Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1907-02-14
~THE@
Blu A. CONAN DOYLE,
Author of The Return of Sherlock Holmes
COPYRIGHT. 1898. BY HARPER 6 BROTHERS
Blu A. CONAN DOYLE.
COPYRIGHT. 1898. BY HARPER 6 BROTHERS


-En UXzs--EzT ~ ssy-r-v-rgsn~
and the lamps shone on the rude wood.
en- gate studded with ponderous clamps
and nails. In the upper part of the
door was z small square iron grating
and through this they could catch a
glimpse Of the CLEAN Of a lantern and
Of a bearded face which looked out al
them. De Vivonne. standing In his stir
rups, craned his head up toward the
grating, so that the two men most in
terested could hear little of the con
versation which followed. They saw
only that the horseman held a gold
ring up In the air and that the face
above, which had begun by shaking
and frowning, was now nodding and
smiling. An instant later the head
disappeared, the door swung open up,
On screaming hinges, and the carriage
leaving the escort, with the exception
Of De Vivonne, outside. As the horses
pulled up. q knot of rough fellows clus-
tered round, and the two prisoners
were dragged roughly out In the light
Of the torches which flared around
them they could see that they were
hemmed in by high turreted walls
upon every side. A bulky man with a
bearded face, the same whom they had
seen at the grating, was standing In
the center Of the group Of armed men
issuing his orders.
ITO the upper dungeon. Simon!" he
cried. And see that they have two
bundles of straw and a loaf Of bread
until we learn our masters will"
II know not who your master may
be-" said De Catinat, 'but I would ask
you by what warrant he dares to stop
two messengers of the king while
travelling In his serviceT"
by st. Denis, II my master play
the king a trick, It will be but tie and
tie" the stout man answered. with a
grin. But nc more talk! Away with
them, Simon, and you answer to me
for their safe keeping"
1t was in vain that De Catinat raved
and threatened, invoking the most ter
rible menace upon all who were con-
cerned in OBTAINING him. Two stout
knaves thrusting him from behind and
one dragging In front forced him
through a narrow gate and along n
stone tagged passage. They made
their way down three successive CORR
doris and through three doors, each of
which was locked and barred behind
them. Then they assembled a winding
stone stair, and Anally they were
thrust into a small square dungeon,
and two trusses Of straw were thrown
In after them. An instant later a
heavy key turned in the lock. and they
were left to their OWL meditations.
Very grim and dark those medita-
lions were In the case Of De Catinat.
A stroke Of good luck had made him
at court, and 70 this other Of Ill for
tune had destroyed him. There were
his people in Paris. too-his sweet
Adele, his old uncle, who had been as
good al a father to him. What pro-
tsctor would they have In their
troubles now that he had lost the
power that might have shielded them?
But his energetic comrade had yielded
to no feeling of dependency. The in
slant that the clang Of the prison door
had assured him that he was safe
from interruption he had felt all
round the walls and flooring to see
what manner Of place this might be.
His search had ended in the discovery
Of a small fireplace at n corner and
Of two great clumsy billets of wood,
which seemed to have been left there
to serve as pillows for the prisoners.
Having satisfied himself that the chin
ney was so small that 1t was utterly
impossible to pass even his head up it,
he drew the two blocks Of wood over
to the window and was able by plac-
ing one above the other and standing
on tiptoe on the highest to reach the
bars which guarded 1t. Drawing him
self up and fixing one toe In a In
equality of the wall, he managed to
look out on to the courtyard which
they had Just quilted. The carriage
and De Vivonne were passing out
through the gate as he looked, and he
heavy door and the clatter Of hoofs
from the troop of horsemen outside.
The seneschal and his retainers had
disappeared; the torches, too, were
gone, and, save for the measured tread
Of a pair of sentinels In the yard twen-
ty feet beneath him, ell was silent
throughout the great castle.
The window was large enough to
pass his body through If 1t were not
for those bars. He shook them and
hung his weight upon them, but they
were as thick as his thumb and firmly
welded; then, getting some strong hold
for his other foot, he supported him.
self by one hand, while he picked with
his knife at the setting Of the iron. 1t
was cement, as smooth as glass and as
hard as marble. His knife turned
when he tried to loosen 1t. But there
was still the stone. 1t was sandstone,
not 30 very hard. II he could cut
grooves In 1t he might be able to draw
out bars, cement and all. He sprang
down to the floor again and was think
Ing how he should best set to work
when a groan drew his attention to his
companion.
~Something on your mindT' said
Amos Green, sitting down upon his
billets Of wood. what was 1t. then?'
The guardsman here made a move
ment of Impotence. What was 1t?
How can you ask me when you know
a. we'll as I do the wretched failure
Of my missionf 1t was the kings