The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-07-15

played WlthOutS Hmel1ght effects; but It
is my voice that will give me away if
anything does: zss
or twice, copying Beaumanoir's slight
limp to the fife. Then, having consult
ed his watch, he took from his pocket
book letter, addressed to the man
he was about to personate,~ and re-
freshed his memory. =
o,, cong saal you on this return return
"My agents inform me that the gentle
pected to stay at Prior's Tarrant as
your guest on arrival, being due on
Tuesday. On Tuesday night you will
leave unfastened the door leading into
the crypt from the Dutch garden, so
that and my aSsistantS may Obtain
into the crypt an hour after midnight.
when [ will hand you the documents for
substitution. Do not fail to make your
arrangements SO that the exchange may
| be effected without a hitch, and as rap
idly as possible: AS host. you should
essary confidence to put the business
thru, and you will then be troubled no
further by use. I"
| "Poor old Beaul He's played up as
well as if we had told him all about our
plan,' Forsyth muttered as he replaced
the letter and took another look at him
self in the glass. st trust. they won It
laugh" I
he switched off the electric light, lis
tened at the door for fully a minute,
and then softly opened it. His room, as
it had been in the London house, was
next to that Of the duke, and, satisfied
that there was no one in the corridor,
hind him. A few natural steps having
brought him opposite the dukes room,
he fell at once into Beaumanoir' limp.
and SO continued his way to the head Of
a secondary staircase that led down to
the service rooms on the, ground floor.
At the foot Of the stairs, never for
getting his limp, he traversed several
passages in which at long intervals only
had a light been left burning, and at
length he came to a massive oak door.
; Opening this, he found himself at the
top Of a flight. Of straight stone steps
, running down into the blackness Of the
great subterranean chamber, which had
been used as crypt in the old monas
tic days. The shutting Of the door cut
off the last ray Of light, and there being
no rails to the steps he struck a wa1
match in order to make the descent in
safety: But the feeble fame had hard
. ~ .fickered out when it was rendered
Il
effulgence that suddenly sprang into
: being and shone upon him from below
, "Hang it all, I didn't allow fol
this!" he thought uneasily. "They
, have brought one Of those wretchei
n portable electric lamps, and I doubt il
: tho disguise will stand. However, herr
a gocs.'
+ Nerving himself for the ordeal, h
q went slowly down the steps, and 81
CTR 4<1r \
;. spot in the very center of the cryp
;. where five figures were grouped unde
II the groined roof. He had only time t.
a observe that one figure-that of an oil,
J. man with snow-white beard and puffed
i purple cheeks-stood slightly in ad
e vance Of the rest, when on his nea
i approach an order was given in a queer
= parrot-like squeak to switch out tn
d lamp. The crypt was windowless, bu
!. it was conceivable that light in tn
a interior might be seen from outside un
n der the door leading into the gardens
!. Hence, doubtless, the rrscaution.
"You have made all preparation
n above, duke7' was queried in the sam
\ piping 4 voc e;,
: I obtained the key Of the senator's des
d patch-box by q trick picked his pocl
j. ct, in fact-after dinner" Forsyth re
Piled, In perfect imitation Of Beau
q manoir's tone. He was beginning t
n feel more confident in being able t
e sustain his part; he would not, b
l. thought, have lived to reach his parle
it if his disguise had been penetrated.
Is Then the unseen spokesman prt
it ceeded, 1all you have to do is to tax
To- this bundle Of papers and place the1
% In the box, extracting the original
Il and returning here at once with then
Is It will then give me pleasure to absolv
y you from further service. !"
lf Forsyth felt large packet presse
It into his grasp, and he instantly turne
ID with it to go towards the steps, expec
b, ing that the lamp would be switche
Il on to guide him. This proved to be tt
case, and he was glad that those fis
70 scoundrels only had q back view /