Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1902-02-01
MICAH CLARKE
!, AatkcT OF "AceeRtares Of "
4 Sherlock HetT7es," me N
wotrs Of sherlock Holmes" u
"Thc RefitJses, Etc. y
> ) BIZ A.Conan Doyle. = .


Whence did the sound come from. theu2
l sat down upon the side of the bed and
/ waited patiently in the hope of hear
/ ing it once again.
! Presently it was repeated, Il low groau-
ing and creaIlng, as though 4 door or
shutter long disuSed was being slowly
/ ana stealthilT opened. At the same time
dull yellow light screamed down from
above, issuing from Il thin slit in the
center Of the arched roof above me- Slow
+ ~, as ! watched it. this slit wlencd and
/ extended. AZ If Il sliding panel were be-
I ng pulled cut, until good sized hole
was left, through which | saw 4 head
4, looking down at me, outlined against the
misty light behind it. The knoited end
1 of a rope was passed through this amer
] tire, and came dangling down TO the
| dungeon floor. / was I good Steut piece
lot hemp, strong enough 10 bear the
| weight al heavy man. ana | found,
! upon pulling at it, that it was firmly Sc
cured above. Clearly it was the desire
of my unknown benefaetor that | should
ascend by it. 50 | went up hand over
hand and after some difficulty in saueez-
ing my shoulders through the hole l sue
ceeded in reaching the room above While
was still rubbing my eyes after the
sudden change from darkness into light,
the rope was swiftly whiSkcd up and
the sliding shutter closed once more. To
those who were not in the secret there
1ppeara nee.
| found myself in the presence of n
Stout, short man clad IN Tutbs jerlin
and leather brooches. which gave him
somewhat the appearance of groom.
lie wore a broad felt has drawn down
very low over his eyes, while the lower
part of his face was SWathCd round with
Il broad cravat. In his hand he bore
horn lanthorn. by the light of which |
saw that the room in which we Were
f1t tvs Il,
Meath, and differed from it only in hay
ing Il broad easement which looked out
upon the park. There was no furniture
III the chamber but a great beam ran
across it; to which the rope had been
fastened by which | assembled
Speak low friend" said the stranger.
/ The walls are thick and fhe doors are
close. yet | would not have your guardi-
ans know by what means you have been
spirited away"
Truly. sir" | answered. Il can scarce
q edit that it is other than Il dream. 1t is
wcndrouS that my dungeon should he 50
easily broken into. and more wondrouS
still that / should find q friend who
would be willing to risk so much for my
sake"
Look there. quoth he. holding down
his lanthorn so as to cast its light on
the part Of the floor where the panel was
htted; Can you not see how old and
crumbled is the Stonework which sur
rounds it? This opening in the roof is as
old as the dungeon itself, and older far
than. the door by which you were led
into 1t. For this was one of those bottle
shaped cells or oubhettes which hard
men of old devised for fhe safe-kccping
of their captives. Once lowered through
This hole into the stonegirt pit a man
might eat his heart ont, for his fate was
sealed. Yet you see that the very device
which once hindered escape has now
brought freedom within your reach
| Thanks to Your clemency. YOUR grace"
answered, looking keenly at my com
lpaDion.
Now out on these disguiseSt' he cried
peeviShly;. pushing back the broad-edged
hat and disclosing as | expected. the fea-
lures of the duke. Even blunt sol
dier lad can see through my attempts
at c0ncealment. | fear, captain. that |
should make a bad plotter, for my ma
ture IS as oDen-well, as thine is.
cannot better the simle'
our grace's voice once heard is not
easily forgot" said l.
Especially when it talks of hemp and
dungeons he answered with a smile.
But If clapped YOU into prison you
must confess that I have made Won
amends by pulling You out again at the
END of my line like minnow our of a
bottle. But how came you to deliver
slIcil papers IN the presence OF my c0un-
Il did what could ia deliver them in
to that effect
1T is true he answered. ''but such
messages come in to me from every sol
der who wishes TO sell his sword. and
every inventor who hath long tongue
and a short purse. How could | tell
that the matter was Of real import?
II feared to let the chance slip. lest ii
might never return" said I. Il hear
mat yonr grace hath little leisure during
these times
=! cannot blame you" he answered.
pacing up and down the room. But it
was nntoward. | might have hid the
diSpatcheS. Vet IT would have reused suS-
mclonS. 1our crrand would have leaked
out There are many who envy nv
iofty fortunes, and who would seize 71lon
IA thdhcc OF 1nJur1ng me with King
lanes. Sunderland or Somers would.
either of them, blow the least rum0r into
fame which might prove unouenchoblc
mere was nought for it. therefore, but TO
snow the papers and to turn harsh face
on the messenger The most yenOmouS
tongue could not find fault in my con.
duet; What course would you have adj
viSed under such circumstances
! The most direct" I answered.
"Ay, ay. Sir Honesty. Public mon
nave, however. 10 pick their steps as
! best they may, for the straight path
would lead too often to the cliff edge
Inc Tower would he too scanty for its
guests were we all to wear our hearts
upon our sleeves But to Won in this nri-
vacy | can tell my real thoughts without
fear Of betrayal or misconstructiOn. On
paper | will not write one word Your
memory must he the sheet which bears
my answer 10 Monmouth. And first of
all. erase from it all that you have heard
me say in the council room Let it be
as though It never were spoken. l. that
! done?'
Il understand that it did not really rep
resent your grace's thoughts"
! Very lar from il. captain. But pry-
! thee tell me what expectation of success
/ is there among the rebels themselves?
/ You must have heard your colonel and
others discuss the question or noted by
their bearing which way their thoughts
lay. Have they good hopes of holding ont
against the Kings tro0ps?"
They have met with nOught but sue
cess hitherto" | answered.
Against the militia. But they will