Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1906-03-01

deep silence envel0ped us. The cor
ridor rang with our feet, and the great
slabs of stones were damp, to be felt
even through our boots. AS we pro-
| ceoded on the way | noticed that now
and then narrow passage branched
off to the right, and on each occasion,
at the farther end l caught the soft
glow of the external lights of the night.
From this 1 gathered that the cham
bers we were passing (whateyer was
the use to which they had been putt
were cut off by exiguous channels to
the outer wall Of the castle and breasted
by gratings upon the moat, One Of these
passages we explored, and by peering
through the grating, set with heavy
iron bars, we were able to perceive
that the floor of the sepulchral corridor
was buried some feet below the level
of the moat itself, for the gratings
stood high above our heads and were
only reached by climbing. l assumed
that they stood just above the proper
level of the water.
We were now, we judged, upon the
western face Of the castle-that is to
say upon the back parts which looked
upon the park of trees and the brook
behind, where the hill Tor pitch, as It
was called rose in a. thicket to its ut
termost summit. We had twice turned
at right angles and, pausing, consulted
the document once again for the sake
of certainty. We had now to proceed
some thirty PAGES. Suddenly stopped.
'sThe WALL" said Sheppard, who had
the paper by heart as well as myself,
and forthwith set to lingering upon the
right hand.
There is no doorway here" he OBJ
served in a low voice, land yet this
should be chamber such as we have
passed already"
give feet from the ground" ] said
in equally low tones; that is what 1t
says"
us it heref" he whispered.
Sheppard gave vent to an exclama-
ton Got /. I'd sharply.
Throw the light til, S,...y.'
I moved the lss;...tes.n forward, and
sure enough there under ,,aeppard's
hand stood out round iron knob or
handle in the huge masonry.
Press" said /.
mo; turn" said he.
Nothing ensued upon his action. LET
Montgomery try" suggested.
The boy stepped forward and
wrenched at the knob
ITS stiff with rust of centuries, but
it's set in IRON" said Sheppard. 'sWe
shall want OIL"
'Oil be hangedr' said Montgomery.
sI'll do this or die.'
He swung, doubling on himself, and
the veins jumped in his forehead.
You viii move your wound" pro-
tested. Montgomery said nothing, but
renewed his exertions, and with a
creak the knob turned and gap grew
in the wall
''HurrahT' said Sheppard, his voice
ricochetting down the musty corridor.
eHushs' I enjoined ..Pull it OPEN"
The two tore back the cupboard door,
and my lantern flashed on an appall-
ing space of blackness.
There is nothing here" said Mont
gomery
We're not finished. you duffer, said
Sheppard eagerly. Feel along the
back wall Here, let me. Oh, the
devil! I'm too short!s
Thrusting the lantern into Sheppard's
hands, 1 sprang at the wall. and with
a leap seated myself on the floor of the
cupboard.
ssThe back is wooden I said. My
fingers ran swiftly across the oaken
surface and presently stopped. "The
lantern called to him.
Sheppard let the lantern fall in his
excitement, and in a moment we were
plunged in darkness. At the same time
there arose sound on the grim silence
Of the corridor 1 drew in my breath,
and l think every one did the same.
felt rather than heard Montgomery
fumbling with his revolver. Ten, tweny
ty, thirty seconds passed, and then
Sheppard struck match.
cts the internal wind" he ex-
claimed.
The light 1ared in his face as he relit
the lantern, and noticed that it was
wild and burning. With tremulous fin
gers he handed me the lantern, and the
light shone on bit of steel held I'M
der my thumb. pressed, and with
jerk the oaken screen fell back. put
out hand and encountered nothing.
"I'm going through" / said in whis-
per. Follow me. I'll leave the Ian
tern here. Heaven knows what we
shall find'
let myself softly down below, and
my feet struck the stone of the floor
once more. Sheppard and Montgom-
cry followed. We cast the light about
us. We were in dungeon closed with
)