Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1903-10-15

covered basket that she knew must CON
tain what she sought Grasping it quick
ly, she again fastened the door, as Sir
Reginald had instructed her to do, and
passed down the corridor
There she found the entrance to the
tower, and resolving to take some bright
sunshiny day to visit this spot, she turn
ed, as she had been directed to count out
the number Of panels on the left hand
wall, and Immediately discovered the
faint crack, that she knew must be what
she sought. Inserting the point of the
knife, she turned three times, when the
panels parted and there lay the shelves.
Opening then the basket, she found
food in small pieces, consisting of broken
biscuits, bits of chicken, potatoes, and
quite quantity of meat, cut in mouth
fuls. This she placed on the shelves
upon the wooden plate on which it was
heaped Then gently showing the shelves,
they slowly whirled around, and when
the same side returned to her, the plate
stood upon it empty, ready to be placed
again in the basket.
THAT ape must have been trained"
she thought, 'to empty the plate and re-
turn itr'
She listened for moment. but all was
still. Showing to the panels, she found
that they relocked themselves, 80 taking
up candlestick, knife and basket, she
! placed the latter again outside the door,
! fastened it securely, and reached her own
room in safety.
The task required of her had been
singularly unpleasant one. She was
brave young girl, and had endured but
few feelings of fear, but she had trem-
bled, because the thing required so much
secrecy. She disliked mysteries of all
kinds and her honest, open nature re-
volted from the whole work
One thing she decided to do, she
should take some morning hour to ex-
plore the ruins, and that Haunted Tower,
so that she might become accustomed to
all the dangers and peculiarities of the
place before other Offices were required
at her hands.
With this resolution still in her mind
she sought the luxurious bed that await
ed her, and there fell at once into a
pleasant sleep, from which she never
aroused until the bright rays of another
morning sun stole into her room.
Sprmging up, she dressed as soon as
possible, and opening her door, found
|
did not rise until late, as their breakfast
hour was from ten to eleven.
, All being quiet in the room of the in.
: valid, she returned to her own apart
, ment, aud fastening the door securely
resolved at once to start upon her explor
! ing expedition, as she felt that she would
be for at least an hour and a half unob-
! served, and mistress of her own time and
motions.
= With a little of the trembling nerv-
BUSINESS of the night before, the brave
girl opened the intervening doors and
stepped into the corridor. All was fold
, ed in the same solemn stiffness that made
the place oppressive on the previous
l night.
She resolved to explore the ruined
parts before she sought the tower there
fore unlocked the door, and stepped out
: AS she did SO, she noticed that the GOV
cred basket was still there.
: The door opened directly into a small
+ rickety hall that led into several larg,
t rooms, all dusty, mouldy and more or less
: dilapidated. Broken windows, torn wal
papers, bare rafters, seen through i'm
n mense places where ceilings had fallen
d were everywhere visible. Some rooms
|
:, of old china and fragments of time-worn
y castoff clothing.
S Bthel looked at these dilapidated oh
jects, and found herself wondering VIII,
e. Sir Reginald had not had the whole pull
y ed down and removed? Its destruction
It certainly would heiShten the value of TN
1t property, while its presence only spok
Of neglect and untidiness.
Ono thinU aha obsprvnl In, hnr II
there was an easy mode of egress and IN
v Gress to this part into the hall. an
)" marks of recent footsteps on the foo
re told that this formed the entrance plac
= to the person who prepared and brougl
,e the food she was nightly to place on tn
II iron shelves
Another thing struck her; in all tn
es premises there was not the slightest al
Sc pearance Of the concealed room. Only
bare, blank wall appeared upon the sid
& where she knew it must be.
n Retracing her steps after all had bee
~ examined, she refastened the door, an
IN then sought the Haunted Tower. III
ut door leading to this was closed, but n,
nj bolted, so she opened it, and crossiu
quite large square place, she began a
rd cending long flight of stairs. The steI
lis were steep, and not at all easy, and 81
he became very tired before she reach'
he the top, but pressing on, she did reach
en- but not before she paused to rest upon
" broad fat landing; paused, too, with no
ror, at an unexpected sight that the
ne presented itself.
I'm 1t was the stuffed image Of ma
lie fixed upon wires that worked upon Il
ne same principle as the jumping jacks oft,
TX bought to amuse children.
ne This, however, was nearly as large
gu life; its head was hollow, with red gla
&C. in place where the eyes would be, so tn
lighted glass lamp, placed With
would give a flaming appearance to tho
eyes.
raj From each side horns projected, al
ell, she could easily imagine what the who
I'd, terrific effect must be to an outside b
he holder. This figure she saw could
he elevated and put in motion by windil
ut, up a crank to which it was attached. A
ice rangements for different colored hgh
tie were also on every hand.
After carefully examining all the m
hit, chinery, until she perfectly understood
lat workings and the whole wicked plan
Mt give supernatural appearance to the to
cd, er, Ethel passed upward until she cou