Los Angeles herald., 1906-04-01

Il
church.; and the Baronet, my uncle,
- and myself aided by the servants, pro-
tGNGsNl ceeded to search the Abbey. Every
room, including the bedrooms of the
guests, was subjected to careful inspection; but
in vain.
Late in the afternoon of the day-it was Christ
mas Eve-we stood on the terrace overlooking
the undulating extent Of woodland that formed
the grounds of the Abbey. The Baronet's eye
was resting on the tower, and his thoughts re-
verted to the tenant of it.
"Angelo can explain the disappearance of the
missing picture" he said suddenly.
"You think SOP returned my uncle.
ri am loath to suspect him, but I cannot help
thinking that he carried it off in the night
"He carried it off we'll in the morning, then,"
responded my uncle jocularly. ''Who would have
thought from his surprise and agitation that he
himself had removed i'll"
ellis surprise and agitation were assumed, to
disarm suspicion"
Perhaps But what is his motive for the re-
moval"
"From certain things you have told me, be-
lieve he is determined that neither you nor
Frank shall see his great masterpiece"
The Baronet's opinion was one that had long
held.
"What can he have done with it,"
"It is inside that tower" replied the Baronet
confidently.
"Why there? Why in existence at all? If he
is so anxious as you say to prevent us from
seeing it, the safe plan would be to destroy it al
together"
''That would be the course of a wise man
yes; but Angelo is fond parent, you see; his
picture is his favorite child, and he cannot bring
himself to destroy it. Perhaps he intends after
your departure to return it to me uninjured.
concoctng some cock-and- bull story as to where
he found it. I trust to goodness he will do
something of the kind" continued the Baronet.
$50 valuable a thing is trife to lose If
could obtain proof that he has taken it, would
certainly bring him before the law"
Cant we search the tower?" l said; angelo
is absent"
"Exactly; but he takes care to lock the door
every time he leaves it."
"Have you no other keys that will fit the
lock?"
sTbe kew of that lock has peculiar wards.
There is no other like it in my possession"
"Well, let us go to the tower" l said. HE
NAV for once have left the door unlocked-who
knows?"
"Not very likely, but we may try"
The tower octagonal in shape, was situated at
a little distance from the main body of the Alb
bey, to which it was joined by covered walk
consisting of a wall on one side and row of
nilIars ON the other. 1t contained but one story,
iphted by large Gothic easement twelve feet
at least from the ground. Access was gained to
the tower by a fight Of steps surmounted by an
oaken door studded with iron nails.
'"The Nuns Tower" murmured, as we walk
ed down the cloister; "how came the place TO
receive that name?"
"Tradition saws that when this place
vent, nuns who broke their vow were tried in
this tower by their ecclesiastical superiors and
were led hence by a subterranean passage down
n deep chasm. The book I spoke of last night
a. book I firmly believe to have been stolen, and
not mislaid-will tell you more about those dark
days than l can"
On reaching the foot of the steps leading to
the tower we mounted them, and, having tried
the door, found it locked.
att would have been strange, indeed" smiled
the Baronet, "if Angelo had left his studio ac-
cessible."
bending down I applied my eye to the key
hole
"What do you see?" asked my uncle.
"Jt,s impossible to see anything" | returned.
Something dark within-it may have been fold
ING screen, the back of chair, any piece OF fur
niture in fact-standing Immediately behind the
kevhole. prevented me from obtaining glimpse
Of the interior 81
"a cold cell to paint in during the depth of
winter" remarked my uncle docs he work
without fire.
want makes up the fire every morning, and brings
in coal enough to last the day; but Angelo takes
Uo0d to StanQ Dy all GluiS, WIN q Oul
tain drawn over his easel, and his artistic para
phernala covered by cloth, and does not be-
gin work till he is alone"
The conceament displayed by Angelo over his
new work of art made me only the more curious
TO obtain glimpse of the studio; so ! clambered
nm the ivv towards the Gothic easement, and
neened through its diamond panes, to find that
cnrtain of violet silk had been drawn across
Mounting still higher, I stepped upon the win
do,v.sT and shook the easement with my right
but the fastenings were too secure to permit my
forcing an entrance, so | scrambled down again.
As we were turning to go away, my unsatis-
fe6 curiosity induced me to take a second peep
through the keyhole. An ejaculation of surprise
oecaned nv lips, and I rose to my feet in per-
plexty.
+bere was something dark within that prevented
me from seeing anything That dark something
whatever it was--has vanished l. can now see
nothing but a white surface"
The Baronet and my uncle, STOPPING down to
+be kevhole. satisfied themselves of the truth of
tbe last mart of my statement, and then both
looked at me with half-doubting expression.
"There is something white in front of the door
now" said Sir Hugh. care you certain it was
dark before"
"Oute certain There's some one inside"
"Can Angelo have come back?' the Baronet
vvbispered. ''You remember he said at break
fast that he might finish his picture within few
hours. Is he at work now?"
Only the oaken door separated us from the cell
within. so that the artist il he were there, must
have overheard our suspicious of him. We all
three listened with our ears pressed close to the