Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-12-04

tinued, speaking to the man beside her, land see this gentleman comfortably disposed. am sorry" she added, ad- dressing me in the graceful tone she had before used, and thought could see her head bent In the darkness, "that our present circumstances do not permit us to welcome you more fitly, Monsieur. But the troubles of the times-however, you will excuse what l is lacking. Until tomorrow, have the honor to bid you goodnight" Goodnight Madam" stammered, trembling. had not been able to dis tinguish her face in the gloom of the doorway, but her voice. her greeting, her presence, unnamed me. I was troubled and preplexed; had not spirit to kick dog. followed the two servants from the hall without needing how we went; nor was it until we came to full stop at door in q | whitewashed corridor, and it was l forced upon me that something was in l question between my two conductors.
  Then I saw that one of them, Louis, wished to lodge me here where we stood. The porter, on the other hand. who held the keys, would not. He did not speak word, nor did the other and this gave a queer ominous charac- ter to the debate; but he continued to | jerk his head towards the farther end of the corridor, and, at last, he carried his point. Louis shrugged his shoul- ders, and moved on, glaneing askance at me; and I, not understanding the matter in debate, followed the pair in silence.
 We reached the end of the corridor, and there, for an instant. the monster with the keys paused and grinned at me Then he turned into 8 narrow pas sage on the left and after following it for some paces, halted before small, strong door. His key jared in the lock, but he forced it shrieking round, and with a savage flourish threw the door open.
 
 chamber with barred windows. The \ floor was indifferently clean, there was no furniture. The yellow light of the lanthorn falling on the stained walls gave the place the look of a dungeon I turned to the two men. This is not a very good room," I said. And it feels damp. Have you no other?"
 Louis looked doubtfully at his com panion. But the porter shook his head stubbornly.
 "Why does he not speak?" asked with impatience. -
 "He is dumb," Louis answered.
 Dumb" exclaimed. But he hears.r
 He has ears," the servant answered dryly. But he has no tongue, Mon- sieur."
 shuddered. How did he lose it?" asked. #s....
 At Rochelle. He was spy and the kings people took him the day the town surrendered. They spared his ihc, put Cut HIS tongue.
 "Ah!" said. I wished to say more, to be natural, to show myself at my ease. But the porter's eyes. seemedto burn into me, and my own tongue clove to the roof of my mouth. He opened his lips and pointed to his throat with a horrid jesturs and shook my head and turned from him You can let me have some bedding?" ] murmured hastily, for the sake of saying somc- thing and to escape.
 of course, Monsieur" Louis an- swered q will fetch some" .
 He went away, thinking doubtless that Clon would stay with me. But after waiting a minute the porter strode of also with the lanthorn, leav- ing me to stand in the middle of the damp, dark room and reflect on, the position. It was plain that Clon sUs- pected me. This prison-like room, with its barred window at the hack of the house and in the wing farthest from the stables, proved so much. Clearly, he was a dangerous fellow. of whom l must beware. I had just begun to won- der how madam could keep such monster in her house, when I heard his step returning He came in, lighting Louis. who carried small pallet and bundle of coverings
 The dumb man had. besides the lanthorn, bowl of water and piece of rag in his hand He set them down and going out again. fetched in stool. Then he hung nip the lanthorn on a nail. took the bowl and rag and in- vited me to sit down.
 was 10th to let him touch me; but he continued to stand over me. point ing and grinning with dark persistence. and. rather than stand on trifie, l sat down at last and gave him his way. He bathed my head carefully enough and dare say cid it good; but I under stood. knew that his only desire was 10 learn whether the cut was real or pretense. began to fear him more and more. and, until he was gone from the room, dared scarcely lift my face, lest he should read too much in it.
 Alone. even. felt uncomfortable. This seemed SO sinister business, and SO ill begun. was in the house and the dumb mans eyes, full of sus- picion and menace. When I presently got up and tried my door. found 1t locked. The room smelled dank and  cIose-like a vault. I could not see through the barred window; but l could hear the boughs sweep 1t In ghostly fashion; and I guessed thaE it looked out where the wood grew .ln.o tn thn raIIs of fhe house: and