Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-03-22

sound Of delicate footballs on the stan.
flags. Blowing out the candle md
putting a OBTAINING hand on Montaom,
cry, l drew back into the niche Of ths,
secret place. The sounds drew ncoren
dropping regularly on the air and echo
ing family in the long tunnel. And
then u figure, wrapped in darkness
but palpable to every sense save thai
Of the sight, emerged, passed and fad.
cd before us. The footsteps patterpa
away into the distance.
l waited a few moments, and tban
STOPPING, shook of my boots, bidding
my companion do the same. That
done, we stepped out into the corr|dot
and plunged into the blackness OF tho
night.
The blood in my body ran like a m,n
race, but left my brain clear and
bright in eddies. I was not blind to the
probabilities Of this adventure, which
had now stepped out of the supernat.
ural and become merely human and
prosaic.
Here was one Of our determined foes
perambulating within the precincts of
u hold, and even admitted to that
prlvy place near which the hoard Of
treasure lay. Slowly and with great
caution we followed. Our naked feet
made no sound, but it was difficult to
grope ones way in the darkness. Our
direction lay round the castle walls
and toward the drum towers, and If
was upon the flight Of stairs mounting
to the g%uardroom in the northern tow.
er that we came presently. The door
at the top Of this staircase stood aiar,
and, proceeding with still greater care.
we climbed up and looked through the
chinks.
A lantern, newly lit and shedding a
dull glow through the opaque glasses.
was set upon the floor and cast the
long, black shadow of a ma against
he wall. He vas standing near the
short, deep embrasure that yuwncd in
the massive stone walls Of the drum
tower, scrutiniZing the valley below.
What could he be there for: a.,
wondered, turning over the circum-
stances in my excited mind, he stoou,
ed, and, picking up the lantern, thrust
1t into the window. waving ii from
side to side. I suppose his was in re-
Spouse to some signal from tnc valley,
but | paid little heed to it at the time,
being suddenly interested in a recognl-
ton. 1t was Hood!
| will confess that the Identification
OF that unmistakable lean body and
black head filled me with a sudden dis
quietude Of which it would have been
hard to give the reason. The very 81
lence OF the man sowed fear and mis-
trust in my heart. And so it was that
instead Of breaking from our hiding
place and Selling the impudent In
truder l put a. hand on Montgomery
and constrained him to retire with me
into the lower passages. We concealed
ourselves in one Of the side galleries
and there awaited Hoods return. for
hal he would return I had no doubt.
Evidently he and Sercombe communi-
Gated with each other by means of
flashing lights, and it wa equally owl
dent thai Sercombe's signal must have
e to postpone action. I could see
pretty plainly the method Hood intend
ed to adopt. He was to admit the
marauders to the castle by lowering
the drawbridge and raising the port
CULTS, after which they would have
the three of us at their mercy. But
the presence Of the police in the neigh
borhood had saved us from that fate
for n night at least, and, thanks to
Montgomery's quick ears, it would be
strange if we did not manage to put
another face on the position by the
morrow.
l was right in my conjecture, for
shortly afterward we heard the re-
turning feet sound along the stones.
lie passed the end Of our passage.
holding his lantern before him, and
When he had disappeared we hurried
u Into the corridor and sped after
MN. Once we saw the spot Of light
that glowed In the vicinity of that
shadow pause and waver. 1 dare say
ina some sound had caught his ear,
n he turned and listened. We shrank
into the protection of the wall until
he Footsteps had resumed their way.
by this time | had guessed his errand,
or at least his destination. He was
bound for the treasure chamber in the
Keep and had probably come from
there previously. Possibly it had been
hls hiding place. Here again my as
sumption proved correct, and we
watched him open the cupboard in the
wall and vanish like an expert, lantern
M all, into the abyss.
we must take him tonight" said !
TO montgomery. 1T won't do to let
get out of range
Montgomery nodded and, cautiously
approaching, pulled open the door IN
tne wall. Drawing himself up, he
through the space and slid
down into the farther room, making
wonderfully small noise for SO huge Il
body. ! followed. But Hood was not
III the lower room-at least there was
light to pierce the utter darkness
anu, moreover, l think we both knew
nat ne was In the loft above us. To
Ua Irou,lnJ a., A. A~c, and