The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1908-02-20
MIR. rfsddon. II is harc 10 se,ievs

see hlH
She led the way to the oratory On
silence. The door closed gently he.
hind them. Madame de WARMER and
were alone.
Il hope you are satisfied. monsieur
with your adventure in this Castle OF
Happiness" she said with hysterical
sob.
Il am waiting for the climax" an.
swered significantly. rs It to be
comedy or a tragedy"
"Oh. God" she raised her cleuched
hands in a gesture full OF anguish, 4,
is | who am asking that"
why did you look at me In that
manner. You wish to toll me some
thing-to warn me"
"The deathmask-" she whispered.
Her emotion suffocated her. why
should Dir. Starva have imprisoned us
here, unless"
| looked AT her stupened.
But Prince Ferdinand Is not hert
at the chateau"
Her self-control vanished utterly
She clung 20 me in her despair.
Save him. Save HINT"
'But Ferdinand is not at the cha
teau!" l repeated.
Last night-in the music room
that death-mask!" She spoke incoher
emily. sut her meaning was too clear
"YoL knew that he was coming
here?"
when you told me OF the death
mask. when saw the rage OF DR.
Starva-i realized his danger Yes.
he was coming here--tonight. But
telegraphed him that az all costs he
must not come. But II Or. Starva by
some means intercepted that tele
1 gram"
who sent IL" questioned anx
iously.
Jacques"
Thea your prince Is doomed. II,
was Jacques who betrayed TO me your
presenLe here. thought II was be
cause bribed him sufficiently well
Be sure of this. he is starva's crea
ture"
Heavens. how you torture me, But
n this Is true. why did he allow Sir
| Mortimer's sister TO come to me? He
must have known that you sent for
her"
with ourselves she would be safe
~ out Of the way Dr. Starva Is more
ingenious than have given him the
credit OF being. We are caught Ike
rats In a trap"
But you must save himi"
"Impossible.
Listen. II is not impossible. There
Is a ladder-not on this side. but be
meath the window OF the oratory."
Her eyes glittered in the semfdark
ness. 1ho placed a finger on my lips
| had cried out in my surprise.
"A ladder Of a hundred feet or more'
And Il stands against the wall OF thu
tower." 1 exclaimed increGulously.
Besides, II Il were there. Captain
Forbes must have seen H."
This ladder. call Il 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 foot. The chateau 10
old, very old. In feudal times. with
stout rope. one might escape from
/ the tower. But II Is impossible, We
have no rope" She wrung her hands.
"But II this ladder of stones reaches
| from roof TO terrace. Il would lie sim.
pie enough without a rope. The
stones are built out at regular Inter
walls? How far are they apart?
AT intervals OF 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 IKE
rats in trap"
Fifty feetl II would mean broAen
limb. II not certain death. But II Q
rope could be knotted OF our clothing
for half that distance!"
went into the room through whose
window the kings messenger had
made his untimeiy entrance. leaned
far out OF the window, shuddering.
was resolved to make the descent my.
self. Twice had proved myself .
coward. This was to be my chance
unless Forbes should stubbornly ~
fuse to believe in the existence q
Ferdinand's danger.
The moon was rising; II shed an I'm
earthly light on the pale face OF Ma
dame de WARMER as she looked up M
me anxiously. The wind came In nt'
ful gusts.
Suddenly there sounded q mufiied 70
port. At frst thought II thunder 10
the far-away mountains. But as lie
tened intently the mysterious sound
was repeated again and again, though
more and more feebly. And II csms
from above.
do you hear IL, that strange. muf
| fed clap?" | ash ed Of Madame de Var
nier.
She took my place at the open win
dow. For some moments she heard
nothing. Then. strangely euough,
though the wind was blowing almost
a gale, II sounded distinctly.
ut IL flag on the high Flagstaff Of
the central tower" she said presently,
But who can have given orders thai
1t be raised?"
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