Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1907-09-14

see him?"
She led the way to the oratory in
silence. The door closed gently be-
were alone.
Il hope you are satisfied, monsieur,
with your adventure in this Castle of
Happiness" she said with a hystercal
Sob
81 am waiting for the climax" an
swered significantly. rs it to be
comedy or a tragedy"
"Oh, Cod" she raised her clenched
handssin gesture full of anguish, "it
is l 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
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.
teau!" | 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, wheI | saw the rage of DR..
Starva-I realized his danger. Yes,
he was coming here-to-night. But
telegraphed him that at all costs he
must not come. But If DR.. Starva by
some means intercepted that tele.
gram"
who sent it," / questioned anx.
iously.
Jacques"
Then your prince is doomed. 1t
was Jacques who betrayed to me your
presence here. l thought it was be-
cause / bribed him sufficiently well.
Be sure of this, he is Starva's crea-
ture."
Heavens, how you torture me! But
if this is true, why did he allow Sir
Mortimers 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.. Starva is more
ingenious than | have given him the
credit of being. We are caught like
rats in 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 semi-dark-
ness. She placed finger on my lips,
| had cried out in my surprise.
"A ladder Of hundred feet or more!
And it stands against the wall of the
tower!" l exclaimed incredulously.
Besides, if it were there, Captain
Forbes must have seen it,
This ladder, call it so for want of
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
stout rope, one might escape from
the tower. But it is impossible! We
have no rope" She wrung her hands.
But If this ladder of stones reaches
from roof to terrace, 1t would be SIM
pie enough without a rope. The
stones are built out at regular inter
walls? How far are they apart?
"At intervals of a foot, they reach in
a straight line for 100 feet. But the
chateau is $50 feet high. These stones
begin at the roof. No one could drop
that so feet to the marble terrace be-
low and live. Yes; we are caught like
rats in a trap"
Fifty feet! 1t would mean broken
limb, if not certain death. But If
rope could be knotted of our clothing
for half that distance!"
l went into the room through whose
window the kings messenger had
made his untimely entrance. l leaned
far out of the window, shuddering.
was resolved to make the descent my.
SELF Twice l had proved myself
coward. This was to be my chance
unless Forbes should stubbornly re.
fuse to believe in the existence OF
Ferdinand's danger.
The moon was rising; it shed an un.
earthly light on the pale face of Ma.
dame de WARMER as she looked up at
me anxiously. The wind came in fit.
full gusts.
Suddenly there sounded muffled re-
port. At first l thought it thunder in
the far-away mountains. But as / lis.
tened lntently the mysterious sound
was repeated again and again, though
more and more feebly. And it came
from above.
do you hear it. that strange, muf.
fed clap?" | asked of Madame de Var
nier.
She took my place at the open win
,lD 81