Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1906-01-29
CHAPTER XVI (continued.)


 roughly to what appeared to be trap door in the roof, down which climbed. thrust brusquely from above. Here 1 found myself ill a small loft above the stalls of the stable. My captors fol lowed, and one of them struck a match, when the light fell upon Hoods face. From that familiar and sinister countenance my eyes glanced about me to several figures in the half light. I saw at once what had been my undo ing, for this loft was used as dor mitory for the Greeks, and the noise of my passage along the roof had evi- dently alarmed them. At a gesture from Hood two of these bruteS seized my arms, and I was forced to descend the ladder to the ground. I protested against this treatment, saying that had given my word not to attempt to escape, and I suppose some sign pass ed from Hood, for the men suffered me to proceed unmolested, keeping. however, upon either side of me. We entered the inn by the back way, and \ expected nothing now but to be thrust into some dismal cellar, there to rot and fester until such time as my jailers were pleased to deliver me. To my surprise, however, I was taken into an inner parlor of the inn, where I was left to myself, the Greeks turn ing the key in the door as they retired. No word had been uttered upon their side throughout the scene. They moved like aut0mata at the beck of the inn keeper. A lamp was burning on the table, which was covered with a green baize tablecloth, and the little window looked upon the road, where the sign of the Woodman, with his uplifted ax, was swinging gently.
 Immediately afterward Sercombe en- tered, with Hood upon his heels.
 "I regret, MT. Greatorex," said the adventurer, "that you should have so small a notion of us as to try this game"
 Ut very nearly came off," answer ed.
 'I grant you it was very ingenious. MT. Hood and have just been making some investigations, and congratulate you on your fertility of idea. But your cleverness is only partial You have never throughout the whole affair been thorough, NIT. Greatorex, for which naturally you pay the penalty" He spoke very jauntily and plucked his mustache quite gayly, while it sickened me to see the blackguard there ill this new role, who but forty eight hours be- fore had pledged me his word to carry out another arrangement. But if he could betray his friends had certainly no ground of complaint that he should also betray me. don't suppose it cost him a moments scruple. Indeed, look ing at him there, brought myself for the first time almost to prefer Hood to him. Hood at least was frank ene- my, diabolic though he might be.
 'I am going to ask you, MT. Create rex" went on Sercombe, ito pass your word to make no effort to escape to- night.''
 "I see no reason why not" I said, somewhat bitterly. "If do not, cer- tainly think better of you than to SUD- pose you will let me break out again. I pass my word. Take it, and have done with it."
 That Is right" he answered cheer fully. You will 6nd an excellent sofa here, though 1t is soft in the springs"
 And the two retired, leaving me to 1he night and my own angry thoughts.
 was punctually called and punctu- ally served the next morning by Hood Aimsslf who. whassvsr bis faults, was a capital servant. He said nothing be- yond making the customary inquiries of landlord, and If 1 had been in any other mood than that of desperate cha grin the irony of that Tea or coffee, sir?" would have tEkled my sense of the ludicrous. But 1 was not disposed to talk, and so was equally silent with him. Nor was my quietude broken un- til some two hours later, when Ser eombe entered.
 Look here, Mr GreatoreX." said he quickly Eff we're not careful, this lit tle enterprise of ours will be taken clean out of our hands,"
 'I thought" l observed. "that the game was over," wondering all the time what he was meaning.
 ''Yes, and no," said he, but there's many slip 'twiXt the cup and the lip. and you don't know what has been happening while you've been here
 .In other Words," I answered, my friends may not have been caught as easily as myself, although you will note that l still have that key"
 I faneied that Ike winced. but hc went on hastily. "That is 90, and besi4ee,. in any case, you AlT bound by your eon= pact of sHoncc.'
 If yau Will tell me what you are driving at I bo~an.
 "See here. sir" he broke in, gThere's been I deal Of talk in the hHsiae. and, what with that mutton faeed f4nl Jones suspicious, the authorities have begun to smell rst.e
 T am very s2rry Tor you" sai1 dryly, q understood that h. kad hot high opiH.eh 6f you
 His opinion he h@ged,' h. letort- ed; but l went have any interference
 n0r I t1l{p it will VDu "