The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1907-05-31
CHAPTER XXI.
A Prowler Of che Niuht.

Bewilderment
Don't expect too much" admon.
tshed Larry; Il can't promise you g
single Spanish coin"
Perish the ambition. We have
Blocked Pickering's game, and nothing
else matters" | said
We crawled through the hole in the
wall and lighted candles. The room
was about seven feet square At the
farther end was an obiong wooden
door, close to the ceiling, and Larry
tugged at the fastening until It came
down bringing with it mass Of snow
and leaves.
Gentlemen" he said. we are at the
edge of the ravine Do YOU see the
blue sky? And yonder. if you will
twist your necks bit, IS the boat
house"
Well. let the scenic effects go and
show us where you found those pa
Dpers." | urged.
Speaking OF mysteries, that is
where | throw M my hands, lads It's
quickly told. Here is a table. and
here is an old despatch box. which lies
Just where ] found It. II was closed
and the key was in the lock took
out that packet--it wasn't even sealed
saw the character Of the contents.
and couldn't resist the temptation to
try the effect Of an announcement OF
ITS discovery on your friend Pickering.
Now that is nearly all / found this
piece OF paper under the tape with
which the envelope was tied. and
don't hesitate u say that wSeD read
1T | laughed until ! thought should
shake down the cellar Read it. John
Glenarmi"
He handed me a fragment Of legal
cap paper on which was written in the
unmistakable handwriting Of John
Marshall Glenarm, these words
he LAUGHS PEST WHO LAUGHS
LAST
What do you think is so funny in
this?' | demanded
Who wrote it, do you think. asked
Stoddard.
who wrote it, do you ask? Why
Jacks grandfather wrote It, John
Marshall Glenarm, the cleverest. |
srandest old man that ever lived. wrots
IT." acclaimed Larry, his voice boom.
ing loudly in the room. ITS all a
great big game, fixed up TO try you and
Pickering,-but principally you. you
iblockhead! Oh. it's grand, perfectly.
deliciously grand.-and to think ia
should be my good luck to share in
n"
"Humphl I'm glad you're amused,
but it doesn't strike me as being 50
awfully funny Suppose those had
fallen into chickering's hands; then
where would the joke have been, l
should like to know"
"On you, my lad. to be sure, The
old gentleman wanted you to study
architecture; he wanted you TO study
his house; he even left little pointer
in an old book oh. it's too good to be
luue,"
That's all clear enough" observed
Stoddard, knocking upon the despatch
box with his knuckles But why d.
you suppose he dug this hole here with
its outlet on the rayine?"
"Oh, 1t was the way Of him" OK.
planned Larry. lie liked the idea Of
queer corners and underground pas
sages. This is a bully hiding place
for man or treasure, and that outlet
INTO the ravinc makes il possible 10
get out Of the house with nobody the
wiser It's in keeping with the rest OF
his scheme. BE gay. comrades. To-
morrow will likely find US with plenty
OF business on hands At present we
hold the fort. and let US have care
lest We lose It,"
We closed the ravine door. restored
the wall as best we could, and re.
turned 20 the library. We made list
of the Pickering notes and spent an
hour discussing this new feature OF
the situation and specializing as TO the
hiding place OF the remainder Of my
grandfather's fortune Larry and
lStoddard both declared their intention
of remaining until my troubles were
ended in spite OF my protests Stod-
dard stayed for dinner. and afterward
We began again our eternal quest for
the treasure. our hopes high from
Larg's lucky strike Of the afternoon.
aud with new eagerness born of the
knowledge that the morrow would Ger.
talnly bring us face to face with the
real crises, We ranged the house from
tower to cellar; we oyerhauled the
tunnel. for, II seemed to me. the hun
dredth time
1t was my watch. and at midnight,
after Stoddarl and Larry had recon
hoitered the grounds and Bates and
had made sure Of all the interior fas-
Jennings sent them off to bed and
made myself comfortable with n pipe
In the library
! was glad Of the respite glad to be
alone,-to consider my talk with Ma.
rian Devereux at 81. Agatha's and her
return with Pickering Why could she
not always have been Olivia, ranging
the woodland. or the girl in gray. or
that woman. so sweet in her dignity.
who came down the stairs at the Arm.
strongs? Her own attitude toward