Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1902-10-09
CHAPTER NNl11.

'I'll go and sit with him, II he'll
have me-" said Clifford, who was re-
morseful, knowing that he had had
suspicious of the father, and not of the
daughter.
do, SIR" said the sergeant, who
wanted a watch kept upon Miss Bos-
tails father. and was quite willing that
1t should be friendly one.
SO Clifford, not without ditiidcncc.
entered the house as the sergeant car
ried his bundle to the gig which was
waiting for him at the old turnpike.
The Colonel heard the SLOW footsteps
outside the dining-room door and
called out:
"Who's that?"
Clifford stood in the doorway.
ITS /, Colonel. May l come ia?'
The cid man raised his head quickly,
and gave J i'm a little wan smile, as he
held out his hand.
Come in, come in; yes
Then, having held the young mans
warm hand in his own cold one for n
few moments, he let 1t fall, and, in
vlting him, with gesture, to be seat
cd. relapsed into silence. Clifford
asked him Is he should make up the
fire. 1t was cold evening, and the
draughts had been allowed to sweep
through the house from open window
to open door
"Yes, yes, my lad; warm yourself If
you can. 1t would take more fire than
there is on earth to warm my old
bones tonight
Tho stern sadness Of his tone sent n
shiver through Clifford, who, indeed,
had little comfort to give him. He had
some difficulty in getting the fire to
burn up, and when at last he succeed
ed he found that the coal-scuttle was
empty.
Il will fetch you some coal" said
the Colonel. who was proceeding to
rise from his chair, when Clifford
stopped him.
"No Tell me where to get it, said
he. quickly, snatching up the scuttle.
"Oh, we'll, IL you will, you will find
tiC VI tuC VII lLV Siou
outside, at the back. II you lift it
but really I don't like to trouble you
you will find the entrance to the cell
lar underneath"
Following this rather curious direc-
ton Clifford went out by the back
door of the house, lifted the lid adj
miring the ingenuity by which the
cellar was concealed, and began to de-
scend the wooden steps into the dark
ness below. The Colonel had provided
him with candle, but this was sud
denly extingulshed as he reached the
bottom step, and at the same moment
he became aware that he was not
alone.
Involuntarily he uttered little cry.
A hand, the little, soft and slender
hand which he remembered so vividly,
but which he had never before identi-
fed, was placed quickly on his mouth.
Hello" they heard Il rough mans
voice cry mutiled rs 1t came down into
the earth from the garden above.
And Clifford heard a soft whisper in
his own ear:
The policeman! Send him away on
some preteXt | only want a moment,
just one moment"
The young man shuddercd, Although
he had no fear that Miss Bostal would
do him any harm, there was something
uncanny about the idea of being left
alone with murderess, deep down In
the bowels of the earth, in the grasp Of
the little hands that had done such
deadly work.
The policeman's voice startled them
both. He flashed his lantern down
into the cellar, but already Miss Bos-
tai had released Clifford and hidden
herself in the corner behind the steps.
Hello! Who's that down there? Is
1t you, Mr. King:'
YES" said Clifford. I'm getting
some coal. Would you ask the Colonel
for scoop. or shovel, or somethin.
to get it up by?'
The man flashed his lantern round
the cellar once more. and answered:
well, sir. | can't go in. But I'll call
him.
He drew back, and the moment he
did so. Miss Bostal, with amazing bold
uess and celerlty, crept up the steps
and out behind his back, as lie called
| to Colonel Bostal from the back door
way.
Clifford stood still, with his heart in
his mouth. He was intensely excited;
he was listening with all his power.
But he did not know whether he want
ed the woman to escape or whether he
wanted her to pay the penalty she so
well deserved. All he knew was that
the few moments OF suspense seemed
never-endng. Then the voice of the
policeman, measured and calm, was
heard again:
"All right, sir. He's coming"
She had got away, then! After all,
1t was no more than was to be expect
ed of her superhuman cunning. And,
relief that he had helped her to es-
cape. lie could meet, if not the po-
licemAn, 1T least, the Colonel, with q
| lighter heart, He took the shovel
which was handed to him, and reap
peared in the dining-room with the
coal.
The Colonel looked at him keenly
and shut the door.
Did you see-her" he asked in
low voice.
"Yes. She got away" answered
! Clifford.
! The Colonel gave sigh Of relief.