Fair play., 1908-09-12
one thought in his heart: rs my wffs


upstairs?'
With his revolver ready In his hand,
he dashes rapidly up the circular stone
stairway, upon which open little loop
holes. After nightfall, these give him
no light. But the illumination of a
lamp or candle comes down the stair.
way as he passes higher up. He calls:
Marina, are you there?" and enters
the chamber at the top Of the tower.
1t is lighted by a lamp and fitted up
for occupancy. There Is a little bed
in it, some old chairs and an oaken
table. Upon the bed are a bunch Of
cyclamen flowers and articles of won.
ans apparel. He flies TO examine
them. They are not those OF his wife.
Upon the table is an envelope ad.
dressed:
Lieut.. Edwin Gerard Anstruther"
Its contents, written in the same
hand as that Of Marina's letter. makes
the young mans eyes roll in his head:
Mon Cher Anstruther:
have been watching your coming. over
the hills, following the cyClamen flowere
the charming Marina so astutely dropped
into the path to bring you here-and am
prepared tur your visit
! thought you would be attracted to the
light in this chamber when all else was
dark.
As you read this you are already trap
ped.
DO you think ! will spare anyone who
brought about my brothers death? Ask
Tomasso, who is already gone.
Do you imagine, English lieutenant.
who call yourself husband to the woman
shall be scathless-
The sharp clang of the doors below
makes Edwin drop the letter and
spring like a topman down the stairs.
Though he is quick, somebody is
quicker The strong doors are closed.
AS he reaches the lower STEP he hears
steel bars falling into their sockets out
side. From without a jeering laugh
makes him know this has been
planned. This is confirmed by the
creaky turning of a great key.
Unlock this door," he commands in
quarterback tones
'Diable, not after having had so
much trouble to trap you," is returned
in almost Partisan French.
Without a word Anstruther dis
charges his revolver into the lock of
the door. He has exhausted his three
remaining cartridges, when the i'm
pingement of the bullets shows that
the lock is protected by steel and his
attempts abortive.
He is interrupted by loud cries OF
terror from almost beneath his feet;
Hang it, quit that shooting Do YOU
want to blow us up? l saw that scar
faced chap shove sticks of nitro
glycerin all around in the crevices.
This towers mined, and that scoun.
drel has got a fuse or electric wire
running TO IL.
His own language with a Yankee
twang coming from below startles Ed
win. He has some matches in his
pocket; strikes one, looks round and
sees a trap door in the flooring almost
beneath his feet. He pulls it up and
peers down, His eyes glare into those
of another man gazing up from an un-
derground vault. Holding the match
50 that he can see the face he gasps;
Great guns, Emory, | thought you
dead"
I'm almost dead" growls the detec.
tive, Edwin, almost stunned by sur.
prise, gazing at him petrified by
the living lingo, where's Barnes? [
guessed some of you'd find me out"
adds the Pinkerton man in relieved
voice. Il reckoned you'd rescue a
chap who's been risking his life and
getting a good deal the worst of 1t in
your employ"
Il came to find my wife, cries Ed
win shortly. Have you seen herr"
"Oh there's a lady, l think, in the
house
In the house? And they have
cooped me up in this tower" Anstru.
ther frantically assaults the door
again,
oh, reckoned they'd be doing
something underhand to You" calls
Emory. Come down and help me out
first
Why don't you come up? There's
a ladder"
Il can't Dash it, they've got leg
irons on me. They feed me on soup
and bread and don't even leave
spoon with me to dig out. | was seized
and smuseled from st Tropez in that
fishing craft that followed your yacht
Just the moment had il fixed so I'd
hear their plans. They're crafty as
snakes"
"A PInkorton man like sou captured
in this disgraceful way" says An.
struther sternly. For he thinks had
Emory kept his eyes open and done
his duty, Enid would have escaped alb
duction and the rest never have come
90 pass
ITO RE CONvTNI-ED,