Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1908-02-06
Then your prince 10 do0ned. y
was jacques who betrayed to M you

buVU yDuT VIuuC0 - uUVDu00s
was jacques who betrayed to ne 700
presence here. thought II was BE-
cause I bribcd him suficiently we1
BE sure Of this, he IL Starva's cree
ture."
Heavens, how yOu torture me! But
n this II true. why did he allow Sir
Mortimer's sister To come to me? lie
must have known that you sent for
her"
with ourselves she would be safe
ly out Of the way. DIR. Starva Is mora
ingenious than I have given him tho
credit Of being. We are caught like
rats In a trap"
"But you must saw him."
"ImpoBsiblc."
Listen: It IL not impossible. There
Is n laddcr-not on this side, but be-
meath the window Of the oratory."
Hcr yes glittcred In the semidark.
ness. She placed "A finger on my lips.
] had cried out In my surprise.
"a ladder Of a hundred fee or more!
And II stands against the wall OF tho
tower" | exclaimed incredulously.
"Bosidcs. If It were there, Captain
Forbes must have een H."
"This ladder. ! call u 10 for want OF
"A better name. IL made Of great stones
half AZ long M ones forearm that
project from the smooth masonry at
intervals Of n foot. Tho chateau iS
old. very old. In feudal times. with
a stout rope. n might escape from
the tower. But IT IL impossible! We
have no rope" She wrung her hands.
'Hui II this ladder Of stone reaches
from roof To terrace, II would be sim
pie enough without q rope. The
stones are built out at regular inter.
vals' How far are they apart?
AT intervals Of a foot. they reach In
a straight line for 100 feet. But the
chateau ~ $50 feet high. These stones
begin at the roof. No n could drop
that 80 feet to the marble terrace be.
low and i've. Yes; we are caught lik0
rats In n trap
FIFTY feet, II would mean a broken
limb. II not certain death. But II a
rope could be knOtted Of our clothing
for half that disiancc!"
] went INTO the room through whose
window III" kings messenger had
made his untim"ly entrance. leaned
far out Of the window, shuddering. I
was resolved to make the descent my.
self Twice ! had proved myself a
coward. This was To be my chance,
unless Forbes should stubbOrnly 70.
fuse to believe In the existence OF
F"rdinand's danger.
The noon was rising; II shed nm I'm.
earthly light ON tho pale face Of Ma.
dame dc WARMER AZ she looked up at
mo anxiOusly. The wind came In ht.
ful gusts.
Suddenly there sounded n mufied re.
port. At first ! thought II thunder In
the faraway mountains. But as I lis.
tened Int"ntly tho mysterious sound
was repeated again and again. though
more and more fccbly. And Il camo
from above.
"DO you hear II. that strange. muf.
fled clap" | asked Of Madame do Var.
nicr.
She took my place at the open win.
dow. For some moments she heard
nothing. Then, strangely enough,
though the wind was blowing almost
n gale. It sounded distinctly.
1T IL a flag on the high Flagstaff Of
the central tower" she said presently.
"Iiut who can have given orders that
IL be raIscd?'
"That IL n matter Of Indifference"
sald ioyfully. "An ensign 80 large as
that requires n fairly substantial cord.
II we can get that cord and plat it
Where iB II fastened? Surely at ono
Of these windOwB?"
no." she said anxiOusly. 1T IL DR..
Starva who has raised that flag. Hut
Why" Tho question seemed TO In.
crease her anxiety.
ITO BE CoNTINUED)