Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-01-13
By H. B. MARRIOTT WATSON
CHAPTER Xv.


 - stared at the blank stones, but
 they returned no sign from their
 unavailing grayness The silence
 began to speak in that gloomy place. Recovering myself, I put down the lantern and considered. First l put the key in my pocket. definite precaution which was to influence strangely the history of this narrative. It was not conceivable that any one could have opened the heavy door when it was locked, yet the prisoner was gone If he is gone said l aloud in order to reassure myself, 'he must needs have gone by some hole That was incontrovertible. l decided, too, that the means of escape must lie within the dungeon. Once more I in spected the huge oaken door and shook my head. Was there any flaw in the wood? Perchance there was a secret spring in aepanel- I went over the surface carefully, but found nothing.
 syery we'll" said I, T will unriddle this or be hanged for felon," and l { set to work upon the walls. Inch by inch I passed the masonry under my , scrutiny, but made no discovery. 'I will go over it again, declared des- , perately and resumed my work from the beginning. I had not reached q point very far from the door on this second round of investigation when my glance slid of at venture and al- most mechanically rested upon the treasure chests Something unfamiliar ! in their appearance vaguely persisted , in my thoughts. I left of fumbEng with the wall and stood gazing at ! them. They took my eyes with inter est, and, crossing the room. shed the light upon the cases, lingering the gold pieces under the broken lid. One, two, three-they stood exactly as-no, that was the point. They had been moved.
 With new zest examined the floor, and, sure enough, one of these chests had been pulled out from the wall as far as it's own width. I peeped over it. Illuminating the space beyond. The slab of stone which the box had GOV cred was like the other flags that made { the floor of the dungeon. leaned low CT. and. sitting crossways on the chest, pushed the slab with my foot. It clanked duly to the kick of my heel; l but. what was even more amazing to me. it seemed to shudder and tremble beneath me. Fully aroused to action. l flung myerlf over and alighted with 1 both feet hard upon the flooring In ! another moment I was tipped forward ! and felt myself falling Precipitately ! upon my face. Catching at the chest 1. with one hand. I saved myself. but in | the effort the lantern feA from my hand and went out.
 Slowly I groped in the darkness and 1 struck a match. relighting the candle. 1 Then turned to the slab of stone. ]
 It lay open. displaced. one end pro- truding upward, and. as I saw. had . twisted on some kind of axle. Below . was disclosed great mouth of dark ! ness.
 Come" said I to myself. T think . know where friend Hood is. and this begins to get interesting" .. . Y felt in my pocket where my re . volver lay safely, and. seizing the can I de. plunged into the evil looking hole. i A stairway of stone ran downward. ! but very steeply. and had the utmost [ difficulty in preventing myself from . pitching forward against the rough . masonry of the opposite wall The ! walls brushed me upon either side as . descended, so narrow was the funnel. . Down. down I went, until presently 1 reached sort of landing. which broad ened into a little irregular chamber. ! Here ray Of light caught my eye. and I followed il till happened upon q small door in the wall. A huge key was in the lock. but the bolt was no. turned, and by wrenching hard ! forced the door open now looked down upon the waters Of the moat. ln which ny tiny flame danced in the growing darkness.
 After C little consideration I saw where I was. This must be a sally port giving access to the f0sse. h. deed. the water lappei the lower1nOst step, upon which I stood. Was it hv