would
be hut a poor one. and cries for help,
If uttered, need never have been mis-
taken for the calls of some strange
bird.
The bridge which once had been
practicable, was now in a state of hope
less dilapidation for Randall Palgrave
had made no effort towards repairing
it; but the light from Maynard's Ian
tern showed him that the water in the
moat was not deep enough to V a
moss-grown ledge which projected from
the ancient ~fundation of the house.
If one could but get across, he
thought, it would be possible to edge
ones way for a considerable distance
along this projection, feeling the wall
with ones hands.
HE would not have minded expert
menting with the depth of the water,
which he did not believe to be great,
but should he be seen again by any OF
the servants on his return to the
house dripping wet and covered with
river weeds, suspicion would be arous-
ed at once. Of all things, he desired
to avoid this, that his actions might
not be spied Upon and his plans de-
feated.
Setting his wits to work he recalled
the fact that when he had made his
first and last visit to the Moated
Grange-on the night after the in
quest-he lad missed the path at first,
and had come upon the stables, where
the workmen, after renovating, had
left a ladder or two and some long,
stout planks OF wood.
There was just a chance, as they had
been standing neglected then, that they
might be there still. and, if so, armed
with one of the ladders or planks,
Maynard could make his own bridge
across the moat.
He crossed the lawn and. still by
means of the lantern, found his way
into the path among the shrubbery,
where he had lost himself before. IN
doing so he had to pass the servants
quarters, where lights shone behind
red window blinds, and the sound Of
laughter and Gathering dishes came
out to him. They were doubtless at
supper, and it would be no slight noise
which would disturb them.
Fortunately there were no dogs to
bark an alarm as the stranger prowled
about the stables. The Palgraves, ia
Their and son, united in disliking dogs,
and allowed none to be kept about the
place.
Suddenly the lanterns light struck
out a flash of yellow color from the
darkness. 1t was a pine board, shin
ing with dampness, which leant against
the stable wall, while several others OF
different sizes lay scattered on the
ground close by. The ladder which
Maynard remembered was gone, but
he could do without it.
He measured the standing plank with
his eye. 1G might have been sixteen
feet in length, by twelve or fourteen
inches in width, and he believed that
it would suffice for his purpose.
He lifted it up, laid it across his
shoulder, and walked back to the moat.
AS he set down his lantern and care
fully laid the plank across in the fash
ion of a bridge, balancing the further
end upon the projecting ledge of wall,
a distant church clock chimed out the
half-hour after nine. In Cleveland
square they would still be at the din
ner table. They would hardly rise for
an hour yet. Maynard laughed grimly
under his breath as ne thought of the
look that would come on the Pal
graves faces if they could see him
new.