Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1902-10-24
copyright, 1895, by Rob
CHAPTER XXIII.
Continued.

nave me, SAID CIlHOrd, VINO was re-
mOrseful, knowing that he had had
suspicious of the father, and not of the
daughter.
do, ST." said the sergeant, who
wanted watch kept upon Miss Bos-
tails father. and was quite willing that
it should be a friendly one.
SO Clifford, not without diffidence,
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 l, Colonel. May 1 come in?'
The cid man raised his head quickly,
and gave i'm 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
few moments. he let it fall and, in
viting him, with a gesture, to be seat
ed. relapsed into silence. Clifford
asked him is he should make up the
fire. 1t was n cod evening, and the
draughts had been allowed to sweep
through the house from open window
to open door.
eyes, 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 a
SILVER 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.
+ ooh, well. If you will. you will find
the lid of the water-butt on the ground
outside, at the back. If you lift it.
but really don't like to-tfouble you
you will find the entrance to the cell
lar underneath"
Following this rather curious dlrec-
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-
hn CIR MT fhn 6opH.
ness below. The Colonel had provided
him with a candle, but this was sud-
denly extinguished 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 wildly,
but which he had never before identi-
fed, was placed quickly on his mouth.
Hello they heard a rough mans
voice cry, muffled as it came down into
the earth from the garden above.
And Clifford heard a soft whisper in
his own ear:
"Thc policeman. Send him away on
some pretext. l only want a moment,
just one momentr'
The young man shuddered. 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
4 hA tl,n4 Ia1 al,
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 a shovel, or something
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 CELEBRITY, crept up the steps
and out behind his back, as he 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.
cd 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-ending. 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,
it was no more than was to be expect
pd of her superhuman cunning And,
In spite of himself. he felt an immense
relief that he had helped her to es-
cape He could meet, if not the po-
liceman. 1T least, the Colonel, with
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 a
tow voice
Yes. She got away" answered
Clifford.
The Colonel gave sigh of relief.