Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1906-04-05

up. Is this treasure ilkeiy 10 pc any
where about the inn?'
"There is the barn. said /, ssand the
stable lofts, and there are the cellars"
ooh, Ned, there is everyWhereW
groaned Sheppard Eve might watch,
if they haven't got it away" suggested
Montgomery, with some hesitation. It
was not often that he interviewed in our
counsels, but his intervention was now
to the point.
"Good" said Sheppard, smacking
him on the shoulder.
Watch is the word. We've hitherto
kept our watches in the battlements.
We must now merely transfer them to
where the treasure has gone.''
ssWhere is that?" / asked.
"Let us say the Woodman,n replied
Sheppard, smiling.
"a very much more dangerous duty"
said slowly.
Dangerous! We thrive on danger"
said Sheppard gayly. anyhow, let us
break up the conference and take an
airing. There's nothing to keep us now
in the castle, and hence we are in no
need of drawbridges. 1t is we who are
the assailants."
'That reminds me" | put in. II
found the drawbridge down when I
came in just now"
Sheppard winked. my dear boy, If
you'd had to answer all the awkward
questions have had to during the last
three days you would have let down
the drawbridge in despair"
'Jones?'' / queried.
sJones it is, the majesty of the law,
and an Internally suspicious law it is"
1t was vet early in the afternoon, and
there might be time to put a point up
on our resolutions. This thought ran
in our heads as, all three, we turned
down the road that led to the Wood
man.
Sercombe was summing himself be-
fore the door of the inn, seated in
comfortable chair beneath the swing
ing sign. AS we came abreast of him
he looked up and greeted us.
"Good day, gentlemen" he said
cheerfully I'm glad to see you back,
Mr. Greatorex. We heard that you had
disappeared, and were beginning to be
anxious about you"
The amazing impudence of the man
took away my breath, but / managed
to recover and say:
eyes; I have been taking little hol-
iday; private business, you know, cap
tain"
"Ah!1 said he, shaking his head. Il
wish / had the time But find holt
days must look after themselves. I've
too much on hand"
81 sympathize with you, Captain Ser
combe." said Sheppard. For myself,
I never could abide business. But
think understand to what you refer
bad business, a very bad business"
Sercombe studied him attentiyely.
'sYou seem to know great deal, my
dear sir" he replied.
81 know, and you know that know,
that you have the heaviest team to
drive uphill that ever man undertook"
said Sheppard, watching him.
"Maybe," said the captain after
pause. "Life's not all beer and skit-
Ties, gentlemen. Perhaps you're right.
I don't say you're wrong. But the fact
is that I-well, it's pity we couldn't
have fixed an arrangement together
earlier
He spoke so freely that inferred he
was not any longer in the fear of Hood,
which meant for US that Hood was alb
sent.
Was he absent, looking after the
treasure? Upon consideration decid-
ed that this was unlikely; otherwise
Sercombe would not be resting so com
fortably in his chair. The two scoun-
drels dared not trust one another. In
that case the odds were that the treas
ure lay in the Woodman, and here was
Sercombe, and as likely as not Greek
or two, keeping guard upon it. This
was all I wanted to know, and, having
gained this information, deemed it
time to retire. You will think me rash
in my conjectures, but you must con-
ceive that in the game we were playing
it was necessary to come to conclu-
sion quickly, and had learned to come
to a conclusion on the slightest evil
dence. Anyhow, gave the signal for
retreat, and back we went to the castle
by a circuitous route, so as to avoid
any suspicious on the part of the cap
tain.
Night was the occasion wanted, and
it was for the fall of dark that we
! waited with great impotence. Shep-
81. IT, ),