The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-10-17
THE NEWS DEMOCRATS DAILY SlUkY
To be published in daily installments on this page
The House of a.
Thousand Candles
MEREDITH NICHOLSON
MEREDITH NICHOLSON
Copyright by
The Bohbs Merrill COMPANY

II want you both TO leave. It's unfair
10 mix you UP in this ugly business of
mine. Your stakes bigger than mine,
Larry. And yours, too Stoddard; why,
your whole future-your professional
standing and prospects would be ruined
J I we got into fight here with the au-
thorities."
Thank you for mentioning my pros
pectsi I've never had them referred TO
before" laughed Stoddard NO: your
grandfather was a friend OF the Church
and can't desert his memory I'm be.
lever In vigorous Church militant. and
I'm enlisted for the whole war. But Dom
oyan ought to go, II he will allow me to
ADVISE him
Larry filled his pipe at the fireplace
Lads" he said. his hands behind him.
rocking gently as was his way. 'let us
talk OF art and letters I'm going 10 stay.
IL hasn't often happened I'm my life that
the whole setting of the stage has pleased
me as much as this. Lost treasure secret
passages; a gentleman rogue storming
the citadel; private chaplain on the
premises: a young squire followed by a
iimelight; sheriff. school girls and Sis
terhood distributed through the land
scape-ahd me. with Scotland Yard loom
ing duskily in the distance. Glenarm, I'm
going 10 stay
There was no shaking him, and the
spirits Of all OF us rose after this new
pledge OF loyalty. Stoddard stayed for
dinner; and afterward we began again our
eternal quest for the treasure. our hopes
high from Larry lucky strike OF the af-
ternoon, and with a new eagerness born
OF the knowledge that the morrow would
certainly bring us face 10 face with the
real crisis. We ranged the house from
tower TO cellar; we overhauled the tun-
mel for, IL seemed to me, the hundredth
time.
II was my watch, and at midnight. after
Stoddard and Larry had reconnoitered the
grounds and Bates and I had made sure
OF all the interior fastenings, sent them
off to bed and made myself comfortable
with a pipe i'm the library.
I was glad OF the respite glad to he
alone--to consider my talk with Marian
Devereux at St Agathas. and her return
with Pickering. Why could she not AL
ways have been Olivia. roaming the wood
land. or the girl In gray or that woman.
so sweet in her dignity, who came down
the stairs az the Armstrong; Her own
attitude toward me was so full OF contra
dictions: she had appeared 10 me in so
many moods and guises. that my spirit
ranged the whole gamut of feeling as
thought OF her. But II was the recollec-
tion OF Pickering's infamous conduct that
coored all my doubts Of her. Pickering
had always been in my way. and here,
but for the chance by which Larry had
found the notes. | should have had no
weapon 10 use against him.
The wind rose and drove shrilly around
the house. bit OF scaffolding on the
outer walls ratified loose somewhere and
crashed down on the terrace. | grew rest
less, my mind intent upon the many
chances of the morrow, and running for
ward TO the future. Even II ] won In my
strife with Pickering I had yet my way
20 make I'm the world. His notes were
probably worthless did not doubt that.
j might use them TO procure his removal
as executor. but I did not look forward
with any pleasure TO q legal fight over
property that had brought me only trou-
BILE
Something impelled me to go below. and.
taking a lantern. I trampcd somberly
through the cellar glanced at the heating
apparatus. and remembering that the
chapel entrance to the tunnel was un-
guarded. followed the corridor TO the trap
and opened IL. The cold air blew up
sharply and l thrust my head down to
listen.
A sound at once arrested me- ] thought
at first IL must be the suction OF tho air,
but Glenarm House was no place for con-
lectures, and I put the lantern aside and
jumped down into the tunnel. A CLEAN OF
light showed for an instant, then the
darkness and silence were complete.
I ran rapidly over the smooth foor.
which I traversed so often that ] knew
its every line. My only weapon was one
OF stoddards clubs. Near the Door Of
Bewilderment I paused and listened The
tunnel was perfectly quiet I took n step
forward and stumbled over = brick, FUN
bled on the wall for the opening which
ne had closed carefully that afternoon.