The Cook County herald., 1905-06-10
CHAPTER xI.-(continued).

VIM En- Nls-\Nontlnueo).
"Wait," saie the captain, drawing
his pistols from, his belt and placing
them upon the table. LOAD my pis-
tolls carefully, Bashfort. I know not
why missed that sorcerer this after
noon, when | shot at him in the 9TH
er room unless the light-fingered 1as-
cal contrived to draw the bullets while
We were in the sailing smack last
night. have just thought of it. Ave."
he continued, as he sounded with his
ramrod the pistol which he had not
discharged, ''it is as expected. There
is no ball in this, and yet I loaded both
yesterday night, at Barna."
$50" said Lord Genlis, now exam
lining his own. "'By my faith, there
are no balls in mine. And 1 loaded
mine at Barna, too, when you did, Will
ford"
"True, and the sorcerer was pres
ent. All, that rascal of juggler con-
trived to extract the balls! No won
der he was so unharmed by my shot,"
said the captain.
'But he had no chance to draw the
balls from my pistol" growled Bash
fort. "'St1ames! l saw the splinters
fly from the wall behind him, when I
fired at MIN in the closet At least I
think I did"
"Oh, you thought you saw a ghost,
and so were too frightened to see clear
ly anything" said Lord Genlis, sarcas-
tically. "But we leave our pistols here
for you to load carefully"
And as he spoke he placed his fire.
arms near those Of his son upon the
table.
81 will, my lord" replied Bashfort,
and opening door which led into
rear corridor, he strobe from the kitch-
en-, followed by the Osreds.
He returned in a few minutes, hav-
ing left his companions in a room of
the ground floor, but distant from the
kitchen at least hundred feet.
Clarence had remained patiently at
his spying place, awaiting Bashfort's
expected return.
The latter, upon returning, began at
once to empty the partially loaded
weapons with screw rod, and then
reloaded them carefully, as he did his
own.
Having done this, he placed the six
weapons in a row on a bench, and
dragging a straw bed from closet,
placed it near the bench.
**All's secure now," he muttered, as
he proceeded to fill huge mug with
ale of which he was so fond, and draw
ing it from keg of the liquor which
he had brought from Galway; 'but I'll
leave a fresh lamp burning, for if I
wake in the dark, I may fancy see
the accursed phantom-face again; but
stay, must take the gentlemen's pis-
tolls to their room. He soon returned,
and stretching himself upon his pallet
with bea stlike growl of satisfaction,
was speedily in a profound slumber.
Had he walked half an hour later he
would have seen Clarence Darrell
drawing the bullets from the two pis-
tolls he had left On the bench. Having
achieved this feat, Clarence applied
himself to the ample remains Of the
repast which still remained upon the
table, seemingly as careless of the
presence of Bashfort and the nearness
of the Osreds as if the three were his
most trusted friends.
But Clarence did not do this until he
had sought and seen the two Osreds
in deep sleep, which promised to last
for hours. if undisturbed.
A smile at times played upon the
handsome face Of the daring young
man, as he ate and drank Of the
strengthening provision before him.
That smile would have changed to
an expression of utter horror and dis
may could his gaze, from where he
was sitting, have penetrated that veil
and festoon of grimy cobweb which
had enabled him to gain his present
position.
Behind that dropping and grimy cob
web festooning, stared the keen and
malicious eyes of Zeno Sosia!
The sorcerer was not dead! No
phanom eyes of phantom sorcerer
were fixed upon the handsome and
resolute features of Helen's lover.
A few words will explain the trick
Zeno Sosia had successfully played
upon the four men who believed his
dead body lay at the bottom of the
we'll shaft, held down to rot there by
the weighty things Bashfort and Lord
Genlis had cast into the pit.
Sosia, when he appeared and NUT
tered in that room in whose disman-
tied ceiling Clarence was at the time
concealed, was acting to deceive not
only those who were in search of him,
but Clarence also.
CAN must believe that I am dead in
the shaft" he had said, in his plot
ting and willy brain. ''Since Clarence
Darrell is here. he must also believe
that am dead. Wilford Osred shall
not now wed Helen Beauclair, nor
shall Clarence Darrell.
Knowing where Clarence was con-
cealed, for the sorcerer had watched
the lovers flight after the encounter
with Bashfort in the closet room, Sosia