Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-05-03

AID tlt Olly l'llll W tlil Is ny way
Of the guardroom, and as like as not
Jones' men are without" l retorted.
There's my room with the secret
Staircase interrupted Montgomery.
We looked at him. BY Jove.' said
Sheppard.
you're right | said.
With that I went Of, to visit Jones,
whom l found in Il most portentous
mood and with his internal notebook
to hand.
81 have reason to believe, sir" said
he coldly and in his best official voice.
that Il MAJ for whom l have a war
rant out is harbored in the CASTLE"
"Ah.' said | coolly. "And who might
that be, se~rgeant:'
zone Captain Scrcombe, sir. g en-
terinG the castle an hour or so back
by Constable Bucklc."
You seem very we'll posted in the
affairs of my house." l answered and
lit a cigarette. Perhaps YOU will be
good enough to find him. And l turn
ed on my heel. | felt that this was the
only way in which to take my friend
Jones official impertinenccs. He reck-
oned us for Sercombe's companions.
The captain had been seen to enter.
and had no defense save 10 leave the
police sergeant to his W devices.
Il beg your pardon. sir" he said: Il
have your leave to search the castle?"
Every inch of it." 1 answered indif-
ferentl.y. How long do YOU u
to take, a fortnight?'
Jones cougled. "If YOU will give ne
your word Of honor, sir, that CAPTAIN
Sercomhe is not within the castle
he began.
Il will give YOU nothing. not even q
compliment on Your imagined smart
resS, interrupted sharply. You are
as blind as Il bat. ana | will leave y,;l
to stumble about in your way: lrlt
one thing will not have. and that is
your men trcspassing on my premises.
as they did an hour or SO ago. If YOU
have business. have business, but if i
find any il hanging about the copscs
l Will take my way with him."
Jones started at my angry rcjoinder.
and he appeared a little embarrassed.
"lou have your remedy, sir" he said.
but made no answer, merely moving
TO TIE door. II will take your word for
1T, sir" he repeated.
Il have not given it." I said.
wen, sir said Jones. II bid Won
good evening""
knew we'll enough that the prospect
of that interminable search had made
MN Vince. 1t would be folly for him
to undertake 1t, and so he withdrew
with this slight discharge of courtesies.
sheppard met me with the news,
montgomery had undertaken the lob
or guiding the captain through the gal
lery, and after that Sercombe was to
conduct him to the rendezvous on the
river. He had given Sheppard particu-
lars Of the place, and it did not appear
as If we could miss it, but time was
passing. and if anything was to be ac-
compllshed we must be away. Orr
preparations were accordingly pushed
forward, nor were they very elaborate.
AN encounter, maybe a bloody one,
might be looked for. Certainly we
w. Ao' "llolu W dispense with our
weapons, but beyond them there was
little to delay or inculnber us.
Sheppard and / got forth of the cas-
Tie ana reached the great gates lust
after dark was fallen. As we passed
through | thought | perceived the blac,
shadow of a man lowering among tho
bushes near by, and | plt him down as
Jones.
AT uhe ioot OF the gorge we turned.
ana, following the road to the right for
" quarter OF Il mile, dipped quickly
WIN lhe bend Of the brook eastward
ana for the border of the farther conn
". me lirSt part Of the way took rs
through tn" outlying stretches Of tho
Forest, but presently the woods hupped
the margins upon either side, and ne.
ii''"' was oprn country, broken into
n''hh ana pastures, with here and thnre
u" shining windows or II farmhous. mr.
cottage. About this point it occurred
TO Sheppard lhat we were bninp ro,
lowed.
J III" u man cross from thni las,
h'll', ne declared, "nud I'm swear
h""rd II r%IstlIng IN The bushes"