Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-01-08

You see the advantage. I've been pacing this walk like sentinel for the last two hours"
 "Can you get right round?'
 "I'll show you," he returned and led the way along that lofty roadway. The battlements naturally stretched across the width of the castle, running from wall to wall. The parapet stood some five feet high and was broken with the machicolations of the design. There was ample space, therefore, for twenty men at arms to march abreast along the heights. Sheppard moved lightly, his head just swinging clear of the par apet and the black darkness contained between the shadows of the ramparts. The leaden roof was incumbered with rubbish. Presently Sheppard paused. and there rose quickly before me out of the superincumbent gloom the black CT mass of the drum towers. Feeling his way. Sheppard hit upon an iron ladder connecting with the heights above, and presently we stood upon the topmost pinnacle of the castle and peered from it into the night. The noe turnal mists and blackness of the val ley below were slowly shifting. The trees gradually grew black, showing against a vast and gray gloom. Yet there was no light visible in those seething changes of the elements. The n;pbt ctilI buno aho,,t ua
 The southern drum tower looked down upon deeper shadows, and could not descry the wall below. l turned to my companion for an expla- nation and smiled at the confusion of nv own brain when he answered. That's the south, Ned. You know the battlements are in ruins there" Of course they were, but was not to be 0eterred from complete circuit Of the walls by that small fact, and l : groped for the ladder.
 ! Be careful, Ned" said Sheppard. , Better not. Wait till it's light Now, I knew very well at the time that he spoke wisely and that was , merely taking a rash hazard for no : better purpose than to display to my telf my own determlnation-or obsti- uacy. if you will. But the feeling was l strong upon me, and so, picking my ! steps down the ladder, I paid him no attention. Presently my foot, descend ing. shot through empty air, and coin cidently with that the iron bar to ] which I was clinging with my left hand ceased abruptly. For moment had a sickly sensation in my stom- ach. and I went quite cold. But, brac- ing myself together, I kneeled upon the logermost step and launched my body into space.
 I have no intention. as I say. of de lending my foolhardiness. nor do l take any credit for my ultimate escape from what was undoubtedly a deadly peril. My legs kicked aimlessly in the air and found no rest. I frightened my hold upon the iron of the ladder and strove to pull myself up. But my wrists had already weakened in that tedious and unavailing oscillation in space, and, to my horror, l realized that could not get back.
 "Sheppard" I called faintly.
 Ned. Ned"' came Sheppard's whis per from above, and I was vaguely aware of a tiny spark of light shinins as it were in heaven The glow lit UT the remnants of the iron ladder, and below this I could see as l hung tht imminent brows of the ruined wal and the gleaming light of water fal away. Yet this illumination proved my salvation. The ruins were over run with masses of Irish ivy, as I have said. and in the course of centuries thi' strongly growing creeper had clam bered over and beyond the proper lin its of decay and clothed with great twisted branches the wall of the drum tower at one side of me. Gasping iron my exertions. I reached a hand toward these leaves and, catching at thicl stem like a cable. clung to It desper ately while dividing my weight be tween the two supports. My only anx ,etv was as to whether the ivy woult hold. Its attachment to the stones 0 the wall must be precarious. and ye had 10 trust it, and. poising an in stant between the two. dropped slow ly upon the creeper. The friendl branches held. and slipped carefull down until stood upon the broke stones of the ruined wall. High abov I saw Sheppard light another mate and heard his voice calling to me. bu
 I had no strength to reply. He fun
 the light from him. and. descending i
 an arc. IL passed before my eyes an
 went out with q fzzle below. l leane
 over. and the gTayness of the comin
 dawn lay in the water thirty feet b'
 heath me. A fragment of stone. d
 tached by my movement. rumbled ove
 tho margin and fell with a great blo
 into the moat There were twelve fes
 of water in the fOsse. shudfered an
 called back to Sheppard.
 "I was afraid something had hal
 pened to you" said he. Are you
 rightt''
 explained the position. Wa - there. and I'll join you from the oths [ side. You old fool. Ned.'
 I aceepted the criticism meekly an retained my place upon the ivy covere l. ruins until heard the sound of fe'
 upor my right and presently perceive
 sheppard crawling over the stones t ward me. He sat down near me. pan