Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-03-04

sound Of a footstep made me mart ne.
fore Arthur RANGES door. He was not
yet in bed, then! How was 1t that,
being n tho chateau, he had not dined
had not seen him at table with them
at the moment when we looked IN.
I retired into the dark closet.
found myself perfectly situated. I
could see along the whole length Of
the gallery. Nothing. absolutely moth.
ing. could pass there without my see.
lag 1t.
I waited about an hour and during
oil that time saw nothing unusual
The rain, which had begun to come
down strongly toward 0 o'clock, had
now ceased.
My friend had told me that prob.
ably nothing would occur before mid.
night or o'clock in the morning. II
was not more than half past II, how.
ever, when l heard the door Of Arthur
RANGES room open very slowly. The
door remained open for a minute,
which seemed to me long time AS
It opened into the ga!lery-that Is to
say, outward-I could not see what
was passing in the room behind the
door.
At that moment noticed a strange
sound, three times repeated, coming
from the park. ordinarily l should
not have attached any more impor-
lance to 1t than l would to the noise
Of cats on the roof. But the third
time the NEW was SO sharp and pene-
trating that I remembered what had
heard about the cry Of the Bette du Bon
Dieu. As the cry had acconpa all
the events at the Chandler could not
refrain from shudderng at the thought.
Directly afterwaru 1 saw .-r-
pear on the outside Of the door and
close it after him. At first could not
recognize him, for his back was to-
ward me, and he was bending over n
rather bulky package. When he had
closed the door and picked up the
package. he turned toward the dark
closet, and then l saw who he was.
he was the forest keeper, the Green
Man. He was wearing the same cos
tune that he had worn when l first
saw him on the road in front Of the
Donjcr inn. There was no doubt
about his being the keeper. AS the
cry Of the Bette du Bon Dieu came for
the third time he put down the pack,
age and went to the second window,
counting from the dark closet. | dared
not risk making any movement, fear
Ing might betray my presence.
- Iva toI ba r,cprp1 n,
on to the park. The night was now
light. the moon showing at intervals
The Green Man raised his arms twice,
making signs which I did not under
stand; then, leaving the window. he
again took up his package and moved
along the gallery toward the landing
place.
Rouietablle had instructed me tc
undo the curtain cord when l saw any
thing Was Rouletabille expecting
this? 1t was not my business to ques
ton. All had to do was obey instruc
lions. l unfastened the window cord
my heart beating the while as If 4
would burst. The man reached the
landing place, but, to my utter sur
prise-I had expected to see him con
tinue to pass along the gallery--I saw
him descend the stairs leading to tn:
vestbue
What was I to do? I looked stupid.
at the heavy curtain which had shu
the light from the window. The sigma
had been given, and did not see Roule
tabille appear at the corner OF the "of
turning gallery. Nobody appeared.
was exceedingly perplexed. Half al
hour passed, an age to me. What wa
to do now. even If saw something
The signal once given, could not Civ
1t n second time. To venture into tn
gallery might upset all Rouletabille'
plans. After all. I had nothing to re
proach myself with, and IL somethin
had happened that my friend had no
expected he could only blame himself
Unable to be of any further assistanc
to him by means Of a signal. l left til
dark closet and. still in my socks
picked my steps and made my way t
the "off turning" gallery.
There was no one there. I went
the door of Roulcta bille's room and Ii
tened. could hear nothing. l;nocl
ed gently. There was no answer.
turned the door handle and the dec
opened entered. Roulctabillc 10
extended at full length on the floor.
PTER xxi.