The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1907-12-21

everything, 1 WISH 10 keep Iditn WIN
you. But will you not explain to Cap.
tain Forbes"
mo, Miss Brett" / returned bluntly. |
Il shall make no explanation to Cap |
tain Forbes until he sees fit to ask me |
for one
And l should refuse to believe any,"
said Forbes with contempt "You say
your brother is in that room. May ]
see him.
She led the way to the oratory IN
silence. The door closed gently be-
hind them. Madame de WARMER and ]
were alone.
Il hope you are satisfied. monsieur,
with your adventure in this Castle Of
Happiness" she said with hysterical
sob.
Il am waiting for the climax" an
swered significantly. us it to be a
comedy or a tragedy"
ooh, Cod" she raised her clenched
hands in gesture full of anguish, ut
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 DR.. Starva have imprisoned us
a 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 him!"
But Ferdinand is not at the cha
9 teau!" 1 repeated.
Last night-in the music room
!. that death-mask!" 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 I saw the rage of DR..
StarvaI realized his danger. Yes.
he was coming here-to-night. But
telegraphed him that at all costs he
must not come. But If DIR. Starva by
some means intercepted that tele-
gram"
70 who sent it," I questioned anx-
, iously.
| Jacques"
| Then your prince is doomed. It
| presence here. I thought 1t was be-
| cause l bribed him sufficiently we'll.
| Be sure of this, he is Starva's crea-
| ture"
| Heavens, how you torture me! But
| | II this is true, why did he allow Sir
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. DIR. Starva is more
II ingenious than / have given him the
u credit of being. We are caught like
rats in a trap"
But you must save him!"
4 'Tmpossible!"
y Listen; it is not impossible. There
is a ladder-not on this side, but be
4 meath the window of the oratory."
4 Her eyes glittered in the semi-dark
ness. She placed a finger on my lips
4 / had cried out in my surprise.
| "a ladder of hundred feet or more!
And 1t stands against the wall OF the
n tower!" l exclaimed incredulously
II Besides, il it were there, Captain
II Forbes must have seen it."
U This ladder, call it so for want o
H a better name, is made of great stone!
II half as long as ones forearm tha
II project from the smooth masonry a
\ intervals of foot. The chateau II
old, very old In feudal times, will
| stout rope, one might escape from
the tower. But it is impossible! W.
have no rope" She wrung her hands
"But If this ladder Of stones reache
from roof to terrace, 1t would be sim
pie enough without a rope. Tn
stones are built out at regular inter
walls? How far are they apart?
"At intervals of foot, they reach Il
a straight line for 100 feet. But tn
chateau is $50 feet high. These stone
begin at the roof. No one could dro
that so feet to the marble terrace bs
low and live Yes; we are caught lik
rats in trap"
Fifty feet. 1t would mean broke
limb, II not certain death. But II
ull rope could be kngtted of our clothin
lsK for half that distance!"
lon went into the room through who's
red window the kings messenger ha
or; made his untimely entrance. / leane
ON far out of the window, shuddering.
was resolved to make the descent m!
zed self. Twice had proved myself
ace coward. This was to be my chanc'
unless Forbes should stubbornly r
lily fuse to believe in the existence
OF Fertinand's danger.
The moon was rising; 1t shed an III
ain earthly light on the pale face OF Nj