The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1906-10-27
THE CORNERSTONE
AMBROSE PRATT
AUTHOR OF VIGOROUS DAUNT BHLIoNAIRE"
AMBROSE PRATT,
AUTHOR OF VIGOROUS DAUNT. BnLIONAIRE"

and grandfather saw me. He was very
angry and beat me cruelty He pretends
TO think that / intend 10 run away with
Miss Elliott In this boat as soon as the
engines are finished. and he is coming
soon to take away all the completed
plates, so that / cannot do what he sus-
poets. He is now perhaps on his way.
Oh, il he should find you here"
Cressingham found himself sharing the
lads fears, for although, If the count
came and found him. he succeeded in
killing the monster. that would not help
him to escape. but would probably pre-
cipItate Miss Elliotts ruin. as well as his
own. rs there not some other hiding
placer he cried
Desire gasped out THE tunnel.' and
ran To the door. which he opened with
key from his belt. Come quickly" he
cried
Crcssiugham followed the boy. who,
striking u match. darted into a dark and
dripping passage that led upward like a
staircase. but soon they left the main path
and entered cross passage that led into
"A spacious stalactitcd cavern. Remain
here" said Desire u shall come 20 you
IS soon as I cam and thrusting some
matches into the mans hands. he hur-
ried back Ike "a spritc into the darkness.
seeming 10 know his way by instinct
Cressinghsm stood for "a long hour IN
tho pitchy blackness Of the place listen
ing 70 the ghostly. ceasciess splashlng
o. the drops of water on the stones about
him. splashing that had lasted then for
countless ages and would last perhaps
until the end of time
The h0uid loneliness got On his nerves
az last, DE felt chilled all over &c the
bone. ana sick. 700. with anxiety and
SUperstiuous fears. Unable % bear ID.
he struck match and glanced about
him. IN the center of the chamber stood
the ruined stem OF moustgous slab
shaped sta!agmite which some upheaval
OF nature had Cverthrown perhaps ceutu-
Ties before. Il was oi dazzling whiteness
and looked Ike a sarcOphagus The cav
cfn was dome-shaped. its ceiling huuz
|sth millions ct glitlerag inverted spires
and pinnacies, all of crystal bffghtnesa
while about the sides weird. fantastic
columns reared up like 50 many cold ana
slr9ud"d eorpscs frozen into stone
The cavern seemed TO h8-s dozen en-
frances. and Crcssingham experienced "a
sudden chill Of fear. Tor he had already
utterly forgotten the Ord ID d. had
come. Iio raised himSclf upon The sarco-
pndsus and there sytiug tf DARK.
Tor matches we've too pr i0us -.v d
waste. gave himself 4p t "a. mauu-r OF
sac an1 gloomy -ulatians and won
d"rcd with th"u. r horror b W Iees
le would p. able -g -etain his SAINT i7
lH@l "t'aat.i PEE. II was not ..rr-
de'i4fiN ~apeTs tii0us man, but he was
i. EuIgin1 r than many. and Ii
fan pcUpie' % darkness with stranc
Phahl 80 apes. yes that stared an
Knocked bIm = ID the shadows. iins tim
WTithed 80 soundless but sarduuic mirfi
lie gave uiterancc 90 q wild hysterie
l4ugH, when o. sudden footsteps Soupi-
"a IN ole OF the corridors and De caugh.
thc lar CLEAN of lamp. Il was DeSir,
VINO carried in lis arms a bundle oT ra-,
"a lantern. and mass Of food. CresslDe
hom was struck dumb 20 learn that b.
had been i've hours alone and that NIGHT
reigned over the world without II ha .
not seemed 10 him "a tithc as long. So i'm
tense had been his feelings and hjs fears
out the lampight and his supper quickly
changed ali that
Desire told him while be ate that it
would be better 10 take-up his abode h.
the cavern Tor the present as the count
once inspired with an idea was hard u
satisfy and he would probably paw fire
qEtnt visits 90 the JJathouSs for many,
days tic had come as 1e had threatened
and carried of ALI Desires comDIefe
l'"nui"olk anG SCI the lad doubIv heavy
tasks 70 DO. II appeared that there han
oeen angry times at the castle. Una
- ~ ,.l,'- VINO. t 3nsp.tea. was
~, - pa" '.'" q violent quar-
-. ,-"s'al.'- qua me toI3i
aid 80, ,"u tiNeA SiaeS Nlth the prince.
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