The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1907-11-16
CHAPTER xx,,,.-contInusd.

brushed BY him, and had pushed open
the door at the head of the stairway
before he could come to decision.
wait here." I said In tone OF
command Il have an appointment
with Madame de WARMER. You were
coming for me, of course?"
NO" he answered sullenly. Ma
dam is at her devotions: she is not to
be disturbed"
Il am the best Judge of that" Aad
added again, ''wait here!"
found myself in great barn-like
room when had locked the door be-
mind me at the head of the staircase.
1t was lighted dimly by narrow win
.dows placed high against the roof OF
rafters, and was almost bare OF furni-
sture. At the three angles Of this room
were the three closed doors. So far
the crafty knave had told the truth.
But in which of these rooms should
4 find Madame de WARMER? And in
which Captain Forbes?
It awaited me little to have pene-
Srated so far into the enemy's strong
hold unless ] could accomplish still
more. At any moment Alphonse might
give the alarm. and wished to take
Madame de varnier by surprise
/ began to make circuit Of the tri-
angular room. l paused at each door
and knocked softly At none OF the
rooms did receive any response. /
was at once perplexed and dismayed.
There was no reason why either Cap
tain Forbes or Madame de WARMER
should keep silence.
And then a maddening thought
struck me. Perhaps my crafty knave,
Jacques, had been more cunning than
4 had given him the credit of beng.
What II he had cleverly whetted my
curiosity, acting on instructions from
DR.. Starva? What II Alphonse had
deliberately lured me here: What II
I were prisoner myself?
Dismayed that should have been
90 great a fool, again made the
round Of each Of the doors, not knock
ing this time, but shaking the handle
of each. And as seized the handle
of the third door, it yielded to the
touch and swung silently on its hinges.
/ stood at the Intel, abashed at my
angry intrusion.
1t was the oratory Of Madame de
WARMER.
Little larger than closet. and In
shape a half crescent; the walls were
hung with purple velvet Facing me
was an altar Two tapers flckered on
either side of the crucifix.
Before the altar, her eyes bent to
the crucifix, knelt Madame de WARMER
the adventures, absorbed in her de
votions. Even my entrance was un
noticed.
But Il was not piety Of this ex
traordinary woman that held me petri
fled in establishment and speechless.
Within arms reach, as / stood there
was a bier. And ON It, his hands
crossed on his breast, his palIid face
strangely calm, lay the mortal remains
of him whom knew at once to be Sir
Mortimer Brett.
It WAS q terrifying apparition. Ter
rifying, because it might have beer
myself lying there, SO strikingly SINH
lar at first sight was the likeness o.
myself to the dead minister. But al
the candles, which had fiickered In thu
-draught made by the open door
burned more steadily and looked a
his face closely / saw that after al
the resemblance was but superficial.
recovered my senses. Now at last
was to know the truth
Twice I opened my lips to call Il
the woman who knelt there. But
could not bring myself to speak. TIT
holy dead banished passion from thi'
place. Here / could not reproach ant
threaten her. / stood silently at thu
threshold. plying rather than con
-demning. waiting for her to discove
my presence.
Minutes passed before she turnet
her head.
Our eyes met. myself sterniy quea
tioning with look. Startled she wal
at my dramatic entrance. but she me
my stern look In absolute calm. NJ
terror or shadow of guilt distorted he
tragic beauty. / had come to de
.nounce, to demand justice. l foun'
myself rather plying.
Madame de WARMER" I said gently
-'the hour has come when you mus
tell me the truth"
i raised her to her feet and led he
from the oratory, closing the door be
hind me.
She chung 10 me In the fervor OF he
appeal.
YES" she whispered. ut Is the hou
when you must know the truth"
. CHAPTER XIV.
q the Tower Of the Three Rooms.
The great room of the central towe