Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1905-06-22
fcoET1NuEn.1

~ ~AoSS1S oouOllullSs
81 think it was that"
Paul went on. He carried a lamp in
one steady hand.
"We shall probably find her in one Of
these rooms" he said. "It is so easy
to lose oneself among the passages and
staircases."
They passed on through the great
smoking room. with its hunting tro-
phies. The lynx, with its face Of
Claude de Chauxville, grfnned at them
darkly from itsrpedestal.
Halfway down the stairs leading to
the side door theN1met Steinmetz COM
ing hastily up. Hisface was white and
drawn with horror.
"You must not go down here" he
said in a husky voice, barring the pas
sage with his arm.
why not~
go up again." said Steinmetz
b~reathlessly. You must not go down
here"
Paul laid his hand on the broad arm
stretched across the stairway. For a
moment it almost appeared to be a
physical struggle; then Steinmetz
stepped aside.
81 beg of you,' he. said, mot to go
down"
And Paul went on, followed by Stein
metz and behind them Maggie. At the
foot Of the stairs a broader passage
he'd to the side door, and from this 9TH
er passages opened into the servants
quarters and communicated through
the kitchens with the modern building.
It was evident that the door leading
to the grassy slope at the back of the
castle was open, for a cold wind blew
up the stairs and made the lamps
flicker.
At the end Of the passage Paul
stopped.
Steinmetz was a little behind him.
holding Maggie back.
The two lamps lighted up the passage
and showed the white form of the
Princess Eta lying huddled up against
the wall. The face was hidden, but
there was 10 mistaking the beautiful
dress and hair. 1t could only be Eta.
Paul stopped down and looked at her,
but he did not touch her. He went a
few PAGES forward and closed the door.
Beyond Eta a black form lay across
the passage, all trodden underfoot and
dfsheveled. Paul held the lamp down.
a~ndEthrough the mud and blood Claude
de Chauxvilles clear cut features were
outlined.
Death is always unmistakable,
though it be shown by nothing more
than a heap Of muddy clothes.
Claude de Chauxville was lying
across the passage. He had been trod-
den underfoot by the stream of mad
dened peasants who had entered by
this door which had been opened for
them, whom Steinmetz had checked at
the foot Of the stairs by shooting their
r%ingleader.
De Chauxv,lle's scalp was torn ava.
by a blow. probably given with a
spade or some blunt instrument. His
hand, all muddy and bloodstained, still
held a revolver. The other hand was
stretched out toward Eta, who lay
across his feet, crouching against the
wall. Death had found and left her il
an attitude of fear, shielding her bow.
ed head from a blow with her up.
raised hands. Her loosened hair fel
In a long wave Of gold down to the
bloodstained hand outstretched toward
her. She was kneeling in De Chaux
.v1lle's blood, which stained the stone
floor Of the passage.
Paul leaned forward and laid his
HnD0r4 on tho horo orr, S,,ot Iol--x -
bracelet which cleaned in the lamp
light. She was quite dead. He held
q lamp close to her. There was nc
mark or scratch upon her arm or shout
DER. The blow which had tori he!
hair down had killed her without any
Disagreement. The silken skirt of hel
dress, which lay across the passage
was trampled and stained by the tread
of a hundred feet.
Then Paul went to Claude de Chaux.
Vile. He stopped down and slipped
his skilled fingers inside the torn and
mud stained clothing. Here also was
death.
Paul stood upright and looked al
them as they lay, silent, motionless
with their tale untold. Maggie and
Ste1nmetz stood watching him. He
went to the door, which was of solid
oak four inches thick, and examined
the ~fastenings. There had been NJ
damage done to bolt or lock or hinge
lhe door had been opened from the
inside. He looked slowly around, meas
uring the distances.
"eVVhat is the meaning Of it?' he sale
at length to Steinmetz in a dull voice
Maggie WINGED at the sound of it.
Stetnmetz did not answer at once
but hesitated, after the manner Of
man weighing words which will never
be'forgotten by their hearers.
ut seems to me-" he said, with 8
slow, wise charity, the best Of its kind
-tguite clear that De Chauxville died ii
trying to save her. The rest must bt
only g~uesswork."
~ suppose" he went on after 8
little pause, that Claude de Chaux
willie has been at the bottom Of all oul
frnnhle All hts life he has haap onf