The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1907-09-27

And ! should refuse to believe any .
said Forbes with contempt. You say
your brother is in that room. May ]
see him ?"
she ed the way to the oratory in
silence. The door closed gently be
hind them. Madame de WARMER and
were alone
= hope YOU are satisfied. monsieur
with your adventure in this Castle OF
Happiness she said with a historical
sob
i am waiting for the climax" | an.
swered significantly. lis IL TO be a
comedy or a tragedy"
"Oh, God" she raised her clenched
hands in gesture full OF anguish. II
is ] who am asking that"
Why did you look at me in that
manner. You wish to tell me some.
thing-to warn me"
The death mask" she whispered
Her emotion suffocated her. why
should DIR. Starva have imprisoned us
here. unless"
looked at her stupefied.
But Prince Ferdinand is not here
at the chateau"
Her self-control vanished utterly.
She chung to me in her despair.
Save him, Save hmm"
But Ferdinand is not at the cha
teau!" ! repeated.
Last nlght-in the music room
that deathmask" She spoke incoher.
emily, but her meaning was too clear.
You knew that he was coming
here?"
When you told me OF the death.
mask, when / saw the rage of DR..
Starya-I realized his danger. Yes.
he was coming here-to-night. But I
telegraphed him that at all costs he
must not come. But If Or. Starya by
some means Intercepted that tele-
gram"
who sent it?" / questioned anx.
Iously.
Jacques"
Then your prince is doomed. II
was Jacques who betrayed to me your
presence here. thought il was be-
cause / bribed him sufficiently well.
BE sure of this, he is Starvas crea.
ture"
Heavens. how you torture me, But
IL this is true. why did he allow Si-
Mortimer's sister to come to me? He
must have known that you sent for
her"
with ourselves she would be safe
ly out of the way. DR.. Starya is more
ingenious than have given him the
credit OF being. We are caught like
rats in a trap"
but you must save him."
Impossible"
Listen; it is not impossible There
is ladder-not on this side, but be-
meath the window of the oratory."
Her eyes glittered in the seml-dark.
ness She placed finger on my lips.
l had cried out in my surprise.
"A ladder of hundred feet or more,
And II stands against the wall of the
tower" / exclaimed incredulously
Besides. II ii were there, Captain
This LADDER call it so for want OF
a better name. is made of great stones
half as long as ones forearm that
project from the smooth masonry at
intervals OF a foot. The chateau is
old, very old. In feudal times. with
a stout rope. one might escape from
the tower. But il is impossible, We
have no rope" She wrung her hands
but If this ladder of stones reaches
from roof to terrace. it would be sim
pie enough without a rope. The
stones are built out al regular inter
walls? How far are they apart?
AT intervals of a foot. they reach in
l straight line for 100 feet. But the
chateau Is $50 feet high. These stones
begin at the roof No one could drop
hat 50 feet TO the marble terrace be
ow and live. Yes; we are caught like
ats in trap"
Fifty feet! 1t would mean broken
limb. If not certain death. But IL
ope could be knotted Of our clothing
or half tina. distance,"
Il WENT lHlO the lODUl through whose |
window the kings messenger had |
made his untimely entrance. ] leaned |
ar out of the window. shuddering. | |
vas resolved to make the descent my |
elf. Twice | had proved myself a
oward This was to be my chance.
Mess Forbes should stubbornly re-
use to believe in the existence OF
'erdinand's danger.
The moon was rising; Il shed an I'M
arthly light on the pale face of Ma
anne de WARMER as she looked up at
he anxiously. The wind came in fit.
nj gusts.
Suddenly there sounded a mufiled re-
ort. At first thought It thunder in
he far.away mountains. But as lis
sned mtently the mysterious sound
as repeated again and again. though
lore and more feebly. And IL came
ON above
do you hear II, that strange, muf-
cd clap" ! asked Of Madame de Var
Ter.
She took my place at the open win
ow For some moments she heard
othing. Then. strangely enough.
Tough the wind was blowing almost