Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1902-09-27
CHAPTER K.

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 a man who felt as foolish as |
did when I entered the gloomy dwell
ing-place as Hayle's prisoner. To say
that I was mortified by the advantage
he had obtained over me would not ex-
press my feelings in the least. no
think that I, George Fairfax, who had
the reputation of being so difficult a
man to trick, should have allowed my
self to fall into SO palpable trap,
seemed sufficiently incredible as to be
almost a matter for laughter rather
than rage. There was worse, how
ever, behind. Miss Kitwater had been
so trustful of my capability for bring
ing the matter to a successful conclu-
sion, that I dared not imagine what
she would think of me now. Which
ever way I looked at it, it was OBJ
vious 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
knowledge that should be discredited
by those who had put their trust in
me. How could it very well be other
wise? I had committed the criminal
folly Of accepting hospitality from the
enemy, and from that moment I should
not be seen. The natural supposition
would be that / had been bought, and
that was not only taking no further
interest in the case, but that I was
did. To add to my misery, I could cas-
lily imagine the laugh that would go
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 I was particu-
larly anxious; one was to set myself
right with Miss Kitwater, and the
other was to get even, at any cost,
with Hayle. The first seemed the most
difficult.
It must not be supposed that when
I had alighted from the carriage had
given up all hope of escape. On the
contrary, had it not been for the pres
ence of three burly fellows, who imme-
diately took up their places beside me,
I fancy I should have made dash for
liberty. Under the circumstances,
however, to have attempted such a
thing would have been the height Of
folly. Five to one, that is to say, if
[ include the coachman in the num-
Der, with the gates closed behind me,
were too long odds, and however hard
[ might have fought, could not pos
sibly have been successful.
perhaps you will be kind enough to
step into the house," said Hayle.
''The air is cold out here, and 1 am
afraid lest you might take chill"
Before complying with his order /
looked around me once more, to see
if there was any chance Of escape. But
SO far as could see there was not
one. l accordingly followed one Of my
captors into the building, the re-
mainder bringing up the rear.
From what l could see of the house
with the help of the light from soil
tary candle hanging in a sconce upon
the wall, it had once been a handsome
building. Now, however, it had fallen
sadly to decay. The ceiling of the hall
bad at one time been richly painted,