The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1909-11-05

fiat against the smooth stone wall Of
the Notifications.
There was q low sound Of voices
ten feet above him, q slight exclama-
ton, q grating noise, and the dark
figure Of Basil Marriott disappeared.
Grant was left alone, hanging sixty
feet above the surface of the Rhine.
He looked upwards and saw the sky,
a little lighter than the surrounding
dark, through a great embrasure Of
the machicolade.
and distinct.
Come IN, old chap. You have done
~splendidly. Three or four more rungs,
and catch hold of my hands!"
Grant mounted until he felt q warm,
strong hand clasp his own left wrist.
In a few seconds more 1t was all
over. and he was pulled upon the plat
form Of the outer wall.
"WeIl," Basil whispered, that was
. very near thing! had no idea the
ladder could be SO close. We must
fend it out when we go down. Wait
a minute to get your breath"
AS he said this, Basil turned from
Grant and began a low, whispered
conversation with a third dark figure,
which stood upon the battlements like
the Ghost at Elsinore. Grant stood
by himself, with a shudder of relief
at being once more upon q safe foot
hold.
At that moment, from q tower which
was dimly seen in the middle of a
great block of buildings before them,
a golden-voiced clock beat out the
hour Of a quarter past ten. Almost
simultaneously a slight, warn wind
arose. The blackness overhead
swayed and lightened a little, and a
pale, misty CLEAN of moonlight shone
down upon the scene.
The two men saw that they were
standing upon the top Of a high wall
some two yards or more in breadth.
From 1t a flight of wide stone stairs
descended into a garden, from which
the scent of the late roses came up
in heavy sitting perfume. Beyond the
garden was the great mass Of the
P%rincess's palace itself.
Il have got all our directions" Basil
whispered, confirmed from what I
was told before. There is only one
thing to wait for"
What is that?" Grant answered,
and even as he spoke Basil's hand
frightened upon his arm.
This" he whispered, bending his
hood "Copsf Won haor0o
Grant listened intently through the
dark.
Yes! A measured tread, with a
metallic clink accompanying 1t,
seemed approaching them. though as
yet it was a considerable distance
away.
1T is the sentry" Basil whispered.
who patrols this wall of the castle
for another two hours. His Mann
licher is loaded. We have got to
scrag the Johnnie! Come here!"
He dragged Grant into the shadow
Of a small projecting tower some 10
feet high, which ose from the en-
battlemented wall. The mysterious
figure of the confederate followed
them.
Il have the cloth for his mouth
the man whispered in German. "As
he ome by leap upon him and silence
him. When he has passed us about
a yard / will throw the cloth around
his mouth. Do you, sir" whispering
to Basil, 'catch his rifle, lest it fall,
and also bend back his right arm.
The Herr Grant will hold his left arm
and take his feet from under him.
Then we ear tie him up with the ropes
that l have. Now, be ready"
The three men crouched in the
shadow as the measured footsteps
came nearer and nearer.
Then-and it all happened with ex-
traordinary swiftness-a burly, black
shape passed the angle in which they
were concealed. The confederate
| sprang upon it like a panther. There
was a muffled, choking gurgle. Basil
| found that in his right hand he held
a heavy rifle. while his left was twist.
ing a gold-laced arm with fierce VIC
lence; and Grant with his huge
strength, had taken the body Of the
| soldier in his arms as If it had been
| q lay figure. and was lowering it slow
ly to the ground.
In two minutes more the man was
| effectually gagged and tied, SO that he
| could neither utter . sound nor stir q
limb.
I'VE will take this log" the German
said. In . contemptuous whisper.
which seemed to show that he had
some grudge against the unfortunate
sentry-"we will take this log down
OF the battlements and hide it in the
laurel bushes of the garden"
Swiftly and noiselessly the three
men carried the prone figure between
them down the wide stone steps and
| deposited 1t behind a thick screen Of
e~vergreens.
1T is good!" said the German. Il
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