The Washington times., 1906-02-04

N~NNiNS' sat up, every nerve stTuuG
tense alertness. And then there ga
a sound ] knew well. the soft draw
touch Of hand groping in the da
ness, as some one felt his way ale
the paEeled walls Il passed us
was gone. Yet Grey never moved. Co
he have fallen asleep? / whispered
name.
"Hushl'
The answer came TO me ike a gen
sigh
one minute, two minutes more. a
the room spraEg into sight under
glow Of an electric hand-lamp. The
spectUT rose from his seat and
through the door, With ne upon ]
heels. The light he carried searched
clustered shadows; but the corrid
was empty, nor was there any pla
where a man might hide.
You waited too long" l whispere
impatIently.
The man is 10 fool. lIr. PHILLIP
Do you imagine that ne was not II
tening and staring Ike q hunted beas
A noisy board. a stumble. or a fash
light, and We should have wasted
firing day"
"Nevertheless he has got clei
away"
Il think not'
As We crept forward, / saw that
strip Of the oak flooring along n
walls was gray with dust. If II ha
been In such d neglected state in IN
afternoon 1 should surely have notice
il. Ia some curiosity I stopped 70 ex
anime the phenomenon.
Flour" whispered the little mar
touching nay shoulder.
Flour"
Yes. ! sprinkled IL myself Look
there is the frsL result"
He steadied his light as he spoke
pointing with his other hand. Or
the powdery surface was the half foot,
print Of d man
The flour did not extend more than
a couple or feet from the walls, 50
that IL was only here and there that
We caught up the trail We had
passed the bedroom on the left-yeu
the footprints still went on: we were
at the storero0m door, yet they still
We're visible before US There was no
other egress from the corridor. The
tall window at the end was. as
knew, good twenty feet from the
ground. Had this man also vanished
OF the earth like Silas Ford?
Suddenly the Inspector stopped,
gTasDiug my arm. The light ne held
getheT. They were al right angles 10
the passage Apparently The man had
passed into the solid wall,
You, sir, sitting peaeeably al home.
with a good light and an easy con
science. may think / was a timid fool;
Yet / was afraid-honestly and openly
afraid. The little detective heard the
news Of il in nay voice. for he gave me
4 reassuring pat upon the back.
Have you never heard Of a priest >
holeg he whispered. In the days
when Meudon hall was built. no coun-
Try house was without its hiding-place
Progestants and priests, royaIists and
they all used the secret
ourrow at one tine or another"
How did he get in?''
That is what We are here 10 dis
cover; and as ! have no wish 10 de-
stroy AIr. Ford old oak panels 7
think our simplest plan viii De 10 wait
until he comes back again"
The shadows leaped upon US as Grey
sxtinguished the light he carried. The
great window alone was luminous with
the faint starlight that showed the
traceTy Of its ancient st0nework; for
The rest, the darkness hedged Us about
In iInpenetrable barriers. Side by side,
We stood by the wall in which we knew
the secret entrance must exist.
II may have been Tes minutes or
more when from the distauce-some-
where below our feet. or so il seemed
10 me-theTe came the faint echo Of
4 closing door 1t was only in such
cold silence that We could have heard
L. The time T!Cked on Suddenly.
upon the black OF the floor, there
shOne a thin reflection like the slash
0f a sword reflection that grew
into a broad gUsh of light as the slid
ing panel IN the wall. six feet from
where We stood, rose 20 the full open
ing. There followed s=other pause.
during which I could see Grey dra "
himself together as II for some IN
usual exertion.
a shadow darkeued the reelection on
the floor. and a head came peering out.
The light but half displayed the face,
but I could see that the teeth were
bare and glistening, like those Of a
man in some deadly expectation. The
next moment he stepped across the
threshold.
With d spring like the rush Of a
terrier Addington Grey was upon him.
driving him of his balance with the
impact Of the blow. one loud scream
ne gave, that went echoiug away into
he distant corridors. But. before
'ould reach them. the little detective
lad him down. though lie stiu kicked
until I lent q hand The
,lick OF the handouts on his wrists
ended the matter.
1t was Ford's valet, the man Jack
SON.
We were not long by ourselves. 7
heard a quick pattor of naked feet
rom behind Us, and Ha-bord, the sec
'etary, came running UP, swinging a
leavy stick ia his hand Ransom. IoI-
owed close at his heels. They hotI
stopped at the edge Of the patys .
lght in which we were, starin, from,
IS TO the gaping hole in the v
what IN thunder are YOU ab, IT -
ried the manager.
Finding a solution TO your OBJ
en- said the little detective. &c sng
o his feet. Perhaps. gentlemen, you
viii be good enough TO follow me"
He stepped through the opening IN
he wall. and lifted the candle VII n
he valet he'd placed on tne fs5,.