Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1907-07-20
CHAPTER xIx-csnxiraed.

ance? When the castle WAS stormed,
as 1t were, by gendannesz MY own
peril would be extreme.
1t was hopeless TO ppexrrx the in
'evitable. The rescue al Captain
Forbes would be accomplished; my
completely in the infrigESs OF DR..
6tarva and Madame de Yaxrfier would
be taken for granted. ENpaSuiations
would be useless. My very presence
In the chateau would he face evidence
of my guilt.
And so | had played MY desperate
game to no purpose.
To save myself-that was my one
thought Two courses Tag Sefore me.
Could | make my way To Captain
Forbes? Could / effect mis- release be-
fore Helena returned with help? If
that were possible. and II I could
hastily make my position clear 10 the
kings messenger ali might yet be
we'll At least so far as the establish
ment of my innocence was cSiacerned.
Or 1 might overtake Helena Brett.
To her | might make my confession.
And if she were persuaded. not only
that | was acting in her interests, but
that my plan to clear up Sir Morti-
mer's disappearance promised success,
i might even now be successful.
It was my fear that she would scorn-
fully refuse both to believe my story
and to accept my aid that made me
hesitate as To this cOurSa
1t was DR.. Starya who decided for
me.
He had appeared On the terrace be-
low, and he was following Helena
Brett
had read Captain Forbesis message
as well as Helena. Why. sksrs could
there not have been a afiirf person
interested in the strange autEc< Of the
mirror? And If this surrusse were
true? If DR.. Starga or Hadame de
WARMER had read the xnessageg They
had not hesitated to use desperate ex.
pedients to gain their purpusz. Would.
DR.. Starva hesitate TO use means as
desperate to prevent Eelgna from
summoning help?
| asked myself this startling ques-
tion as took the stairs tWo st time
to the great hall The TiaEn entrance
was locked. For moment thought
that | was prisoner in the chateau as
well as Captain Forbes. Eyea ROW /
am not certain that such vSs not the
intention of Madame de WARMER. But
Dr. Starva had gained the terrace by
a small door close by the sIErsi stair
case. In his haste he had torg3tten TO
lock this door.
Desperate as was my BEU haste
took the precaution of docking the side
door after me and placing The key in
my pocket My reasons fsr this were
vague enough. 1t was an iusClTcC that
prompted me to take the prersIdiou
rather than deliberate rBseecS8sE But
perhaps | might be able to regain the
chateau in due time by ttIis side Ell
trance, and none be the xs5es. For
as far as | knew / had Esfacfe6 10y
exit unobserved.
In the meanwhile ran swiftly after
Helena and DR.. Starya. Aau lost
sight of both. | soon raase T5 an end
of the promenade. II led directly into
the main street of the village. Now
that / had gained the village street
looked eagerly about for theE7I. Neither
was in sight. l guessed thss Eelenal
Brett would make her way rs soon as
possible to the hotel where she, was
known. What hotel? That was the
question.
| halted an urchin and asked him
the name of the best hotel IA Alter
hoffen. "Oh, the Grand hstsi.~ he am
swered without hesitation: that is
where all the English lords szS1' Amer
lean millionaires stay"
Then let him take IKE tithen;:: D
tempted him with franc
Evidently the gentleman s. in
hurry"
| assured him that I was, and prom
ised him two francs IL 4 cgEh reach
the hotel before a lady whom l. was
following.
"Then, the gentleman mast go by
the short cut"
SDeu dllCI tiiC 0oNO AAN W.
lage street.
This street is one OF The most quaint
in the whole world There ara two
stories of shops on either side The
pavement of the shops below is rooted
over; this covered passageway is the
pavement for the second series of
shops above. / was on the lower pave
ment, and this explains how l was
able to reach a flight OF steps. the cut
the youngster had prouiisPa- before
Helena or DR.. Starva.
At the foot of these steps the young
-ster bolted, assuring me thu J should
find the hotel when 4 had r-sacted the
top Of the flight.
These steps pierced a wzn Of one
of the houses of the village street
The flight was straight tor IKE first
20 or so, then Ii turned rur51srsiy on
On Hftla landing at rigi1f auc{FS Here