The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-09-19
THE NEWS DEMOCRATS DAILY STORY
To be published in daily installmcnts on this page
The House of a
Thousand Candles
MEREDITH NICHOLSON
Copyright by
The Bobbs Merrill Company
CHAPTER XI

The block was fitted into it's place with
a nicely that certified to the skill of the
hand that had adjusted it. / broke a
blade OF my pocket-knife trying TO pry
IL up, but in moment / succeeded and
found II 10 be In reality trap-door.
hinged TO the substantial part OF the floor
current OF cool fresh air the same
that had surprised me in the night, struck
my face as lay fat and peered into the
opening. The lower passage was as black
as pitch. and i lighted a lantern ! had
brought with me, found that wooden
steps gave safe conduct below and went
down.
stood erect In the passage and had
several inches TO spare. IL extended both
ways, running back under the founda -
tions Of the house. This lower ,jassage
cut squarely under the park before the
house and toward the school wall No
wonder my grandfather had brought for
eign laborers who could speak no English
10 work on his house, There was some
thing delightful in the largeness OF his
scheme. and ! hurried through the tun-
mel with a hundred questions tormenting
my brain.
The air grew steadily fresher. until, I
had gone about two hunderd yards. I
reached a point where the wind seemed to
beat down on me from above. ] put up
my hands and found two openings about
two yards apart, through which the air
sucked steadily. | moved out OF the cur
rent with a chuckle in my throat and a
grim on my face.
| had passed under the gate in the
school-wall. and l knew now why the
piers that held IL had been built so high
they were hollow and were the means of
sending fresh air into the tunnel.
i had traversed about 20 yards more
when felt a slight vibration accompan-
fed by a muffled roar,and almost imme-
diately came TO short wooden stair that
marked the end Of the passage. l had no
A1esus OF judging directions hut as
sumed I was somewhere near the chapel
in the school grounds
l climbed the steps, noting still the vi
bration. and found a door that yielded
readily TO pressure In a moment | stood
blinking lantern I'm hand in n well-lght-
ed . floor room. Overhead the tumult
and thunder OF an organ explained the
tremor and roar had heard below. was
in the crypt OF st. Agathas chapel The
inside of the door by which l had entered
was a part of the waiuscoting of the
room. and opening was was 1d wholly covered
In my absorption l had lost the sense
Of time, and was amazed TO md that IL
was O'Clock, but | resolved 10 go into the
chapel before going home
The way up was clear enough, ana i
was soon In the vestibule. / opened the
door, expecting 10 find service In prog
ress; but the little church was empty
save where, at the right OF the chancel.
an organist was filling the church with
the notes OF triumphant march. Cap IN
hand ] stole forward and sank down IN
one OF the pews
A lamp over the organ keyboard gave
the only light in the chapel, and made
an aureole about her head.-about the un-
covered head OF olivia Gladys Armstrong
! smiled as / recognized her ana ana
smiled. too,as I remembered her name. But
the iOy she brought to the music, the
happiness I'm her face as she raised II I'm
the minor harmonies. her isolation. mark
ed by the little isle of light against the
/ dark background OF the choir-these
things touched and moved me. and bent
forward. my arms upon the pew In front
OF me, watching and listening with kind
Of awed wonder. Here was refuge OF
peace and lulling harmony after the dis
turbed life at Glenarm, and yielded my
self TO it's HOlaCe with an inclination my
Ilfe had rarely known
There was no pause I'm the outpouring
OF the melody. She changed stops and
! manuals with swift fingers and passed
from one composition 90 another; now II
was an august hymn. now n theme from
wagner. and finally Mendelsshohn s
Spring Song leaped forth exultant In the
dark chapel
Che ceased suddenly with a little sigh
end struck her hands together. for the
place was cold.
As she reached up TO put out the lights
4 stepped forward 10 the chancel steps
PLEASE allow me TO do that for you?