The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1907-10-18
CHAPTER xxxV.-contlnued.

staircase Bring your man. jacques,
a. that point and no farther We
al see r.. "a. but he will not be able
u see us"
Fortune was favoring us indeed
Locke and silently bestirred our
eslyes Now at last had come the
moment for action But still another
grumbled and still fortune favored
US.
That is all very well" objected ls
natieh And perhaps a traitor may
strike a blow in the dark for one
refuse 70 crafty the curiosity OF Kuhn
in this natter
But Starva was determined to
have his way
To prevent that" he answered.
leach OF us will lay his weapons on
the table at the end OF the hall"
There were cries OF fierce dissent
Starva silenced them with an angry
gesture
one moment. friends" he purred.
~You do not quite understand When
we FIRST came into this room | sug-
gested that lots should be drawn. and
he who was favored with the lucky
number should fire, concealed in the
gloom. that none might be sure who
had been chosen 10 SNUFF out Ferdi-
nands little soul But since our
friend Kuhns loyalty has been ques.
toned. 1t is he who shall have that
honor. and with Gornjis dagger he
shall do the work And lest an acct
dent should happen. or lest his cour-
age should fail him. Bratinau and
will keep our reyolvers. ! think there
is none 10 question our loyalty"
Kuhn had grown frightfully pale
he trembled But he spoke no word.
by this arrangement" continued
Starva. the loyalty of Kuhn OF Mace
donia will be established And II, !" he
was glaring at Gingaia and Count
Piteschti." there are any mad enough
20 dream Of disloyalty at this late
hour. and harbor treachery. they will
be powerless.
Staryas ruse was hailed with
ehouts of approval Gornii, lgnatief,
at the end Of the hall and flung down
their weapons defantly. Gingaja re-
luctantly followed their example
Plteschu folded his arms defantly,
standing motionless.
This is childs play" he muttered,
with pale lips
Nevertheless" whispered Bratinau
in his ear. you will obey. and quick
~ BY all the saints. starva, think
your plan has proved a wise one
Come. sir. We are waiting. Or are
you so ignorant Of the rules Of Ell.
Qustte that you insist in taking prece-
dence over a king"
With a gesture OF despair Count
Piteschti walked slowly to the tahle
and left his revolver there.
Now, friend Kuhn. we are waiting
only for you" cried Starva sharply
Il have no arms" answered the
poor wretch. with a sob.
You shall be armed presently"
cried Gornti
Now. Jaques. you may go. Out
with the candles. Gornji and Ig.
natief The rest OF you remain
quietly as you value your lives You
will find your man defenseless
Jacques. But IL he proves trouble
some, you have only to call and
will come You have taken care OF
Alphonse"
Il have put him to sleep" be
chuckled
AS Jacques lifted the tapestry Locke
choked him into silence Together we
carried him struggling up the hidden
staircase and burst into the anteroom
Of the tower Not until we had flung
him breathless into the room OF the
safe. and had locked the door. did
we answer Forbes frenzied questions.
Locke gripped his arm for silence
quick. there is not a moment to
lose Have you arms?"
NO" growled Forbes, ready for &C.
ton
In the first room 10 the right Of the
corridor painted Madame de Var.
nier. In the drawer Of the cabinet
near the door"
Then come. And you two stay
here There is mans work below =
We stole silently down the stairs.
Locke and myself in the lead. to the
cabinet. where both Locke and Forbes
chose their reviewers
Do you, Capt. Forbes. make your
way along the gallery until you come
60 the spiral staircase at the end Of
the hall commanded. briefly
When | appear at the main stairway
with Locke, reach the hall with nc
delay. There is table by the little
stairway; there are arms on IL: lei
no one approach that table unit
Locke or myself have reached you
side. Now then. Locke. are we ready?'
We had filed silently into the cor
ridor. Forbes sped with caution L
his vantage ground Locke was al
ready approaching the main staircase
when | seized him by the arm.
Il am going TO fool Starya an
going to call for help He will thinl
II Jacques AS he comes. shal
take care OF him. Bratinau is you
man. Wait till be shows himself, an,
H. -