Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1902-07-09
CHAPTER Y.

If you could have Travelled the world
at that moment, from north TO south.
and from east to west, | believe YOU
would have found it difficult to Dis
cover man who felt as foolish as |
did when | entered the gloomy dwell
ing-place as llayle's prisoner. TO say
that ! was mortified by the advantage
he had obtained over me would not eX-
press my feelings in the least re
think that |, George Fairfax. who had
the reputation of being so difficult a
man to trick, should have allowed my
self to fall into so palpable a trap.
seemed sufficiently incredible as to b.,
almost matter for laughter rather
than rage. There was worse. how
ever, behind. Miss KitNater had been
so trustful of my capabiity for bring
ing the matter to successful conch-
sion, that | dared not imagine what
she would think Of me now. Which
ever way | looked at it, it was OBJ
VouS that Hayle must score On the
one side, he kept me locked up while
he not only made his escape from
Paris, but by so doing cut Off every
chance of my pursuing him after
wards; on the other, he might console
himself with the almost certain
knowledge that ] should be discreditcd
by those who had put their trust i'm
me. How could it very well be other
wise? ] had committed the criminal
folly of accepting hospitality from the
enemy and from that moment / should
not be seen. The natural suppositiou
would be that / had been bought, and
that ! was not only aking no further
interest in the case. but that | was
keeping out Of the way of those who
| did. To add to my misery. ] could cas-,
lily imagine the laugh that would 90
up on the other side of the channel
when the trick that had been PLAYED
upon me became known But having
so much else TO think of, that fact.
YOU may be sure, did not trouble me
very much. There were two things.
however, about which was particu-
larly anxious; one was TO set myself
ri bit with Miss Kitwatcr. and the
| other was to get even, at any cost.
with IIayle. The first seemed the most
difficult.
IL must not be supposed that whom
had alighted from the carriage had
-.' ~ ''' H'Bf Di 'rfd pc. OU the
contrary had 1T not been for the pres
ence OF three burly fellows. who fmmc-
diateIy took up their places beside me.
] fancy ] should have made "a dash for
liberty. Under the circumstances.
however, to have attempted such
thing would have been the height of
folly Five 10 one, that is TO say. II
! include the cOachmau jon the mum
Der, with the gates closed behind me.
we're too long odds, and however hard
J might have fought, ] could not pos
siDiy have been successful.
Perhaps you will be- kind enough 10
step into the house" said HayIr.
'Ihe air is cold out here. and am
afraid lest you might take "a chiIL'
Before complying with his order
looked around me once more. to see
if there was any chance Of escape. But
30 far as ] could see there was not
one ] accordingly followed one Of my
captors into the building. the re-
mainder bringing up the rear.
( From what J could see Of the house
with the help Of the light from soIi-
tary candle hanging iu ,coucc upon
the wall, it had once been 81 handsome
building. Now, however. DO had fallen
sadly to decay. The ceiling OF the baIl
had at one time been richly painted,