Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-01-15
was not until 10 o'clock at night tn

WHICH was dll tue DetCer TOT my pur~
 pose, and, getting upon my chair, l
 set to work at once among the straw
 of the thatch. If any one should come
 in from this point onward my adven-
 ture would be hopeless. should stand
 confessed in my task and doubtless be
 doomed forthwith to more secure and
 less comfortable prison. Therefore the
 need of haste was the greater, and
 with fingers and knife 1 sheared
 through and tore asunder- the ,thatch
 with the utmost celerity. The job was
 none too easy, and I sweated at the
 work, with my head buried under the
 debris of the straw and my throat
 choking with the dry and rotten stub
 ble Yet I had worked hard and fast
 enough to have opened hole two feet
 through the match in a couple of
 hours. Through this the night lower
 cd dark and somber upon me.
 1 There was now no necessity for de
 lay Indeed, the necessity was all for
 instant action. I listened at the door
 and window for sounds of the sentry
 but I could hear nothing. He might be
 asleep At any rate, he lay upon tue
 farther side of the barn, and 1 might
 hope to escape his notice by breaking
 over the stables into the; wood. Has
 tening back, I got upon the chair and, pulling myself up by the rafters, grad
 ually drew to the level of the hole.
 My head once outside. breathed deep ly of the purer air. Then, dragging up the rest of my body, dropped gently to the ground beyond. It was a deeper fall than had anticipated, and came | down with certain chatter, but, rest ing moment in the shadows. heard | nothing. No alarm was raised. So, creeping to the stable, climbed softly | upon the roof and clambered across | the caves in the direction of the for est.
 Suddenly a small noise arrested me, but ere I could collect my senses to determine it a dark body crept round corner of the roof and grappled with me. I seized it fiercely, resolved to do battle for my liberty with all the strength at my command, and together we rolled and struggled on the house. top. Then my opponent gave sllrill whistle, and the next thing I was con scious of was the grasp of a fresh pair of arms from behind. After that 1 gave it up, more especially as we had rolled to the edge of the roof, and re- newal of the struggle. would. seDd us over into the yard with broken limbs and bloody pates.
 If some one will take his foot out of my stomach" said, T will descend into the yard"
 At that the tension upon me was rc- faxed. and I was pushed forward roughly to what appeared to be trap door in the roof. down which climbed, thrust brusquely from above. Here I found myself in small loft above the stalls of the stable. My captors fcl- lowed, and one of them struck 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 l saw at once what had been my undo ing. for this loft was used as a dor mitory for the Greeks. and the noise of my passage along the roof had evl- dently alarmed them. At a gesture from Hood two of these brutes seized my arms. and was forced to descend tie 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 cd 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 l 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, was taken into an inner parlor of the inn. where l was left 10 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 ALnE uhAtAAlaAAaA dA AAlF btth VI AuE EAll- keeper. A lamp was burning on the table. which was covered with q green baize tableclOth. and the little window looked upon the road. where the sign of the WOodman. with his uplifted sx. was swinging gently
 Immediately afterward SercOmbe en- tered. with Hood upon his heels.
 ''I regret, Mir GreatOrex." said the adventurer. ''thGt you should have so small a notion of us as to try this . game
 "1t very nearly came off" answer . ed.
 Il grant you il was very ingenious. Mir. Hood and I have just been making 1 some investigations. and I congratulate . you on your fertility of idea. But your cIeverness is only partial You have never throughout the whole affair been !. thorough. Mr. GreatOrex- for which . you pay the penalty He !. spoke very iauntily and plucked his . quite gayly. while it sickened . ne to see the bIackguard there in this ! new role. who but fOrty-eight hours be fore had pledged me his word to earTy out another arrangement But if he could betrIy his friends had certainly . 1o ground of complaint that he should . also betray me. I don't suppose il cost !. him a moments scTupIe Indeed. look . ne at him there. | brought myself for . the first time almost to prefer Hood to him Hood at least was a frank enc ny. diaisolic though he might be.
 T am going to ask yOs. Nr. Create rer- went on Sercomlpe- a-fO pass your